[oldcoach]

Has anyone ever been coached on blocking/boxing out, driving the ball, or cutting off a pass using martial arts principals?

[Jahiem28]

HI NO can't say I have been coach on those principals before but I imagine it would help you define a mental toughness on the court.

[oldcoach]

Jahiem28,

Thanks for responding...

I have found that martial arts has many principals that are useful to sports.
Positional theory can help Basketball players in many ways.

In short, positional theory teaches us that our location from an opponent controls much of how we can attack or defend. Whether we are positioned really close, positioned really far, or positioned mid-range dictates both competitors' actions. Furthurmore, where each person is positioned around the other also dictates responses and actions. Lastly, the positioning of each person's body-parts (Arms/Legs) dictates each persons possible actions and responses. Using those three ideas one can completely control the outcome of a confrontation before it starts.

Likewise, in Basketball, this principal applies. The principal applies to the one-on-one situations that are going on in a game. The principal also applies to the team effort in a more complicated sense.

For example, We know that a defender may kick his or her leg out to stop a bounce pass. We can use that positional knowledge to open him or her up for a pass between their legs. Just step to the side deep and look past the opponent, position the ball as though you will bounce the ball around their side. When he or she kicks out their leg you bounce pass the ball between their legs to your teammate. You not only used his or her reaction against them, but you have also used your positional body language to create the illusion of bounce passing around.

This is only one example of many of how positional theory can be used in Basketball.

Oldcoach

[BasketballShootingCoach]

Hi OldCoach,
A Karate Sensei friend answered this very same question for me when asked if he would provide Karate training specific to the game of basketball. As far as martial arts are concerned Karate is the most conducive to basketball. Karate teaches balance, power, concentration and misdirection (among many other things) from an upright and standing position, as apposed to grappling on the ground. And yes the mental toughness and the physical toughness derived from Karate are wonderful additions to a basketball player's makeup (jahiem28). In other words, when it comes to martial arts Karate is the discipline most aligned to playing the game of basketball.

To me, Karate defines positional theory as you described it.

More than any sport basketball players can really expand their game by cross-training in almost every other sport.

Coach Jones,
Basketball Shooting Coach
Learn the mental side of shooting a basketball. FREE Book; "Basketball - It's All About The Shot."