by Eric Bailey

Created on: November 12, 2009

Stamina can be considered the trait of one's ability to perform prolonged physical activity before experiencing fatigue. In many aspects of life, stamina may not be important, but in sports having good stamina is essential: Athletes are honed to the highest level of competitive physique, then pitted in fast-paced, intense matches, often having to match pace with their opponents and try to be quicker, stronger, faster at every opportunity. In basketball, having a lot of stamina means being able to jump for rebounds many plays in a row, running down court without becoming exhausted, driving through defenders without getting banged up, and finishing the game as well as it was begun.

Naturally, sports foster players that seek to gain any competitive edge that they can. Developing stamina is a great asset for a basketball player, and there are a few valuable strategies to make that possible.

Running Is Your New Hobby

They do not hold long-distance races for dribbling, nor do they hold marathons for couch-sitting. There is a reason that running is the golden standard for building endurance: No other exercise activity is so easily accessible, so proven to be effective, and so seamlessly transferable into sporting usage. There is a remarkable amount of running, sprinting, jogging, and other similar movements in basketball; it stands to reason, then, that being able to perform these motions at a faster and longer pace than your competitors is a great advantage.

Shift From Streets To Hardwood

Many basketball players practice streetball, playing on playgrounds or in driveways or, quite literally, in the street on a portable rim. These games typically involve less players, a smaller court, and a take it out style of play that demands repeated trips to the edge of the makeshift playing area. In other words, it is not an up-and-down, full-court contest, and streetballers develop different muscles and skills than those required of full-court, organized, league play. Those hoping to try out for traveling, intramural, school, or semi-pro teams would be wise to develop a full-court hardwood habit.

Play Beyond The Pain

Undoubtedly, there is some truth to the saying No pain, no gain. It certainly makes sense that working hard will create some unpleasant sensations, but what people may not realize is that the burning sensation in the muscles is the key to their growth. A true workout involves muscle fibers repeatedly tearing apart and rebuilding with additional replacement cells in order to become bigger and stronger. When a basketball player is training, trying to develop their stamina, they must gain an acute awareness of their pain yet choose to endure through it, knowing that it will benefit their stamina and overall fitness. Their lungs may burn along with their muscles, but if they can continue working through the pain until they absolutely cannot continue, the overall benefit will only increase.

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