Offseason Workout Grades

Quite a bit has been made of what each PCTI Aflete has been doing in the offseason as far as training is concerned. Some sit around, some focus on actually playing hoops, while others choose to go with sexy workout outlets like Cross Fit, P90X, etc. As we all know, everything that happens in PCTI will be blogged about in some fashion. That being said, it's time we grade each program and see if there truly is a direct correlation between conditioning and on court production.

Michael Beasley: Natural, Body Weight, Outdoor Workouts in High Altitude Environments.
Grade-C+

Beasley has never been known for slamming weights around and imposing his physicality on the court. What makes him an effective basketball player is loose, quick hips accompanied by a high octane motor. Give Beas credit for knowing his strengths, and basing his workouts around them. Yoga, hiking and pull ups were the center of his regimen, something not many can say. As far as basketball goes, Beasley has been working with renouned basketball trainer Will Horton, playing repeated one on one games in high altitude's against the world's highest motor. Interested to see if his training is enough to handle the wear and tear of 7 games.

Scott Donley: Leg Focused with Jump Training Circuit
Grade-B

Donley has received great notoriety from PCTI2 all the way through last week for his physical stature. Clearly, his routine has worked from a basketball perspective, of which he has been praised for blossoming on the court at age 27. He added an intense jump training circuit to his already difficult workout plan, one of which calls for steady growth of repetition over a 5 week period. The program should not only add spring, but strength and cardio to the legs and body. He has also been promoting his ability to guard the post, referencing the fact that he defends 6'10" Wisconsin mountain men on the reg.

Joe Thompson: Claim Chronic Fatigue/Injury While Secretly Training Hard
Grade-F

Let me begin by saying Thompson's regimen is not receiving the "F" because no one knows exactly what it is. What he is failing on is his idea behind it. No one, I mean NO ONE enjoys fooling people more than Joe Thompson. His strategy of promoting bad knees, check in's on 4-Square at Dr.'s appts, and excessive weight gain is all an act that is no longer fooling people. We all know he loves the camera, and there is no way with 300 pictures and 7 games worth of video shots that Thompson isn't at least wearing his biceps and chest out. I would say he is playing a few times a week, taking some sort of LA supplement that enhances the muscles, and whitening his teeth. I doubt his workouts were tailored around basketball, but don't expect a fat, sluggish Joe Thompson.

Jeff Sabin: Cross Fit Dedicated Workouts
Grade-B+

There is no question that Cross Fit brings a superior amount of stamina, strength and explosion to anyone. Sabin is going on year 2 of power cleans, box jumps, dead lifts, pull ups, etc and expect that to continue and help him on the defensive end, rebounding and finishing. Additionally, he plays three times a week so his feel for the game should be as good, if not better than everyone else. The one thing he is missing from X-Fit is that he does not belong to a true Cross Fit gym, thus only competing against him self each day. I expect a similar Jeff Sabin as last year from a conditioning standpoint, something that any team desperately needs as the series gets deeper and deeper.

Bryan McKinney: Cross Fit Tempest
Grade-A

This can be debated all you want, but when pictures pop up of McKinney doing overhead squats, throwing tires, and doing hand stand pushups, you can't help but to recognize and be impressed with what he is doing. A guy that notoriously utilized his high motor as a strength has now added the world's most tireless workout program to his repertoire, something that no one in their right mind can look at as a negative. In addition to the workouts, he is competing for time against not only himself, but every other fellow Crossfitter that shows up that day, showing that he is pushing himself harder than any of us are. Having done this for a short time myself, I can guarantee no one will be better prepared for PCTI's wear and tear than McKinney. McKinney also has never had trash talk come his way, so he has added incentive to go off in PCTI3.

Ian Van Horne: D1 Sports Training
Grade-C+

The workouts are not the reason Van Horne is receiving a C+, rather the lack of basketball playing the last few months. As far as workouts are concerned, The Bruise has done a great job of identifying his biggest weakness (Cardio) and joined up with D1 to focus on improving that. Sprints, high rep body weight squats, burpees, and core-focused workouts are the basis of what he has been doing, and I expect it to really benefit his ability to stay on the court, focus, defend and board for longer periods of time. Although, he has not been playing religiously, if there was anyone's game that could get away with it, it's his.

Michael Orr: Hoops, Weights, Bike Rides, Healthy Eating
Grade-B+

Smo has never had a problem with his cardio, so that has nothing to do with it. However, in recent years Smo has picked up healthy eating to his already hectic routine of hoops, lifting, running... Anything active. What healthy eating does is give your body nutrients to be able to do all those things longer, harder and better than you were. With a game tailored around balls to the wall defense, expect the year of experience and conditioning, along with his recently appointed defensive captain role to be extra motivation to keep the opposition out of the paint.