In-season basketball is chaos. Between travel, games, recovery, and shootarounds, a structured lifting calendar is almost non-existent.
As Strength & Conditioning Coaches, we have to do more than plan around the schedule — we need to find and create opportunities to train when we get them. Every window to introduce a stimulus that helps our athletes perform or recover needs to be capitalized on. Flexibility and creativity become non-negotiable.
At Iron Performance Center, and with the Niagara River Lions, we’ve built a system to do just that — right up to the final minutes before tipoff.
Minutes Until Tip-Off: A Walkthrough
Game day isn’t just “warm up and go.” It’s a strategic timeline involving:
- Movement prep
- Explosive work
- Individualized training based on player profiles
Here’s what our pre-tipoff flow looks like:
60–75 Minutes Before Tipoff
Players hit the court for the first block of performance prep:
- Force Deck Jumps
We track CMJ data to monitor neuromuscular readiness and trend fatigue. - Band-Based Potentiation Circuits
Joint-friendly, quick, and explosive — these circuits prime without fatigue. - Individualized Prep Based on Minutes Played
We bucket players as high-minute or low-minute, with targeted work for each.
These circuits are less about lifting — and more about lighting up the system.
Why the Band Workout Works
On game day, efficiency is king. We rely on bands for versatile, CNS-friendly microdosing. A go-to example:
- Banded Unilateral Full ROM Work
Training multiple planes with controlled volume. - Banded Overcoming Isometrics
High neural output with minimal tissue fatigue. - Banded Chaos Anti-Rotation
Building reactive core control under unpredictable resistance.
This isn’t about “working out.”
It’s about waking up the nervous system.
Using Force Decks to Monitor Readiness
Force decks are more than a testing tool — they’re a feedback loop we use to adjust strategy in real time.
What We Track:
- CMJ Height, Impulse, RSI-mod — for neuromuscular readiness
- Left-Right Asymmetries — especially post-travel
- Velocity Trends — to spot fatigue or freshness across the roster
What That Tells Us:
- High-minute guys may need more recovery or light CNS primers.
- Low-minute guys often benefit from added stimulus to stay sharp.
This intel informs everything we do — from the band circuit to post-game lifts.
50–60 Minutes Before Tipoff: Team Dynamics on the Baseline
This block is fast, fluid, and focused:
- Traveling General Mobility
Active mobility drills and tissue “systems check.” - Light Tier Plyometrics
Multi-directional jumps to engage the stretch-shortening cycle. - Deep Tier Plyometrics
Full-range, low-impact jump patterns to prep tendons. - Sprint Builds
Low-dose linear work to tune acceleration and deceleration.
This lets us inject sprint and plyometric work we might otherwise miss in a congested week.
🎥 Here’s a video snippet of our on-court microdose workout.
In-Season Strategy: Structured Lifts + Opportunistic Doses
We schedule at least one structured team lift per week. Usually:
- Moderate intensity
- Low volume
- Big rocks only
This is dependent on the game day-minus structure (e.g., G-1, G-2, etc.).
But we don’t stop there.
Game days are perfect for microdoses:
- Sprints
- Jumps
- Short-range exercises
- Full-range movement work
These keep players:
- Fast and springy
- Mentally switched on
- Prepared for late-season performance
For low-minute athletes, these sessions are even more critical. They need consistent exposure to maintain their edge.
Final Thoughts: If It Matters, Find a Way
Too often, in-season becomes passive.
But performance doesn’t pause just because it’s game week. It’s shaped by the microdoses, the movement exposures, and the intent you carry throughout the season.
With the Niagara River Lions, we treat every window — even 20 minutes before warm-up — as a chance to reinforce performance.
If it matters, find a way.
With the right data, a flexible system (it’s not perfect, trust me), and a mindset that training is possible, your athletes can stay game-ready, sharp, and resilient all season long.
Matrixx
