training

Question
im training right now for basketball and cross country. in my everyday schedule, i'll run 6+ miles, practice basketball(shooting, dribbling, defense)for about 3-4 hours and then jump(30+ minutes) and maybe  other things. how should i space myself out and in what order would be the best way to do this things?
i would appreciate any helpful advice. Thanks

Answer
Hi busy athlete,

It must be great to be young! I think it is great that you keep so busy. How I was taught and teach is do your sprints, jumping, and strength workouts first and then end in a stamina related workout.

I would say the best thing for you would be to practice basketball first, jumping and other things, and then finish with your 6+ mile run. You can always mix it up, as it is good to practice basketball with tired legs. This way you simulate shooting at the end of the game when you are tired. I think whatever order you feel like that day would be okay except never end with weights. It is always good to do some kind of aerobic exercise after lifting weights.

Good luck and keep busy but remember do not forget to give yourself a break once in awhile. Sometimes your body needs a rest and other times your mind does. Listen to your body and make sure you rest when you are tired or sore. The other thing you want to guard against is burning out mentally so take a day once in awhile and go do something entirely different then sports. Just forget about it for a day every now and then to rest your body and mind. Take care!