Rebirth In Kurokonobasket - Chapter 131

After the introductions, Coach Albert and Coach Sarah had the Division-One eleven start with a dynamic warmup.

Albert and Sarah had them to many exercises before starting the real workout.

While Coach Albert assigned and watched over the players doing warmups, Coach Sarah explained the importance of warmup.

Sarah: “Warming up usually consists of low-key cardiovascular activity such as walking or jogging before running. To warm up, gently use all the same muscles you plan to use for the fitness activity.

It helps your heart prepare for the extra workload. Low-intensity warmups gradually increase heart rate and circulation, so you are better prepared to handle higher intensity exercise.

Taking time to warm up will also increase your body temperature, so you perform like a well-oiled machine.

As your body temperature increases, you’ll loosen your joints and increase blood flow to your muscles. That means less stress on joints and tendons.

Warm, well-lubricated joints prepare the body to execute sudden or explosive movements with ease. You’ll reduce the likelihood of acute injury and perform with greater vigor, too. Warmed up muscles also reduce the incidence of overuse injuries.”

Albert spoke as he moved around the group of players doing the warmup exercises.

Albert: “Till what age do you guys want to play basketball?”

Douglas was the first one to answer.

Douglas: “Till I am sixty years old.”

Albert laughed, hearing Douglas’ reply and said.

Albert: “If you want to play for that long, you need to show your body some love. Unlike regular people, athletes’ bodies go through a more eminent usage, so you need to prepare your body to handle the extreme stress that you will be putting on it.

So, if you guys want to play at the highest level for a long time, make sure that you take care of your bodies, your bodies are your primary asset.”

-*-*-*-

After the warmups were over, the coaches immediately began them with the workouts.

She handed the files to their respective players and spoke.

Sarah: “These are your workout menus. They are generalized menus that were made for the positions you play.

For example, the menu for center and power forwards focus on strength and power, and the small forward and guard menus were designed for agility.”

Albert looked at the players, who had opened their files to check their menus.

Albert: “We will observe you for a few days and then regularly update the menus to personally fit your needs.

Even if you play the same positions doesn’t mean that you will be playing it the same, but these generalized menus are a stable place to start.”

-*-*-*-

Shun opened his file and started to read the physical menu for a guard.

Monday: Upper Body Workout No. 1 and Conditioning

Wednesday: Conditioning

Thursday: Upper Body Workout No. 2 and Conditioning

Friday: Agilities and Lower Body Workout No. 2

Saturday: Conditioning

Sunday: Off.

Shun: ‘Upper body and Lower body both have two different regiments. There is a lot of conditioning, well those are important to maintain the body at peak form.

But, I hope that they could work in a strength menu in their somewhere. I should tell that to the coach when he asks for feedback.’

Shun flipped a page, and his eyes bulged when he was what was written on the page.

Shun: ‘Oh, crap. This is crazy.’

Shun: ‘I haven’t exercised this much ever.’

Coach Albert came near Shun and spoke to him.

Albert: “We had to water down the menu we gave to the others because of your age. You still might think that this is still too much for you, and I can understand that.

Young players like you focus on overall body development rather than the menu we gave you.

Tell me, Shun. What do you do for physical training back at home?”

Shun still had his eyes on the file as he read each line of the doc.u.ment.

Shun: “I start with calisthenics and flexibility exercises first thing in the morning I wake up.”

Albert smiled and noted.

Albert: “Ah, yes. Flexibility exercises give the highest return when done right after waking up, and calisthenics does have a good effect on muscle strength and endurance.

Shun flipped a page, and at the same time, replied to Albert.

Shun: “At school, we do the exercises that are listed here in the file in the conditioning section. I haven’t worked with weights till now.

This is the first time I am seeing so many weight exercises in one single menu.”

Albert nodded and explained the reason for the weight exercises on the menu.

Albert: “From what I remember, the high school in Japan is a three-year program, right?”

Shun looked up at Coach Albert and nodded. Albert continued after the affirmation.

Albert: “Here in America, the high school system in four years long, that means the third-year middle school students in Japan would be attending high school America.

Usually, we start with weights when students reach high school and not before that, and if we followed the American system, you would be joining a high school in the states, and you would start with weight training there.”

Albert looked at Shun’s body and commented.

I know that it may seem a little overwhelming to see, and you might have problems with this while you are here at the camp, but after you return back home and keep this up for a few weeks, you would get used to it.”

Shun tapped his feet but sighed in the end and said.

Shun: “Well, if you say there is nothing wrong with starting early, then there is no harm in doing that. I will follow this menu, but please replace one conditioning session with a strength session.”

Albert agreed and made a single change to Shun’s workout plan.

Albert walked away from Shun to take more doubts from others.

-*-*-*-*-*-*-

After Albert and Sarah cleared everybody’s doubt and explained to everybody about their plans, they continued with more explanation.

Albert: “We will start early every day, physical workout before breakfast, and then practice games after breakfast.

You guys can rest till lunch, and then we will analyze either your games or some other games after lunch. We will talk about the technical aspects of basketball.

That will be what your days look like while you are here.”

Gilbert grumbled and asked.

Gilbert: “Do we have to attend the classroom session?”

Douglas nodded to show that he also had the same question.

Sarah answered the question.

Sarah: “Yes, those sessions are mandatory. Learning about strategies and technical aspect of the game is also important.”

Albert chuckled and said.

Albert: “You are free after the technical session, and you can do anything you guys want, but I will suggest that you guys go to sleep early. Tomorrow onwards, we will start at 6:00 AM.”

Ivan’s eyes brightened when Albert that they should sleep early, but his mood took a dip after listening that they needed to start to at 6:00 AM.

Albert clapped his hands and ordered.

Albert: “Now, enough talking, let’s get to work. Look at your training menus and start the first exercise you first exercise for today.”

The players did as their coach ordered and got to work. It was needless to say that after a couple of hours when the workout ended, Shun was sprawled on the floor, his clothes drenched in sweat, and his body felt very weak.

Shun: “Oh my god, I almost thought that this wasn’t going to end.”

Shun looked at the other and saw that everybody was sweating, but none of them were as bad as Shun.

Shun: “High schoolers are tough.”

Shun was feeling tired, but at the same time, he was excited that he would get to play with these talented high schoolers, who all have played at an international level.