All Things Ben Johnson Tweets

[Unregistered User]

Ahh, missed that. Glad the tradition lives on.

Go Gophers!!

Haven't seen the time-lapse yet...that's one of my favorite things to see each year.

 

[GopherPete]

The goal in conditioning prep for a sport is to be able to train your body to be able to perform at the maximum required level of physical exertion for that sport. If that means you could play 40 minutes in a game situation, you would want to train your body to be able to perform for the entire 40 minutes. Then you break it down into what would be required of your body in those 40 minutes. If it is mostly bursts of energy at 30 second clips, you need to work your way up to 40 minutes of interval style training using 30 second intervals. In order to reach this level of performance, some amount of endurance is going to be required, therefore training your aerobic system will be beneficial.

 

[JimmyJamesMD]

I only click on this thread to see "boom"s

 

[jovs]

If Thompson can run a 5:16 mile he can run the floor, he's got to be a pretty decent athlete for a big man.

 

[Marooned]

A mile is distance running?

Yeah, I doubt a mile run is having any negative effect whatsoever on 18-22 year old D1 athletes.

 

[60's Guy]

A mile is distance running?

It takes the fastest guys 5 minutes to run a mile. To train to run at that pace they are running miles with an s.
The very longest you’d every run in a basketball game is 20 seconds continuous. … maybe once a month. You stop, you start, you change your pace, you back pedal, you are in a stance, you jump, on and on. It is a completely different type of conditioning.
Answer, yes.

 

[60's Guy]

The goal in conditioning prep for a sport is to be able to train your body to be able to perform at the maximum required level of physical exertion for that sport. If that means you could play 40 minutes in a game situation, you would want to train your body to be able to perform for the entire 40 minutes. Then you break it down into what would be required of your body in those 40 minutes. If it is mostly bursts of energy at 30 second clips, you need to work your way up to 40 minutes of interval style training using 30 second intervals. In order to reach this level of performance, some amount of endurance is going to be required, therefore training your aerobic system will be beneficial.

You train your aerobic system at maximum effort in short bursts. You start at 5, 10, 20, 30 seconds and try to do the same intensity but more reps/sets etc.
That’s how you build basketball endurance….at full effort … more sets.

High Intensity Interval Training HIIT not your run laps gym class. There are basketball movement drills that make you quicker, develop better footwork. Not trying to simulate laps to develop endurance. It’s not optimum for the sport. You do basketball movements to achieve the same purpose.

 

[topos]

Get them on the Peleton doing Tabatas! That’s a perfect bball workout! 20 seconds all out, 10 second rest…for 45 minutes…

 

[fan of Ray Williams]

C’mon Ben, gimme some Denzel!
(The info on how to get the team in shape rivals the info on what kind of injury a player sustained.)

 

[CPTMidnight]

It takes the fastest guys 5 minutes to run a mile. To train to run at that pace they are running miles with an s.
The very longest you’d every run in a basketball game is 20 seconds continuous. … maybe once a month. You stop, you start, you change your pace, you back pedal, you are in a stance, you jump, on and on. It is a completely different type of conditioning.
Answer, yes.

4+ minutes is world class, 5+ is any strong runner. Not being argumentative but a mile strikes me as a "warm up" for a healthy 20 y.o. let alone a P5 D1 basketball player.

 

[gophereric30]

Yeah, I doubt a mile run is having any negative effect whatsoever on 18-22 year old D1 athletes.

Thank you! It's amazing how much attention having team running a mile is getting. Absolute non factor on anything.

 

[BTChamp]

A mile is distance running?

Hey!!!! I have trouble driving that far!!!!!

 

[Five Toes]

Maybe they did the run and did a practice to your satisfaction. Whether an old man like you knows or not but u need to cross train. Just a thought.

 

[60's Guy]

Maybe they did the run and did a practice to your satisfaction. Whether an old man like you knows or not but u need to cross train. Just a thought.

