You have the evening off, so as usual, you find a nice position on the couch, get some snacks ready, put your feet up and turn on the game. It has become a ritual for millions of people around the world and there is more than one reason why! For many, basketball is the perfect combination of athleticism, tactics and theatre, for others, it is the perfect way to unwind after a long week or to socialise with friends. The point is, there are thousands of alternative ways to be interested in the sport, and every last one of them is fine with us!
On occasion, you can even forget the game is on and experience the sudden rush of excitement that fills your body as soon as you remember. And when its all done, you simply turn it off and get back to your life as if nothing had happened. It has become an incredible outlet for fans from every continent, guaranteed exhilaration without anymore commitment than four quarters of twelve minutes.
However, this is far from the case for the players on the court. Sure, the games we all sit down to watch might be the pinnacle of their weeks, but the rest of their time is spent in meticulous preparation, making sure that every fibre is fastened, and stone turned in order to be in optimal condition, both mentally and physically, come game time. So, if you have ever wondered how professional basketball players do this, and also how they unwind without interfering with their preparation, you have come to the right place…
The Unwind
Basketball involves using a full range of motion, so players need to work on both their cardiovascular strength and their muscular strength in order to condition themselves for a season. The fact that players need to be in peak condition on the court means that they need to manage what they do off the court. This means watching what they eat, how they sleep and even how they unwind. But before we get into the physical side, how exactly do players unwind without interfering with their fitness?
Well, perhaps unsurprisingly, like the rest of us, streaming services are all the rage. In fact, when players have the time, binge watching a series is one of the easiest forms of entertainment that involves no physical engagement. While players are paid handsomely for their work, it does mean that they are unable to have a night on the tiles as often as they may like. It is for this reason that many choose to bring all the thrills of a night out to them. There are now numerous options to choose from, including websites like comeon online casino, that allow you to virtually step on to a casino floor. It allows players to play their favourite casino games and have a night out, and all without the need to make the journey to a physical location.
The Grind
Firstly, let’s establish this, the NBA season is a nine to ten month tour de force, and that’s if you don’t make the play-offs. Sure, the basketball court is small in size compared to the majority of team sports, however, players still run, on average, over four kilometres per game. Furthermore, each team play a minimum of 82 games in a typical NBA season. Some fans have even complained about game fatigue due to the large number of games and they are only watching from the comfort of their homes!
On top of the aforementioned game time, these players train, and they train a lot, and hard! Basketball is slightly unique in that every player needs to be a specialist when it comes to endurance. No matter your position or speciality, you need to be able to run up and down the court at high speed, be light on your feet and remain composed enough to handle the ball all game, every game.
The End Game
So, the next time you pick up the remote to tune in to a live game, remember that the athletes in front of you have done everything in their power to make sure that they are on the top of their game. There is a reason why professional basketball is so damn good after all!
