Grueling high school basketball practice

by Benny
(California)

As a freshman in high school, I decided to join the girls' basketball team, not thinking it would be too much work. Boy, was I wrong.

The first day of practice was two hours long. We started off doing a warm-up jog and some easy stretches.

And then came the sprints - we sprinted across the gym and back, at first only a quarter of the way across, then halfway, then three quarters, then all the way across and back.

We did this five times, and if you happened to stop before the line when you turned around to come back? You had to do them over again!

Next was ball work - basically the same as the sprints, except you had to dribble the ball while you were at it. First with one hand, then the other, and then crossing back and forth - five times EACH in the interval sprints.

This was followed by lay-up practice, and I was terrible at lay-ups. For each shot you missed, you had to do ten pushups and a lap around the gym.

By the end of practice, after more drills, dribbling, and sprinting, I was out of breath and sweating ridiculously.

When I got in the car, I grabbed a gallon bottle of water and drank nearly half of it at once.

Once I got home, my muscles were so tired I sat on the floor and needed help to get up or move. The next day, I could barely walk from the pain in my muscles.

However, as I kept going to practice, I became stronger and lost fifteen pounds without even realizing it!

Benny

Note from Dr. Dan

Benny,

Your article shows a couple of things. First, most people can do more than they think they can, if they just have the courage and determination to challenge themselves.

And second, exercise does help with weight loss, despite many people saying that it does not help them. But it has to be enough exercise -- exercise volume. And you have to exert yourself -- exercise intensity.

Dr. Dan