Ya know, the blatant age discrimination thing of so many posters on this board is so revealing of our overall climate as a nation. People have no respect for the age and cultural differences of the people who make up the populace of the USA. Be it age, race, gender, sexual lifestyle choices or anything different than our own perfect existence….everybody thinks it’s cool to attempt to shame or attack somebody else.

My initial comment raised a basketball topic on a basketball board.
In my years of coaching I learned stuff. I experimented, I tried stuff, I evaluated the success of different avenues to the development of players and a team.
I have had more one on one conversations with hundreds of coaches discussing these types of debates than Ben, I guarantee! Gone to more clinics, watched more basketball videos than the overwhelming majority of coaches. Why because I’m old and I have insatiable curiosity about gaining an edge to win a game. And with that age comes wisdom…IF you have an open mind, pay attention and don‘t dismiss somebody because they have too little or too much experience.

All that said, I disagree: There isn’t time to cross train. We can’t fit all the basketball development we would like to in our practice plan. We can only choose the most relevant and best path, not spend time on something we’ll never utilize.
if it’s a bonding experience kinda thing like paint ball, bowling, the Twins game etc. Completely different and awesome and maybe that’s what this is…idk
But, some trainers still would say it’s detrimental.

 

[go_gophers]

Ya know, the blatant age discrimination thing of so many posters on this board is so revealing of our overall climate as a nation. People have no respect for the age and cultural differences of the people who make up the populace of the USA. Be it age, race, gender, sexual lifestyle choices or anything different than our own perfect existence….everybody thinks it’s cool to attempt to shame or attack somebody else.

My initial comment raised a basketball topic on a basketball board.
In my years of coaching I learned stuff. I experimented, I tried stuff, I evaluated the success of different avenues to the development of players and a team.
I have had more one on one conversations with hundreds of coaches discussing these types of debates than Ben, I guarantee! Gone to more clinics, watched more basketball videos than the overwhelming majority of coaches. Why because I’m old and I have insatiable curiosity about gaining an edge to win a game. And with that age comes wisdom…IF you have an open mind, pay attention and don‘t dismiss somebody because they have too little or too much experience.

All that said, I disagree: There isn’t time to cross train. We can’t fit all the basketball development we would like to in our practice plan. We can only choose the most relevant and best path, not spend time on something we’ll never utilize.
if it’s a bonding experience kinda thing like paint ball, bowling, the Twins game etc. Completely different and awesome and maybe that’s what this is…idk
But, some trainers still would say it’s detrimental.

You are right. Some would. Others would not. I know when I was coaching, players that came from Cross Country were light-years ahead of the football players in the first few weeks of practice.

Pushing one’s endurance level can improve your overall conditioning base and can help break through some mental barriers. I’m confident that Coach Johnson is doing more than just running the mile and that the boys are improving in multiple areas as athletes and players.

That said, I also didn’t get offended by your post and appreciate that you bring experience and perspective that many of us lack. Keep ‘em coming!

Ski-U-Mah!

 

[Unregistered User]

Blah, blah, blah…

Maybe it was just a way to challenge the guys and create competition. I really doubt that is the only conditioning the squad does.

Just relax a bit.

 

[jovs]

You train your aerobic system at maximum effort in short bursts. You start at 5, 10, 20, 30 seconds and try to do the same intensity but more reps/sets etc.
That’s how you build basketball endurance….at full effort … more sets.

High Intensity Interval Training HIIT not your run laps gym class. There are basketball movement drills that make you quicker, develop better footwork. Not trying to simulate laps to develop endurance. It’s not optimum for the sport. You do basketball movements to achieve the same purpose.

You are right about the high intensity and short burst training but what you are missing is that a base level of conditioning has to be established and maintained to even start this type of training. The best way to establish this base is running, true for basketball or even 440 yard track athletes.

I never realised how closely these two factors complemented each other until I started to distance run races at various lengths.

 

[alchemy2u]

Ya know, the blatant age discrimination thing of so many posters on this board is so revealing of our overall climate as a nation. People have no respect for the age and cultural differences of the people who make up the populace of the USA. Be it age, race, gender, sexual lifestyle choices or anything different than our own perfect existence….everybody thinks it’s cool to attempt to shame or attack somebody else.

My initial comment raised a basketball topic on a basketball board.
In my years of coaching I learned stuff. I experimented, I tried stuff, I evaluated the success of different avenues to the development of players and a team.
I have had more one on one conversations with hundreds of coaches discussing these types of debates than Ben, I guarantee! Gone to more clinics, watched more basketball videos than the overwhelming majority of coaches. Why because I’m old and I have insatiable curiosity about gaining an edge to win a game. And with that age comes wisdom…IF you have an open mind, pay attention and don‘t dismiss somebody because they have too little or too much experience.

All that said, I disagree: There isn’t time to cross train. We can’t fit all the basketball development we would like to in our practice plan. We can only choose the most relevant and best path, not spend time on something we’ll never utilize.
if it’s a bonding experience kinda thing like paint ball, bowling, the Twins game etc. Completely different and awesome and maybe that’s what this is…idk
But, some trainers still would say it’s detrimental.

Let the stupid "old" comment go, it is just some yahoo spouting off.

Glad you have done a lot of work on understanding workouts and it sounds like you have been around the block (comment on experience, not age). BUT, the U does have two professional trainers for the basketball team.

Steve Felde, MSS, CSCS - Men's Basketball Coach - University of Minnesota Athletics

Steve Felde joined the Athletic Performance staff at the University of Minnesota as an Associate Director of Athletic Performance in June 2018. Felde works ...

gophersports.com

Ryan Dotson, M.Ed., LAT, ATC - Men's Basketball Coach - University of Minnesota Athletics

Ryan Dotson joined the Health & Performance staff at the University of Minnesota as the Assistant Athletic Trainer for Men’s Basketball in 2020. This is Dots...

gophersports.com

Also, the UNC team runs a mile every year.

UNC Basketball: Annual Carolina Mile Run held Monday morning

It's a tradition that the North Carolina Tar Heel's men's basketball team participates in every season. Monday marked the unofficial end to ...

keepingitheel.com

 

[60's Guy]

You are right about the high intensity and short burst training but what you are missing is that a base level of conditioning has to be established and maintained to even start this type of training. The best way to establish this base is running, true for basketball or even 440 yard track athletes.

I never realised how closely these two factors complemented each other until I started to distance run races at various lengths.

One of many references you can probably find disagreeing with you.

 

[Marooned]

One of many references you can probably find disagreeing with you.

Rather than going to a 90 minute to 2 hours practice for cross country, I believe it would be better to follow a well-designed program for basketball and athletic development during that same time span. If you went to the gym and worked on your game for 45 minutes to an hour, then spent another 45 minutes to an hour on athletic development, you will be better prepared for basketball season and more efficient with your time compared to attending cross country practice then going to the gym to work on your game afterwards.

From the article. The team didn’t spend 90-120 minutes just running. They spent 5-8. This is a silly thing to get worked up about.

 

[builtbadgers]

Many ways to get in top condition. All the Strength and Conditioning coaches use a wide variety of methods. Some are better at it than others. Basketball specific exercises are a priority but other activities help not only conditioning but chemistry and a competitive edge. One thing that stands out from a very successful coach i know has it embedded in the culture of the team that they will never lose a game because they were out conditioned. They can live with not shooting well but not because they were out of shape. I can remember many times where the Gophers had players in poor condition relative to other basketball players.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

You are right about the high intensity and short burst training but what you are missing is that a base level of conditioning has to be established and maintained to even start this type of training. The best way to establish this base is running, true for basketball or even 440 yard track athletes.

I never realised how closely these two factors complemented each other until I started to distance run races at various lengths.

