Good cardio exercises for basketball that's not running?

[s1o03lakers]

Of course running is probably the best way to get in running shape for basketball, but when it's cold I'd like to try alternative cardio exercises or workouts for basketball conditioning

[DCSpartan]

jump rope.

[sowilson]

Do some killers while you're doing your shooting, handles work. You'll end up developing the ability to function when you're tired. Something like 2 full court killers every 5-10 minutes, plus a killer for every missed free throw.

[surprisefart]

A great cardio improver is pushing yourself further while playing. I hate just running, so that works great for me.

How do you push yourself harder? When you are running on a fast break, or just going to offense, always sprint all the way to the rim. Firstly, that will result in you get you more fast-break buckets and second it will make you exhausted after only 2 minutes of playing. When u get to underneath the rim, you could turn around and see where everyone is to take the best position.

Most people tend to run to the three point line and they stop there.

[PhillipQ25]

I would recommend stadiums/stairs/hills. Yes it's technically running but it's not the boring tedious miles. You'll run a total of a mile but your body will be tired in ways you can't achieve by simply "running." Mix up the intensity and structure. run a whole stadium up and down each set of stairs to start, do a couple reps as fast as you can just up once, finish by running the whole stadium again.

I hated and rarely ever did any long distance running to get in shape. You can get as good of a cardiovascular workout with higher intensity work. At the same time you'll build your fast twitch muscle fibers and explosiveness.

I don't see any reason long distance running > Hills/stairs workouts

[tuura007]

Of course running is probably the best way to get in running shape for basketball, but when it's cold I'd like to try alternative cardio exercises or workouts for basketball conditioning

As a Division-1 Basketball strength coach, I try to avoid running in the early off-season (to give the legs a rest from excessive forces involved in running).

I interned at the University of Minnesota a few years back and they would do a Contralateral Circuit to enhance aerobic conditioning. I use it all the time with my basketball players. Major benefits in a bunch of areas that you can't get from runnning.

Strengthens the lateral sling (allowing for efficient energy transfer from the upper to lower and lower to upper body), enhances flexibility in movement patterns related to sport (squatting, lunging, hinging at the hips), strengthens all these movements in a low-intensity fashion.

Here's a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFZeNuYFujA I highly recommend giving it a try.