Basketball is a great activity to help you be more mindful.
Stress is something everybody deals with as everyone has hard times in life.
The majority of the time, however, stress and anxiety build up because of what we think will happen, not what will happen.
As the great stoic philosopher Epictetus said:
“Man is not worried by real problems so much as by his imagined anxieties about real problems.”
A few years ago, I got into a hit-and-run car accident. I was on the highway heading up to my friend’s house and a pickup truck with a trailer, who I guess didn’t measure out the space he had, changed lanes and swiped the front of my car.
My entire bumper flew off and the right side of my hood was completely damaged.
This was the first car accident I had been in and I didn’t know what to expect.
“Would the auto insurance cover this?”
“What am I going to do if they don’t?”
“Is this car trash now?”
“I can’t afford to fix it or buy a new car!”
These were the thoughts that ran through my mind for a week as I waited for the insurance company to get back to me.
I stressed about it, I lost sleep over it, and I was barely able to focus on my work.
And it was all a waste of time and energy because a week-and-a-half later, the insurance company contacted me and said they were able to fix it.
I could’ve spent the time I used to worry to do absolutely anything else. I should’ve been mindful and present during that time instead of fixating on my imagined fears.
This is one of the reasons why I love playing basketball.
Playing basketball, even just shooting around, is great for reducing stress and anxiety because it forces me to be present in the moment and mindful of my thoughts and actions.
For the few hours I’m on the hardwood, I only care about playing basketball, not my blog’s stats or the upcoming bills I have to pay. The only problems I want to solve at this moment are how to get the ball into the hoop and how to stop my opponent from scoring. I focus on the task at hand, like a Samurai from the 13th century practicing Zen archery.
Another great thing about playing basketball is that I think about my problems less and my stress level continues to remain low after I play.
According to the Mayo Clinic, many factors contribute to this, such as strengthening my ability to deal with stress and releasing “feel good” hormones (or endorphins).
Basketball has been beneficial for me in more ways than one and I think it can be for you, too.
So, if basketball is something you want to get into, even if it’s for health benefits, here are some basic drills you can do:
Around the World
Around the World is one the simplest and most fun basketball shooting games you can play. It doesn’t require a lot of skill but is challenging.
All you have to do in this game is make shots at each marker around the free-throw box (or the paint).
And you only get two tries to do so or you have to go back to the first marker.
But if you’re playing by yourself to get movement in or to practice, then you can take as many tries as you want. Just make sure you go through the entire course.
If you want to learn more about the game, click here to read this blog post I wrote.
Free-Throw Shooting
I’m sure you know what free-throw shooting is (there are a bunch of memes out there mocking Shaq and his inability to make them).
But if you don’t, a free-throw shot is a free, uncontested shot a player takes when she gets fouled by the opposing team.
She would go to the free-throw line and, without crossing the line, take a shot.
And this is all you have to do with this drill -take free-throw shots.
Try to make as you can in a set amount of time and try to improve your shot percentage or makes each session.
This may sound simple and potentially boring, but trust me, it is not. It will require a lot of focus and concentration.
And the more shots you make in a row, the happier and more confident you’ll get and the more you’ll want to continue your streak (or get back to it).
If you don’t know how to shoot a free throw, click here to check out this blog post on how Michael Jordan shoots them.
Layup Line
Layups are a fundamental basketball skill and are one of the most fun moves you can do.
For this drill, you are going to start at the free-throw line, dribble up to the basket, and shoot a close shot.
Once you’re comfortable with that, then you’re going to start doing real layups (which you can learn how to do here).
Again, set an amount of time you want to play for and try to make as many as you can in the allotted time. And make sure you do layups on both sides of the rim -don’t just do them on your dominant side.
This drill is a bit more physical as you have to jog up to the rim, so set a manageable time.
Final Thoughts
Basketball has been a great stress reliever for me.
Whenever I have problems that seem to take over my thoughts, I just go to the basketball court and shoot some hoops to take my mind away.
So, if you are stressed, pick up a basketball and go shoot around.