Basketball Training: Skills, Speed, and Strength » Kobe Bryant http://www.richstoner.com The purpose is to provide information to basketball players and coaches that will help increase basketball skills, strength, and speed. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:54:10 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Kobe Bryant’s Attention to Detail http://www.richstoner.com/kobe-bryants-attention-to-detail http://www.richstoner.com/kobe-bryants-attention-to-detail#comments Fri, 15 Oct 2010 15:10:46 +0000 Rich http://www.richstoner.com/?p=1828

I recently read an email that I received about a clinic that Micah Lancaster did with Kobe Bryant at the Michael Jordan Legacy court.  The email was meant to advertise an upcoming Micah Lancaster clinic in my area, but it was the description of Kobe Bryant’s attention to detail that astounded me.  Obviously we know that he is arguably the best current player on the planet, and now I understand why. 

The email talks about a Kobe Bryant teaching the players the importance of having offensive combinations or a variety of moves along counter moves and counter moves to the counter moves.  For example, a shot fake, one dribble pullup jumper to the right, then a fake and step in the same direction only to pull back  and make the move to the other direction.  The point, to have as many moves and combinations as you need so that it is natural in the game.  How does Kobe do it?  Preparation, focus, and a drive like no other athlete.  Do you know that Kobe Bryant does not move on to the next combination move/shot until he has made 150 shots…IN A ROW?! 

That is absolutely insane to think that someone could make that many shots in a row (of one combination) let alone in an entire workout.  This takes extreme focus and drive to be able to be in the gym that long to complete this task, but that is the type of preparation that makes Kobe the best current player on the panet. 

Ask yourself, do you have that type of focus?  Are you willing to prepare to be great?  Being successful is not about the talent that you are given, but rather what you do with the talent that you have been given.  What are you doing with yours?

Train hard and I’ll see you on the court.

Rich Stoner

Elite Basketball Training, LLC

]]> http://www.richstoner.com/kobe-bryants-attention-to-detail/feed 0 Work Ethic http://www.richstoner.com/work-ethic http://www.richstoner.com/work-ethic#comments Tue, 22 Dec 2009 13:52:14 +0000 Rich http://www.richstoner.com/?p=928 Work Ethic is something that seems to be lost today in basketball and in life.  Many people often talk about what they want to be or where they want to go, but many of those same people are not willing to pay the price to actually get there.  Sure, you might think that you are working hard but be honest with yourself, are you?  What is your definition of working hard?   Kobe Bryant once when asked about his workouts responded that he does not have workouts, he has blackouts.  In other words, he works so hard that he  blacks out.  In the first video below Ray Lewis talks about working so hard that he has to stay in bed the entire day following a workout because his body hurts that badly.    In the second video, Kevin Garnett talks about working so hard that he passes out and has to be revived…and then he does it all over again.  These guys are great for a reason.  They want to be the best and they work so hard that there is no way that they cannot achieve it. 

In an email that I received yesterday from Elliott Hulse, he talked about getting comfortable with being uncomfortable.  Working outside what is normal to you and taking your body to another realm.  That’s what Kobe Bryant, Ray Lewis, and Kevin Garnett are talking about.  This type of work ethic defines them.  That is why they are who they are and why they are great at what they do.  They do not just talk the talk, they pay the price daily to make sure that they can walk the walk.  They are, “comfortable with being uncomfortable.”  They have a real work ethic. 

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