Being able to move laterally with speed and power is very important to basketball players.  And lateral speed training should be a part of every player’s training program.  A typical training program for basketball will devote two or more days per week to lateral speed and agility drills.  Progression of exercises and proper technique is essential to the long-term success of lateral training.

The following exercises develop lateral strength, speed, and power.  They are listed from basic to more complex.  On all of the exercises, be sure to keep the abdominals tight and maintain balance.  Hold the trunk in a neutral position so that the back is not too rounded or too arched.  The shoulders are held strong and not rounded forward, and the eyes are straight ahead.

Exercises

Lateral Bounce
This is a good exercise for warming up and prepping the body for lateral work.  Start in an athletic stance with the feet wider than shoulder width, pointing directly forward and the bodyweight evenly distributed throughout both feet.  Begin shifting bodyweight side to side from one foot then back to the other.  Stay low to the ground.  Land on the whole foot, not just the balls of the foot.  Absorb each landing on the outside edge of the foot and then shift the weight across to the inside.  This exercise can also be performed on an angle by starting one foot angled forty-five degrees in front of the other.  Use the same technique.  Change the lead foot and repeat.

Ice Skater (freeze landing both sides)
Start in an athletic stance.  Push off one foot laterally, jump to opposite foot and freeze the landing.  Land with the knee bent and maintain balance.  Stay low to the ground.  It is important that the leg not in contact with the ground stays under the hips.  This “free leg” does not extend forward or backwards for balance.  After holding the landing for one to two seconds, return to starting foot and freeze the landing.  Repeat the movement for the desired repetitions.

Ice Skater (freeze landing on one side)
Start in an athletic stance.  Push off one foot laterally, jump to opposite foot and immediately return to starting foot and freeze the landing.  Land with the knee bent and maintain balance.  Hold the landing for one to two seconds.  Stay low to the ground.  It is important that the leg not in contact with the ground stays under the hips.  It does not extend forward or backwards for balance.  Work both sides equally.

Ice Skater
This is the same exercise performed continuously.

Resisted Ice Skaters
All of the ice skater exercises can be made more intense by adding resistance with rubber tubing.  Attach the tubing around the waist.  A coach/partner can hold the other end or the other end can be tied to a solid object.

Lateral Broad Jump (freeze landing)
Start in an athletic stance with the feet wider than shoulder width, pointing directly forward and the bodyweight evenly distributed throughout both feet.  Push off one leg and jump as far as possible laterally.  Land on both feet.  Be sure to land with the knees bent and absorb all forces of the jump in the muscles of the legs.  Hold this position for one to two seconds then perform another lateral jump using the same push off leg.  Return down the court working the opposite leg.

Lateral Broad Jump
This is the same exercise without freezing the landing.

Resisted Lateral Broad Jump
Increase the intensity of the broad jump by adding resistance with rubber tubing.


View demonstrations of the above exercises by clicking the link below.
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