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The Hooper’s Edge

The #1 mistake hoopers make in October

Published 6 months ago • 1 min read

Hey Reader,

Fall ball has been rolling for about a month now.

By this point, most hoopers fall into one of two camps:

  1. They’ve let training slide. The excuses creep in — “I’ll get back to lifting after fall ball,” or “I’m too tired to do extra.”
  2. They’ve stayed consistent. Kept lifting. Kept sprinting. Kept stacking small wins even while juggling games and practices.

Guess which group is going to look fresher, stronger, and more explosive come November tryouts?

👉 Fall ball runs through the end of October — which means NOW is the time to set in-season habits.

Here’s what that looks like in practice (for both athletes and coaches):

For Athletes:

  • Audit your last month. Did your training actually complement your schedule, or did it disappear?
  • Pick 2 anchors. — Pick 2 days per week where you can get your sprints, jumps, and main lifts done- commit to them until tryouts.
  • Treat recovery like a main ingredient, NOT a side dish. Sleep, mobility, and nutrition aren’t “add-ons.” They’re what allow you to survive back-to-back weekends.

For Coaches:

  • Reinforce structure. If your players only touch weights in the off-season, they’ll break down mid-season.
  • Pair strength with skill. Instead of fighting for time, stack lifts on practice/open gym days.
  • Model the long game. Show athletes that October isn’t just about getting live reps — it’s about laying the foundation for when games actually matter.

The truth is, most hoopers will fade this month. They’ll show up to tryouts worn down instead of built up.

But the ones who use October to practice being in-season athletes — short, smart lifts, recovery habits, stacking training with skill work — they’ll be the ones who separate when the lights come on.

This is your chance to prove you can handle both. Don’t waste it.

Let’s keep building,
— Coach Julian

📖 PS — My book The Foundation is built for exactly this moment.​
It lays out the year-round roadmap for hoopers who want to stay strong, fast, and explosive without burning out in-season.

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