Ep 3: Lee Taft - Effective Speed & Agility Training in Basketball
In this episode, I sit down with Lee Taft, widely known as "The Speed Guy." With over 35 years of experience, Lee is a renowned authority on athletic movement and multidirectional speed training. His methodologies, drills, and principles are used by NFL, NBA, and MLB teams, top NCAA programs, and performance facilities across the globe. Lee’s coaching roots run deep — he has coached basketball teams and athletes at all levels and does an exceptional job at simplifying complex concepts into digestible skills that can directly apply to the game. He has a deep passion for the game of basketball, and is an incredible advocate for developing athletes and bridging the gap between coaches and players. 01:09 Importance of Language in Coaching 02:14 Guest's Background and Journey 05:32 Common Misconceptions in Basketball Coaching 12:42 Developing Locomotion Literacy in Athletes 17:18 Rehabilitation and Return to Play 21:01 Using Bands for Deceleration Training 23:43 Using Bands for Lower Body Emphasis 25:23 Importance of Skill Development and Free Play 29:40 Incorporating Skill Development in Team Settings 35:28 Conditioning and Skill Training Integration 39:17 Balancing Play and Training for Young Athletes 44:08 Conclusion and Resources for Further Learning This episode is powered by Teambuildr. TeamBuildr PRACTICE is running a limited-time pre-sale. Secure 25% off by heading to teambuildr.com/practice before May 31, 2025. Learn more from Lee at his website: https://leetaft.com/ Follow Lee on IG: https://www.instagram.com/leetaft/