Get hench, jump higher, and move quicker on the basketball court, with this weight training program for basketball.
Ideally, you’re strength and conditioning should be periodised, with a different pre-season training program, for example, compared to in-season. The program shown here is a general one and should be modified according to other activity levels and your own strengths and weaknesses.

Warm Up
Try and increase your body temperature to avoid injuries. Start with 5 to 10 minutes of steady state, low-impact cardio and then add some dynamic stretches and mobility exercises.
Before each set, perform 2 or 3 warm-up sets with a light weight before working up to your “working sets”.
Plyometrics
Plyometrics are an excellent form of exercise for sports like basketball. They do however carry a relatively high risk of injury. So make sure your body is warm and you are well rested the day before, before attempting this type of explosive exercise.
Olympic Lifts
Along with plyometrics, Olympic lifts such as clean and presses and snatches are excellent for developing power. They are highly technical however and also carry a high risk of injury. Instead, hex bar/trap bar jump and high pulls have been included as they are relatively simple to perform, yet highly effective.
Rotator Cuff Exercises
Rotator cuff exercises can help prevent shoulder injuries by strengthening the muscles that help keep the shoulder joint in place. This is important for injury prevention when playing basketball and when lifting weights.
Individual Basketball Workouts .pdf [2022] (Power, Strength, Speed)
Day 1
Exercise | Reps | Sets |
Dumbbell Floor Press | 10 (per arm) | 2 |
Plyometric Press Ups | 6 | 3 |
Medicine Ball Overhead Throws | 6 | 3 |
Medicine Ball Slams | 6 | 2 |
Chin Ups | 10 (or max) | 2 |
Multi-directional Lunges | 12 (total) | 2 |
Rotating Plyo Jumps | 6 | 2 |
Band resisted backward walks | 20 seconds | 3 |
Day 3
Exercise | Reps | Sets |
Front Squat | 8 | 4 |
Depth Jumps | 6 | 2 |
One arm Row | 10 per arm | 2 |
Cable wood chops | 10 per side | 2 |
Hanging Leg Raises | Max | 2 |
Plank hold | 1 minute | |
Tib Raises | 10 | 2 |
Band Assisted Lunges | 10 (total) | 2 |
Day 5
Exercise | Reps | Sets |
Hex Bar Jumps | 6 | 3 |
High Pulls | 6 | 3 |
Barbell Glute Bridges | 6 | 2 |
Lateral Bounds | 10 | 2 |
Cable crunches | 12 | 2 |
Nordic Hamstring Curls | Max | 2 |
Look to change the volume up during the off-season and reduce it slightly, perhaps training just 2 days a week during the season.
You can easily vary the exercises by using kettlebells for high pulls, adding some resistance band exercises and changing up the reps and weights. I like to keep the first exercise the same for extended periods, to monitor progression and have some kind of progressive resistance.
Stretching
I would also suggest, stretching every day.
If you are stuck for time, “The World’s Greatest” stretch is a good all-rounder
Program Exercises
Some of the exercises in the program, are shown in the videos below:
Dumbell Floor Press
If you prefer barbell and barbell or dumbbell bench press, then feel free to replace the floor press. The only thing I don’t like about full or normal bench press, is the stress is can place on your shoulders, especially if your form is a bit off. I personally like kettlebell floor press, because it’s easier to grap the handle, which is already elevated off the floor slightly – it can be tricky with a dumbbell.
Medicine Ball Slams
Rotational Jumps
Backwards Walks
Nordic Curls
Band Assisted Lunges
This is for improving deceleration – you’re ability to slow down quickly and change direction.
I can’t find a video, but you want to attach a band to a point in front of you so that the band pulls you in the direction of the lunge, and you have to control the descent before pushing back to the starting position.
Tib Raises
Another great exercise for deceleration and change of direction speed.
Vertical Overhead Medicine Ball Throw
If you can do this standing next to a wall, it’s easier to catch it. This is what I do (my weird functional workout on Instagram is shown here)
High Pulls
This exercise wants to be done at speed. Drive with the legs and then drive again with the hips and pull up with the arms/hands.
Basketball Workout Plan PDF
Download Weight Training Program as a pdf:
Google Doc:
Other Basketball Workout FAQs
What is the best workout for basketball players?
If you were to choose 1 workout, or type of workout, a circuit training session including plyometrics would be optimal for basketball. A circuit involving burpees, depth jumps, lateral bounds, press ups, rope climbs or chin ups, planks, lunges, plyometric press ups and sprints would be efficient and highly effective.
How many days a week should a basketball player workout?
In addition to basketball training sessions, 2 or 3 gym sessions is optimal. Usually 3 sessions in the off-season and 2 gym sessions during the basketball season.