If you are a committed player and you made a list of the skills you want to improve this offseason, it would probably be pretty extensive.

Even if you’re already good, there is always room for improvement.

You list might include the following:

• Shooting

  • Stationary

  • On the move

  • Off the dribble

• Dribbling

• Passing

• Finishing

• Conditioning

• Footwork

And that’s just a start. You may well have other skills you want to hone as well.

When you look at that list, it’s pretty daunting. I’ve coached players who gone about it one of two ways:

1. Look at the list, be completely overwhelmed, and throw in the towel. That is clearly a bad plan.

2. Look at the list and make a plan for each skill. These players have a great attitude and mean well. But this is also a suboptimal plan.

   How can that be the case? We celebrate players who are ultra committed and spend hours upon hours in the gym.

The #1 “Isolation” Mistake Players Make in the Gym

Your improvement plan could look something like this:

• 30 min stationary shooting

• 15 min shooting on the move

• 15 min shooting off the dribble

• 20 min ball handling drills

And on, and on, and on. . .

To get through your whole list, you might need 2-3 hours. For most players, that’s not a realistic time commitment.

Contrary to what many have been told, it’s also not a necessary one!

What could you do instead?

The Secret to Doubling Your Results Without Doubling Your Time

Train multiple skills at once!

This simple tip can transform your training. Rather than spending 3 hours a day training (or giving up because it seems overwhelming), work on multiple skills at the same time.

Integrate ball handling moves into your shooting. While those might be a minority of your game shots, if you can make those at a high clip in training, you should be able to make catch and shoot shots as well.

Here’s a great example of how Don Kelbick does that as part of his Attack And Counter Skill Development System.

Not only is this more efficient, it’s more game-like. Very rarely in games do we perform skills in isolation. So why train that way?

This isn’t to say you might not isolate a skill from time to time. If you’re trying to build a new habit or have been struggling with a certain area, isolated practice might be a good idea.

However, once you’re past that point, get back to working on multiple skills simultaneously.

Remember Quality > Quantity When It Comes To Your Training

Your quantity of work matters. Sweat equity is a real thing. People love telling stories of Kobe Bryant working out for 8 hours a day. That sounds great. . .

However, that’s not reality for most players. And the good news is, it doesn’t have to be. Your plan should be . . .

Get in, get better, and get out.

At the end of the day, there is no prize for being in the gym the longest. The prize is getting better. They are not the same thing.

By training multiple skills at once, you’ll maximize your time and your improvement!

If you’re looking for an efficient way to train multiple skills at once, check out The Attack & Counter Skill Development System.

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