Purpose of a Heart Rate Monitor in Basketball [Part 2]

Today’s look at heart rate monitors and sports will be focused on the game of Basketball. In particular, I would like to share on the NBA players and what it takes in terms of fitness and skills to reach that level of professionalism. Before I go into the ins and outs of Basketball, I will do a quick recap of my first article that shows the Purpose of a Heart Rate Monitor Watch for Rugby. Unlike Basketball, rugby being a more physical sport demands a lot in terms of strength and conditioning. There is also more contact as opposed to basketball.

However, don’t get me wrong because basketball has its own physical demands and requires stamina, agility and a lot of skills (That is if you want to make it professionally). You got players like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James who do things on the court that you never thought was humanly possible. LeBron James for instance is said to be one of the most gifted pure athletes to ever play in the NBA. At 6 feet 8 inches and 250lb or 113 kilograms, LeBron James is a beast on the court. One thing that LeBron is famous for is his size, strength and quickness that allows him to easily get by defenders. If that is not bad enough, he is able to absorb a lot of contact when going to the hoop without much of a flinch. Can you imagine a 250 lb, 6’8” figure running or even flying at you to get to the rim? I know, it’s a daunting thing! Basketball players do also go through a lot of strength and conditioning.

A Look into the NBA

Statistics show that the odds of someone randomly taking up basketball and making it into the NBA is very slim. There are 30 teams in the NBA and 12 roster spots available for each of those teams. That equates to 360 available spaces in the NBA. These professional athletes go through years of training and dedication just too even be considered. From a young age, the players are put through their paces day in and day out, from dusk till dawn just to get better. Apart from physical capabilities, to become a professional basketball player, size is a very important factor. Stats show that players under 6 feet are few and far between.

For those that are not familiar with basketball, there are three basic positions: the Point Guard, Shooting Guard, Shooting Forward, Power Forward and Center. The Point Guard is usually like the play maker but it is not limited to that position alone. For example, when you look at teams like the Lakers and Cavs, they run their plays through Kobe Bryant (Shooting Guard) and LeBron James (Power Forward).

For more, check here for the continuation of this article …