Nucleus Sports Wellness and Fitness

By Nucleus Smith

Nucleus Sports Wellness and Fitness was created for basketball beginners. Everything in this book comes from many great basketball minds that the author has learned. Every drill, word, or exercise has been performed by him or some other player or coach he has learned from. This will give you ideas in what you should be working on when you go to the park or gym. Every day you should be working on some part of your game. This is the best way he knows that he can give back to the game that gave him so many opportunities. Use basketball as a tool to help you get where you want to go.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Oct 12, 2021
• ISBN: 9781662435584

Book preview

Healthy Eating for Basketball Players

Your three-course meals are breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Eating three meals every day will help your body to continue to grow taller, maintain muscle, and store energy. Three meals are a healthy way of living.

But if you choose to eat all that is bad for you, your body will do the opposite. For example, not eating breakfast in the morning, your brain and body will become tired throughout the day, and not being able to perform at a high level when needed.

Here are a few food suggestions that can help you develop proper eating habits—this is what I use to eat:

Dairy—Get your calcium-rich foods (your choice).

Move to the milk group to get calcium.

Calcium builds strong bones.

Look at the label or container to make sure your milk, yogurt, or cheese is low fat or fat-free.

Fruits—Focus on fruits.

Fruits are nature’s treats that contain natural sugar.

Bananas, oranges, apples, grapefruit, and pears.

You need to eat at least a bowl of fruits or vegetables.

All your fruits contain a lot of the nutrition you need for a healthy body.

Vitamin C can help to reduce levels of fatigue, which will keep you going all day long.

Grains—Make half your grains whole.

Start your morning with whole-grain cereals or oatmeal.

Whole-grain bread could be used for toast.

This helps sustain brain function throughout the day.

Meat and beans—Go lean with protein.

Eat lean—chicken, turkey, and fish.

Ask for it baked, broiled, or grilled, not fried.

Nuts, raisins, seeds, peas, and beans are all great sources of protein.

Beans and lentils are a great source of potassium and carbohydrates.

Kidney beans, baked beans, and many others provide a great source of energy for your body.

Vegetables—Vary your veggies.

Color your plate with all kinds of great-tasting veggies.

Go dark green with broccoli and spinach, lentils, and green beans.

Or go orange like carrots and sweet potatoes.

Yellow is for your corn.

Go white with some potatoes and onions.

Water—It is the very element that keeps the body hydrated; help keeps the body from cramps.

Water Fun

Pool workout

Working out in a pool is great for the body.

The water helps relax your muscles and strengthen the muscles all at the same time.

Working out in water is just like lifting weights, which provides muscle resistance.

Great on your joints and helps recover from injuries as well.

If you choose, you can use water weights when in the pool.

Basically, you can perform some of your warm-up stretches in the pool.

Refer to the Warm-Up section for guidance (only ones in a standing position).

Here are a few suggestions to help you:

Back paddle

This is great work for lower body (hamstrings, calves, ankles).

This is good on your body to ease stress off your joints.

Arms can be straight up when back paddling.

Or use a running motion while back paddling.

You can back paddle down and run back.

You can back paddle down and shuffle back.

Whatever challenges you in the pool, go for it.

Down and back is one lap.

Do at least two laps and build up one lap at a time.

Heel kicks

This is good for strengthening your glutes, hamstrings, and ankles.

Just working your lower body is the focus here.

It is important to keep your balance.

You can have your hands on your side or stretched out.

This is similar to regular heel kicks when warming up.

Be stationary when doing this.

Go for time (30 seconds/45 seconds/60 seconds).

Swimming/run

This is for conditioning and strengthening your shoulders and legs.

If you’re not a swimmer, you run down to the other end and back to the beginning.

Down and back is equal to one lap.

Do at least five laps and build one lap at a time.

Jumps

This is for working on your jumping ability and balance.

This helps with your explosion off the floor when shooting or rebounding.

Jump as high as you can.

Start off in a standing position.

Hands straight up in the air.

Then squat and jump up as high as possible.

Come down under control and repeat.

Go for time (30 seconds/45 seconds) or reps (3 x 5–10).

High knees

This is good for strengthening your knees and hamstrings and ankles.

Just working your lower body is the focus here.

It is very important that you keep your balance.

You can have your hands on your side or stretch them out in front of you.

This is similar to regular high knees when warming up.

Be stationary when doing this.

Go for time (30 seconds/45 seconds/60 seconds).

Water shuffle

This is for conditioning, leg strength, and running/defensive techniques.

Working on your defensive position or athletic position.

This is the same as defensive slides, working on proper technique.

Go down and back is one lap.

Reps 2 to 4 laps.

Shuffle down and run back.

Shuffle down and shuffle back.

Run down and shuffle back.

Proper Warm-Up

Get loose

Most important is warming up the body to prevent yourself from injuries.

You can run ten to twenty laps around the gym or outdoor court.

Or you can jump rope for 3–5 minutes.

This is to get the blood flowing throughout your body and bring oxygen to your muscles and brain.

These are some very basic warm-ups that can be done at the beginning of your workout.

Go for time or reps (2x).

Stretching

Most important is stretching before and after you get done doing your workout.

Get a good stretch in to prevent yourself from injuries, but injuries do happen.

There are many different stretches that you can perform.

Technique is very important as well and teaches the muscles flexibility.

Don’t forget to hold the stretch for 10–15 seconds.

Now here are a few basic warm-up stretches:

Heel kicks

This is performed to warm up those hamstrings and quads.

Start off by doing a light run and allow your heels to kick your bottom.

You can go to half-court and jogging down or heel kick all the way down and jog back.

Reps (2x).

A.