Classic Basketball Strength Training Workout

Visit Dragondoor.com for      Strength Training      Flexibility      Nutrition      Martial Arts      Kettlebells      Workshops

Please support this site by patronizing the store - click here

HOME    About    Articles    Bands Info    Fire-Power    Links    Search/Site Map    Tools    Workouts    STORE

Increase both your maximal strength and explosive strength by training with free-weights combined with bands - adjustable for different strength levels and easy to use BNS Max-Bands System - Click Here!

Classic Basketball Strength Training Program

Ralph Sampson's Strength Program – Summer of 1982

 

Ralph Sampson's Summer of 82' Strength Program was taken from "Strength Training & Conditioning for Basketball" by W. H. Dunn with E. H. Soudek and J. Gieck, 1983. At the time of the writing of this book the University of Virginia's 7' 4" Ralph Sampson was already a two-time NCAA Player of the Year. Although he never became "the greatest basketball player that ever lived" as many observers said he would, he did go on to play for many years in the NBA. Interestingly, the University of Virginia's Head Strength Coach Bill Dunn was a 1982 Strongest Man Contest competitor and his assistant Strength Coach John Gamble was a World Powerlifting Champion.
Off-Season Foundation Phase - Major Exercises
Week One

Monday

 Tuesday Thursday Friday
Bench Press Db. Incline Press  Power Clean Full Squats Bench Press Db. Incline Press Power Clean Full Squats
135 x 10 40 x 10 135 x 10 135 x 10 135 x 10 40 x 10 135 x 10 135 x 10
145 x 10 40 x 10 135 x 10 165 x 10 145 x 10 40 x 10 135 x10 165 x 10
155 x 10 40 x 10 145 x 10 185 x 10 155 x 10 40 x 10 145 x 10 185 x 10
160 x 10 40 x 10  155 x 10 215 x 10 160 x 10 40 x 10 155 x 10 215 x 10
165 x 10 40 x 10 165 x 10 225 x 10 165 x 10 40 x 10 165 x 10 225 x 10
Week Two

Monday

 Tuesday Thursday Friday
Bench Press Db. Incline Press  Power Clean Full Squats Bench Press Db. Incline Press Power Clean Full Squats
135 x 10 40 x 10 135 x 10 135 x 10 135 x 10 40 x 10 135 x 10 135 x 10
155 x 10 40 x 10 135 x 10 165 x 10 155 x 10 40 x 10 135 x 10 165 x 10
165 x 10 40 x 10 150 x 10 195 x 10 165 x 10 40 x 10 150 x 10 195 x 10
170 x 10 40 x 10 160 x 10 220 x 10 170 x 10 40 x 10 160 x 10 220 x 10
175 x 10 40 x 10 170 x 10 230 x 10 175 x 10 50 x 10 170 x 10 230 x 10
Week Three

Monday

 Tuesday Thursday Friday
Bench Press Db. Incline Press  Power Clean Full Squats Bench Press Db. Incline Press Power Clean Full Squats
135 x 10 40 x 10 135 x 10 135 x 10 135 x 10 40 x 10 135 x 10 135 x 10
160 x 10 40 x 10 135 x 10 180 x 10 160 x 10 40 x 10 135 x 10 180 x 10
165 x 10 50 x 10 155 x 10 205 x 10 165 x 10 50 x 10 155 x 10 205 x 10
170 x 10 50 x 10 165 x 10 230 x 10 170 x 10 50 x 10 165 x 10 230 x 10
180 x 10 50 x 10 175 x 10 240 x 10 180 x 10 50 x 10 175 x 10 240 x 10
Week Four

