10 Basketball Drill Ideas for Aquatic Training

With the NBA pre-season starting next week, it’s appropriate to provide some ideas for taking conditioning to the pools. A little bit of technology and a lot of creativity can challenge even well-conditioned athletes. The buoyancy and the natural viscosity of the water provide a different environment for executing common land drills with a very different effect.

Tim DiFrancesco is skilled at using the principles of water combined with specific basketball skills to provide great underwater drills for improving strength, cardio endurance and conditioning. Here are 10 advanced underwater drills he has used in a HydroWorx 500 Series pool:

1. Bounding on the underwater treadmill – Progress from double leg to single leg. Add resistance jets for an added proprioceptive challenge.
2. Lateral jumps into a dunk – Jump laterally over an aquatic step and explode into a dunk.
3. Jump with uneven footing to dunk – With one foot on the step and one foot off, explode from the uneven surface to dunk.
4. Sprint and dunk – Use resistance band and jets for an added challenge. Progress to incorporate fakes and cuts into the sprint.
5. Rotational jump with dunk – Explode through the water while turning to increase power and stability.
6. Spin move around defender – Move quickly and maintain balance in the volatile water environment.
7. Fake Jump shot and dunk – Add resistance band and jets for progressive challenge.
8. Bounding on underwater treadmill with a dunk – Increase speed of the treadmill to increase the challenge.
9. Rebound, squat and dunk – Jump through the water from a squat to increase explosive power.
10. Underwater dribble – Start with straight up and down dribbling, then progress to angular dribbling and switching hands

Request a Free Info Kit     View Our Products     Find a Pool Near You

Tim’s philosophy is to try any land drill in the water and see how it works. Most of the time, they work great or need only slight modification to provide a great change-of-pace workout. Watch the video below to see the above drills in action!

Watch an on-demand webinar presented by Tim DiFrancesco for additional ideas on training healthy athletes in the water. Download it today>>

Page updated on: July 7th, 2020