Dive Into Sports Insights with Our Blog

No matter what sport they play, most athletes can benefit from improving their foot speed and agility. Fast feet can help tennis players adjust to fast serves and hard body shots, allow basketball players to shuffle and stay with shifty ball handlers and give football players an edge when making cuts in the open field. Luckily, just like strength or jumping ability, it is possible to improve your agility with careful training. Many coaches and athletes work on foot speed using agi …

When stepping up to the plate, nothing's more important to hitting the ball a country mile than smooth swing mechanics. One of the most common culprits behind poor cuts is the bats hitters bring with them to the plate. Too heavy and swings drag—the bat drops below the ball and takes too long to make its way around the plate. Too light, on the other hand, and batters tend to whip their lumber around the plate with just their arms, failing to harness the power of their lower body. Therefore, …

One of the best ways for athletes of all ages and skill levels to develop their jumping ability is through plyometric exercises. Plyometrics are exercises in which muscles exert maximum force over short intervals of time with the goal of increasing power.  When applied specifically to jump training, the resulting increase in explosiveness can help athletes jump both higher and quicker, which can not only help them become more effective in sports like basketball and volleyball, but can …

Because of its association with weightlifting and bodybuilding, many people incorrectly assume that strength training is not appropriate for kids. In fact, not only can strength training help kids simply look and feel better, but it can put them on a path to better health and wellness for their entire lives. Strength training can strengthen kids' bones, help promote healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels and help them maintain a healthy weight in addition to strengthening sport-specific m …

Many basketball players and coaches divide their training programs into two distinct categories: off-court physical training and on-court skills training. During off-court sessions, players use a variety of weight, resistance and plyometric equipment to get their bodies in peak shape for the season. When working on their dribbling, passing and shooting skills on the court, players tend not to use much equipment besides a few basketballs, a hoop and maybe a few cones. This distinction tends …