Monday

 Tuesday Thursday Friday
Bench Press Db. Incline Press  Power Clean Full Squats Bench Press Db. Incline Press Power Clean Full Squats
135 x 10 40 x 10 135 x 10 135 x 10 135 x 10 40 x 10 135 x 10 135 x 10
165 x 10 50 x 10 135 x 10 185 x 10 165 x 10 50 x 10 135 x 10 185 x 10
170 x 10 50 x 10 165 x 10 215 x 10 170 x 10 50 x 10 165 x 10 215 x 10
175 x 10 50 x 10 175 x 10 240 x 10 175 x 10 50 x 10 175 x 10 240 x 10
185 x 10 50 x 10 185 x 10 250 x 10 185 x 10 50 x 10 185 x 10 250 x 10

Off-Season Preparation Phase

Week Five
Monday Wednesday Friday
Bench Press Db. Incline Press Full Squats Power Cleans Bench Press Db. Incline Press Full Squats
135 x 10 40 x 10 135 x 10 135 x 5 135 x 10 40 x 10 135 x 10
200 x 5 50 x 5 205 x 5 140 x 5 200 x 5 50 x 5 205 x 5
205 x 5 50 x 5 240 x 5 170 x 5 205 x 5 50 x 5 240 x 5
210 x 5 60 x 5 260 x 5 205 x 5 210 x 5 60 x 5 260 x 5
215 x 5 60 x 5 275 x 5 220 x 5 215 x 5 60 x 5 275 x 5

Week Six
Monday Wednesday Friday
Bench Press Db. Incline Press Full Squats Power Cleans Bench Press Db. Incline Press Full Squats
135 x 10 50 x 10 135 x 10 135 x 5 135 x 10 50 x 10 135 x 10
205 x 5 60 x 5 225 x 5 140 x 5 205 x 5 60 x 5 225 x 5
210 x 5 60 x 5 250 x 5 175 x 5 220 x 5 60 x 5 250 x 5
215 x 5 60 x 5 270 x 5 210 x 5 215 x 5 60 x 5 270 x 5
220 x 5 60 x 5 285 x 5 225 x 5 220 x 5 60 x 5 285 x 5

Week Seven
Monday Wednesday Friday
Bench Press Db. Incline Press Full Squats Power Cleans Bench Press Db. Incline Press Full Squats
135 x 10 60 x 10 135 x 10 135 x 5 135 x 10 60 x 10 135 x 10
210 x 5 70 x 5 225 x 5 140 x 5 210 x 5 70 x 5 225 x 5
215 x 5 70 x 5 255 x 5 185 x 5 215 x 5 70 x 5 255 x 5
220 x 5 70 x 5 275 x 5 215 x 5 220 x 5 70 x 5 275 x 5
225 x 5 70 x 5 290 x 5 230 x 5 225 x 5 70 x 5 290 x 5

Week Eight
Monday Wednesday Friday
Bench Press Db. Incline Press Full Squats Power Cleans Bench Press Db. Incline Press Full Squats
135 x 10 60 x 5 135 x 10 135 x 5 135 x 10 60 x 5 135 x 10
190 x 5 70 x 5 225 x 5 145 x 5 190 x 5 70 x 5 225 x 5
205 x 5 70 x 5 260 x 5 190 x 5 205 x 5 70 x 5 260 x 5
220 x 5 70 x 5 280 x 5 220 x 5 220 x 5 70 x 5 280 x 5
230 x 5 80 x 5 295 x 5 235 x 5 230 x 5 80 x 5 295 x 5
Note: The Monday and Friday Bench Press weights don't seem right for Week Eight. It could have been a editing mistake. Looking at Week Seven and the progression and sequence of the weights prescribed week to week and set to set, the weights that logically should have been used at Week Eight, would have been as follows: 135 x 10, 215 x 5, 220 x 5, 225 x 5, 230 x 5.