This is true (from my experience). High intensity training is absolutely necessary and probably more important for basketball, but running/jogging helps to build that gas tank. It's the reason why almost all successful boxers hit the pavement. It raises your base level. I think it essentially helps maximize your gas tank, gets you used to proper breathing, etc.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

From the article. The team didn’t spend 90-120 minutes just running. They spent 5-8. This is a silly thing to get worked up about.

He's stuck in the 60's.

 

[Whytetale]

Must be a slow news week. Still, talking about running? Do you know the best thing about running? when you get to stop!

 

[GoodasGold]

This is true (from my experience). High intensity training is absolutely necessary and probably more important for basketball, but running/jogging helps to build that gas tank. It's the reason why almost all successful boxers hit the pavement. It raises your base level. I think it essentially helps maximize your gas tank, gets you used to proper breathing, etc.

I put STP in my gas tank!

 

[jamiche]

Must be a slow news week. Still, talking about running? Do you know the best thing about running? when you get to stop!

So damn true. Every once in a while you can have a great run where you feel like you are flying and it’s always fun to run with your friends. But there’s nothing quite like being done.

Nothing wrong with running an annual team mile. It’s bonding, competitive and doesn’t hurt conditioning.
What I don’t understand about college hoops is why the best players don’t play 40 minutes a game. Assuming no foul trouble, there are so many stoppages in play that a well conditioned young athlete should be able to easily go forty. Between fouls, TO’s replays and halftime, there are easily 60-80 rests per contest.

 

[Otis]

We used to run 30 killers, suicides, i mean lines at every practice and after every loss.
When we asked the coach, “Why so much running?” He replied, “In the 4th quarter, when the other team is gasping and pulling on their shorts and jerseys trying to catch their breath. You guys will be thinking, we got these bastards!”
Running is good.

 

[Chico Gopher]

So damn true. Every once in a while you can have a great run where you feel like you are flying and it’s always fun to run with your friends. But there’s nothing quite like being done.

Nothing wrong with running an annual team mile. It’s bonding, competitive and doesn’t hurt conditioning.
What I don’t understand about college hoops is why the best players don’t play 40 minutes a game. Assuming no foul trouble, there are so many stoppages in play that a well conditioned young athlete should be able to easily go forty. Between fouls, TO’s replays and halftime, there are easily 60-80 rests per contest.

I would wager that the vast majority of college basketball players are fully capable of physically playing hard for a full 40 minutes. But there is also the mental, emotional and match-up side of the game you need to consider. Sometimes a guy has missed 6 easy shots in a row and could use a little break so he can re-set mentally or emotionally. Sometimes a guy is messing up an assignment, so you sit him down and explain to him what you're trying to do. Sometimes, the other team has made a move that creates a match-up problem and you feel a different style of player is needed for that situation. There are so many reasons that coaches use anywhere from 7-12 different players in games, as opposed to just letting the starting 5 go the full 40 every game.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

I put STP in my gas tank!

Is that a new item at taco bell?

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

I would wager that the vast majority of college basketball players are fully capable of physically playing hard for a full 40 minutes. But there is also the mental, emotional and match-up side of the game you need to consider. Sometimes a guy has missed 6 easy shots in a row and could use a little break so he can re-set mentally or emotionally. Sometimes a guy is messing up an assignment, so you sit him down and explain to him what you're trying to do. Sometimes, the other team has made a move that creates a match-up problem and you feel a different style of player is needed for that situation. There are so many reasons that coaches use anywhere from 7-12 different players in games, as opposed to just letting the starting 5 go the full 40 every game.

I suppose it could depend upon style of play and what is asked of the players but in general, I disagree with this. I think it was pretty clear Marcus Carr was exhausted at the end of a lot of games. He wasn't particularly active on defense but he was extremely active on offense. I would think he was in peak physical condition.

Do I think college guys could jog up and down the court, play a little offense and play a little defense for a full game? Yeah. Do I think they could play at that 85-100% of their capabilities for a full game? No, I don't think so.