You may notice if you’ve ever see basketball players without their shirts on, that some of them have very well defined six packs. This may have you thinking that strictly playing basketball can get you a 6 pack in no time. So can it?
Playing a lot of basketball can keep you in a calorie deficit on a day to day basis, which in return keeps your body fat percentage low. Keeping your body fat percentage low allows you to see your abs more easily, but in terms of how defined and strong your six pack is, that has to do with other factors.
Let’s look into some of the other aspects of having abs and basketball.
What Factors Affect The Strength and Definition Of Your Abs?
If you’re someone who plays basketball a lot, you may be able to see your abs, but they may not be very defined or in other words developed. This is because of the fact that you may be in too much of a calorie deficit.
In order to build defined muscle, and also increase muscle strength you need to eat the right amount of calories and macronutrients. This is the main reason why you see players in the NBA with the most defined six packs, because they are able to afford great nutrition and fitness regimens.
On top of that, everyones abs are different due to genetics. The way they are shaped is not going to be the same as everyone else’s, even if they have the same body type.
The reasoning above is why it’s so hard for basketball players to get abs and put on muscle in general. Most players don’t understand the correlation between calories, and macronutrients, and how they affect their body composition until they get older.
When you’re young as a basketball player, in most cases, you just focus on playing all day and the diet aspect is not something that you worry about.
Do Six Pack Abs Help With Playing Basketball?
The appearance of the abs themselves don’t help with playing basketball, but having a strong core can. It can help in many ways including:
Balance, Stability, and Coordination
Many people say basketball isn’t a physical sport, however, try saying that after trying to drive the lane and getting bumped hard without a foul call.
Having a strong core in basketball will allow you to take contact without losing your balance, which is essential for finishing plays in the paint.
One great example of this is Giannis Antetekoumpo. His appearance may make you realize his broad shoulders, but a lot of the reason he’s able to finish at the basket with such strong contact is because his core is so strong.
Even when it comes to shooting a balanced jump shot, having a strong core could help you keep your form, even after getting hit by defenders while shooting. Steph Curry is a prime example of this, as he always keeps the same form no matter what.
A Strong Core Can Make You Run Faster
According to Frank Aiello, MS, ATC , the added stabilization that we mentioned above, may also enhance the runners form and technique which can help them run faster, more efficiently and with less risk of injury.
Being fast can help in multiple facets of the game including fast breaks, getting back on defense, and moving without the ball in order to get open.
So yes, having a strong core over a weaker core could definitely help when it comes to playing basketball in multiple aspects.
What Type Of Diet Should You Have In Order To Build That Strong And Defined Six Pack?
The first thing you want to do is track calories burned and consumed. This can be done with a fitness tracker, or by using a simple equation of calories consumed (through food) minus calories burned through exercise.
You want to make sure that you’re in a slight calorie surplus, which will enable you to build muscle and strength. This can be achieved by eating a diet that is rich in protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates.
What About Exercise?
Another thing you want to ensure is that you’re increasing the strength of your core. There are lots of different ab exercises that you can do to build up strength, such as crunches, sit ups, and planks.
However, to get your core much stronger, you want to incorporate weights with your ab exercises. This will help to sculpt your abs, and really make them pop.
Whether that’s using a medicine ball on your crunches, or doing weighted leg raises, incorporating weights into your ab workout routine can help you get strong and defined abs.
Just make sure you don’t get ahead of yourself, you should be able to to 15-20 reps comfortably with the weight you’re using. If you’re not able to do 15 sit-ups normally without weights, then you need to build up your core strength before you start lifting the weights.
Can You Work Your Abs Every Single Day?
Frank Aiello, MS, ATC was also able to touch on the frequency aspect of working out your abs. He stated that, “the abs should be trained like any other major muscle group, and it’s been shown that muscles typically take 48-72 hours to fully recover from a workout”.
He also mentioned that this varies based on the intensity and duration of the workout.
In Conclusion
So now you know that basketball won’t necessarily get you abs, but it can help you see your abs, even if they’re not as developed. It takes hard work of eating the right way and watching what you consume in order to get the abs you want.
It also takes a disciplined workout regimen, including both resistance and cardio exercises.
If you found this blog post helpful, share it with people who love basketball! Also, click on the tags below in order to see related posts: