How I Became A Trainer, Creating Quality Workouts and How To Train By Yourself (Q&A Podcast 66)

Foreign podcast. I appreciate you guys who tuned in today. Whether you're listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or SoundCloud or Pandora or wherever else may be listening to, or all of you guys who are watching on YouTube right now, I appreciate you guys for taking time tuning in to this episode. If you guys are an Apple podcast, do me a favor, scroll down the bottom of the page and leave a review for me. Let me know what you think. As you guys who listen know, I read any new reviews at the beginning of the show. So I've got one this week. Comes From Smitty C. YouTube and it says great podcast, great coach. This is an excellent, very helpful podcast. It has helped me realize how much I really have to work to get better and explains what kind of work I need to do. Also, I really like Coach Ethan, seems like a great guy. I appreciate that Smitty and I really do appreciate the support and stuff like that. That's awesome. And I really appreciate reading that, guys. So again, if you have anything that you want to say, any questions that made for me even drop a review on Apple Podcasts helps the show grow, helps it to rank a little bit higher and kind of helps more people for more people to organically see it through that. So again, shout out to you guys who have done that. I really do appreciate that. And let's hop into it. So this is a Q and A episode. I posted a story on my Instagram just asking for questions. So if you guys are on. If you guys don't follow me on Instagram right now and you, you missed that. My Instagram is at Vision Driven Basketball. Okay. Vision Driven Basketball. And make sure you give me a follow. So you guys see whenever I'm posting, you guys don't miss anything. Anytime I might have another Q and A, I will at some point in the near future. So make sure you follow me on Instagram. If you have not. Again, at Vision Driven Basketball, we'll hop into it. I got a ton of really, really good questions. So the first question we'll go to comes from Harry says how to train decision making when you're by yourself. So this is a question that I get semi frequently because I've been talking so much about decision making and how important it is. And you know, decision making is one of, you know, if not the, I would say, in my opinion, the most important skill in basketball when you take everything into account. Right. I always talk about shooting being the most important skill when it comes down to it, your ability to make the decision on okay, when do I shoot, where do I shoot? Why am I shooting this basketball? Right? That all goes into the actual decision that happens before you, you even make the shot, right? So you know, there's like a three step process to any sort of action. The first thing is you're going to perceive it, right? So you're going to actually see what's happening going on and you're going to have to actually like be able to identify and say, okay, this is happening right now. Here are my options right here. Okay, I can do this, I can do this or I can do that, right? I catch the ball, I can shoot it, I can drive, I can pass to my teammate. Okay, I got three options right there. So you're perceiving the situation, right? Then the next step is you have to actually decide and make that decision. Okay, what am I going to do right here? So you decide to shoot it, you decide to pass it, you decide to drive, okay? And then the third part of it is you actually have to make the action, which is you make the shot or you drive to the basket, or you actually physically make that pass. So the action part, the part that we train is actually only a third of what actually goes into that play happening. Okay? So any play that you see anytime, that any bucket that you see, there's three parts of it and the actual physical bucket getting part is only the last third of that, okay? So that's why decision making is so important. Because if you neglect to work on your ability to make decisions, then you're essentially skipping out on 2/3 of the actual game, right? And that's a lot of times why players might not see the game transfer from their workouts or their practices to actual real games. Because they might not be spending as much time or as much focus on those first two aspects as they are in the third one, which of course is important. But the first two also are very important as well. So the best way to do this obviously is by training with other people. And I have videos that I can link above. I'll link a video above that talks more about this in depth on how you can train decision making. And actually I'll link below too. If you guys go to the top link in my description below, I'll leave my decision making checklist. So it's just like a real quick thing that's going to tell you how to train your decision making, why it's important. It's going to give you like a step by step breakdown of how to do that. So I think it's really, really be really, really helpful you guys who want to get better. So again, click the top link in my description below and I'll send that to you. But to get back to the question, so going, you know, being able to do this with multiple players, right? That's how I run all my workouts. If I have multiple players, typically I'm going to put them in positions where they have to make decisions based on what the defense does. Okay. So the best way to do things to work on decision making is actually have defense out there. But there's other ways we can do that. So, you know, ideally, if you have like a partner, I think that's one of the best ways to do it. I'll have to post some stuff at some point on Instagram, going more in depth into this. But what I love doing is putting my players in an action. So like, let's say we're going to work on, let's say I'm working with one of my players on ball screens, right? So I might set a ball screen for them and they're going to come off the ball screen and I might be the roll or the pop guy and then I might have to, you know, I might either call for the ball or I might not call for the basketball, right? If I don't call for the ball, then they're going to go off and they're going to shoot or they're going to get to the basket or whatever they're going to do off of it. But if I do call for the ball, then they got to get me the pass and then maybe we'll play out of that. So maybe I'll go give them a handoff after that and then they'll have to go score out of that. Or maybe I'll call for the ball back again or maybe I'll tell them to go to the corner or whatever. Like there's so many ways you can add an element of like randomness to your training and I think that's the best thing you can do if you don't have like full fledged defense to play against. So that's one thing. When it comes down to decision making though, like training it by yourself, is it really when you're by yourself, that's, that's the best time to work on that. The third part we talked about, the action part. So your ability to make shots, right? You're, and we can even talk like the, the foundation. So like your shooting foundation. So your form, your mechanics, your, all the aspects that matter balance your Shot pickups. Your, your footwork and your efficiency in that regard. Like, that's where it becomes super, super important when you're by yourself. And then ideally, when you get in situations where you can train with another person or with a group of people, then you can put yourself in those situations. We say, okay, you know, I need to get better making decisions in, you know, the pick and roll. So we're going to. I'm going to grab, you know, three of my friends and we're going to play two on two out of a pick and roll the wing, right? There's just an example what you can do where you can start to work the decision making a little bit. That's the best way you can do it. And when you are by yourself, really, that's where you can get better at the action part of it. But ultimately the decision making aspect is something that you get from playing. Now, one thing I think you can do, and I forget the technical name of this, there's some scientific name for this where it's essentially like the mirror effect, right? When you watch somebody do something, you actually subconsciously go through it. And I'm blanking on what it's called right now. But basically, we as humans have the ability to empathize with each other, right? So when you see somebody going through something difficult, you can typically feel that, right? You're like, oh, man, that's really, like, that sucks. When you see somebody who is homeless, you start to feel like, oh, man, what, like, what would it feel like if I was homeless? Right? Like, that's, that's, that's empathy right there, okay. And it works the same way when it comes to, like, our ability to empathize with, like, motor patterns, right? So if I watch somebody go through a drill subconsciously, I'm. I'm kind of going through that drill mentally, right? Because I'm able to empathize and put myself in their shoes. So one way you can use it to your effect is by watching basketball, right? And specifically watching, like, okay, I want to get better the pick and roll. So I'm going to go watch film on the pick and roll. That could be some YouTube breakdowns. That could be you going and watching some highlights of Chris Paul or Trae Young using the pick and roll. Or Devin Booker is great in the pick and roll too. Like, maybe you just go watch somebody do that and your, your ability to understand the game is going to improve because of your, your bot, your. Your brain's ability to empathize and be able to almost Repeat and learn those patterns that it sees. So that's another way that you can, you can hit decision making without actually having another person on the court with you. But end of the day, check out my decision making checklist is going to go if you got some more ideas for that. But best thing you can do is just grab another person and. And as much as you can, work on that. So there's one thing's right there. Okay, question. Two bucks, your sons. As this, at the time this podcast comes out, it will have. We are going into game six. So the Bucs are up 3, 2. They won a close one last night and I think I'm going with the Bucs. You know, this has been one of those really weird playoff runs and playoff series where it seems like up until last game, like every game was a blowout and it seemed like almost every game in the playoffs was like it was either, you know, you look at like a, you look at a series and like every game was a 20 point game, right? So Team A would win game one by 20 and then the next game, team B would win the game by 20. Right? It didn't make a lot of sense. But that being said, I think three, two. I'm going to go with the Bucks to finish. Doubt. I just don't. I just don't have enough. And look, we'll see. Like, both these things are really, really good. I think you can make the argument the Suns are a better team than the Bucks are from top to bottom in terms of just like the, the depth that they have. But at the end of the day, I like the. I like the Bucks top two versus versus the Sun's top two, right? And ultimately the Bucks have the best player in the series, which is Giannis. So something thinking about, but I'm gonna go with the Bucks here at this point. So we'll see if I jinx that by saying that. Now, this is a question that I got a little bit and it said basically, what inspired you to become a trainer? Why did you become a trainer? And you know, there's a couple of things building off of this. But, you know, I've talked about this a little bit before, but I've always like the. I've always been. I've always loved just like the off season, right? Even back to when I was younger, when I was probably in like seventh or eighth grade. I remember like being so excited for February, March to get here because then the season was over and I could just go train and I could plan on my workouts for the. For the summer. And, like, that was what I always loved doing, and I always look forward to doing that. And I was always just so obsessed with, like, okay, how do I get better? Okay, what do I do now? Like, well, how do I get better at this? Okay, why am I struggling with this in games? What can I do to make that better? And it was just always a constant, like, obsession for me. So I was reading everything I could about it. I was reading all about, okay, how do I become more confident in the court? Like, what do I do to. To become a better leader? All those things. Like, I mean, I just did. I did so much to become the best that I could. And that was just kind of my obsession was, okay, what can I do in March through October so that I'm prepared for this season? And that was just what I love doing. So now it's like, you know, me being able to be a trainer now, it's like, that's what I do, and that's my constant focus is, okay, how do I put my players in the best position to be successful now? And obviously, you know, I've learned a lot since that, but that kind of built the. The groundwork and the foundation for where I'm at now, for sure. You know, for me, it really came down to, like, when I was going into college, I was planning on playing or I was trying to play, and there's a couple of schools that. So I took a year off after, After I graduated high school, just kind of weighing my options, training, seeing what I could, What I could get the next year. I had, like, a couple of jucos that I could have gone to play at, um, and then. But I also was coaching, too. I was coaching a middle school team. I had a couple parents ask if I would train their kids just kind of randomly, like, during that winter. So I started doing that, picked up a couple more kids, and I was like, okay, this is actually what I want to do. And so just decided to stick with that and instead of playing. And so, you know, here we are. And ultimately, like, end of the day, like, I never, like, you know, I was a. I was a. I was an okay player at best, right? I had my moments. But what I always loved more was just the process of everything. I love the process of getting better, of helping other people get better. And even when I was in high school, like, I was always, like, trying to get my teammates in the gym, like, always trying to, okay, how can we do this? And, like, that was always how I was. And Again, that's just kind of the natural progression that took me to where I'm at now. So that's kind of my background on why I became a trainer. And. And, you know, for me, that's just like. It's what I want to be doing ultimately. So that's. That's why I did it. The other. The other question that I got was, what would you do if you weren't coaching or training basketball? Shout out to Hasan guy. My guy, Juice made hoops. You guys have not. If you guys don't know Juice made hoops is. You got to check him out. And so he was. He asked, what would you do if you weren't coaching or training? And that's a great question. That's something I didn't think about really, until I had read this. Honestly, like, that's one of those things where it's like, I. I couldn't even tell you. Like, I don't know what else I would be doing. I probably would still. I'd probably be in school right now. In fact, I'm sure I would be in school right now. Probably gonna. Probably about to graduate school, actually. And I don't know what I'd be studying. I don't know what I'd be doing. I probably would have tried to place. I probably would have found a place to play, at least for my first years. At least my first years of college. I don't know what I would have done after that, but that's probably what the answer. I'd probably be playing basketball right now, or at least I would have been doing that. I'd probably be finishing up school right now. Not sure what else aside from that, but that was really the thing, like, back when I was, you know, in middle school, high school. Like, I always say now, I think it's a good thing to play multiple sports, right? I think it helps you develop as an athlete. But when I was in, like, 8th, 9th grade, and, like, you know, I loved playing football when I was younger, but, like, I got to that point, I was like, I just want to play basketball. Like, I did. That's what I want to do. I don't want to play football. I don't want to play it, because then I can't. If I have to go to full practice, I can't play basketball, right? Like, if I have a football game, then I have to miss that workout or that open gym or whatever. Like, there are so many like this. The. The trade off was not worth it for me. I just didn't want to do it. And there's nothing wrong with wanting to do that. I just didn't want to. And so ultimately, like, that's just. I. I don't know what else I'd be doing if not for this. So. It's a great question, though. Again, Shama, God juice my hoops. The other question is kind of relating to that is like, what do you. I had people ask me what do I need to do to become a coach or become a trainer. I think the first thing you need to do is it kind of depends where you're at. But it just, it start off with just learning as much as you can. Right. Understand, like, and I say this now, I look back on myself, like, every couple months and I literally will say, like, man, I knew so much less three months ago, right? A year ago I knew I was so much worse at what I do now. I was so much worse a year ago. It's crazy. Like, it's crazy how much worse I.