Off-Season Pre-Competition Phase

Week Nine
Monday Wednesday Friday
Bench Press Db. Incline Press Full Squats Power Cleans Warm-up 135 x 5 Bench Press Db. Incline Press Full Squats
135 x 10 60 x 3 135 x 10 155 x 3 135 x 10 60 x 3 135 x 10
210 x 3 70 x 3 225 x 3 175 x 3 210 x 3 70 x 3 225 x 3
225 x 3 70 x 3 260 x 3 195 x 3 225 x 3 70 x 3 260 x 3
235 x 3 80 x 3 285 x 3 225 x 3 235 x 3 80 x 3 285 x 3
240 x 3 80 x 3 305 x 3 245 x 3 240 x 3 80 x 3 305 x 3

Week Ten
Monday Wednesday Friday
Bench Press Db. Incline Press Full Squats Power Cleans Warm-up 135 x 5 Bench Press Db. Incline Press Full Squats
135 x 10 60 x 3 135 x 10 160 x 3 135 x 10 60 x 3 135 x 10
225 x 3 70 x 3 230 x 3 180 x 3 225 x 3 70 x 3 230 x 3
235 x 3 80 x 3 270 x 3 200 x 3 235 x 3 80 x 3 270 x 3
240 x 3 80 x 3 290 x 3 230 x 3 240 x 3 80 x 3 290 x 3
245 x 3 90 x 3 310 x 3 250 x 3 245 x 3 90 x 3 310 x 3

Week Eleven
Monday Wednesday Friday
Bench Press Db. Incline Press Full Squats Power Cleans Warm-up 135 x 5 Bench Press Db. Incline Press Full Squats
135 x 10 70 x 3 135 x 10 165 x 3 135 x 10 70 x 3 135 x 10
230 x 3 70 x 3 235 x 3 185 x 3 230 x 3 80 x 3 235 x 3
240 x 3 80 x 3 275 x 3 205 x 3 240 x 3 80 x 3 275 x 3
245 x 3 80 x 3 295 x 3 235 x 3 245 x 3 90 x 3 295 x 3
250 x 3 90 x 3 315 x 3 255 x 3 250 x 3 90 x 3 315 x 3

Week Twelve – Max-Out
Monday Tuesday
Bench Press Db. Incline Press Hammer Curl Power Clean  Squat Hip Sled
265 x 1 100 x 1 90 x 10 265 x 1 325 x 1 690 x 3

Comment: No pre-summer strength program max-out numbers were given in the book. All we can do is compare the reps and weights Sampson was using at the beginning of his summer program and estimate his beginning max using those numbers. For example, he did 165 x 10 on his Bench Press and Power Clean at his first workout. 165 x 10 would equate to about  220 lb. max. He did 225 x 10 at his first Squat workout. 225 x 10 would equate to about a 295 lb. max. If these "guess-timates" have any validity, then Sampson increased his Bench Press and Power Clean by approximately 45 lbs. and his Squat by approximately 30 lbs. during his summer strength training program.

Supplemental Exercises

Used to "tie together" the major muscles involved in the four primary exercises. In no particular order because athletes have varying needs. The supplemental exercises should always be performed for ten repetitions.

Upper Body

Lower Body
1. Front Deltoid raise 1. Hip Sled* 
2. Various Curls, particularly "hammer curls" 2. Leg Press
3. Pulldowns, behind neck/to chest 3. Leg Curl
4. Seated Rows (cable 4. Knee Extension
5. Dumbell Rows 5. Calf Machine (toe raises)
6. Concentration row
7. Triceps Push
8. Tricep pushdowns
9. Dip and Chins
10. Flys

*Note: Hip Sled may be substituted for Squats in-season.

The Vertical Jump Super Package...
"No matter whether you have a 10 inch, 20 inch, or 40 inch vertical – and no matter if your sport is basketball, tennis, football, track, volleyball, martial arts, baseball or soccer – this new product will allow you to significantly increase your vertical jump and all-around athletic ability, starting almost immediately.
Click here for more information...

Go Up Strong!

"Go Up Strong!"... 
Increase your vertical jump. A system developed for players that are looking to achieve that next level in vertical success. These techniques are not some cheap tricks you might find surfing around on the internet. The "Go Up Strong!" system is based on a set of "Easy To Execute" drills that have to be performed in a certain order.
Click here for more information...
 

Copyright © 2006 Power-Up USA, Inc. - All Right Reserved.