One on one basketball training is a great way to improve in-game play as well as individual skills. There are many drills and exercises that will greatly improve speed, coordination, and power.
One On One
If you think about it, the majority of basketball is played one on one. No matter if you have the ball on offense or are playing defense, you will more then likely be paired one on one with someone. Being able to beat an opponent one on one is really what makes somenone a truly good player.
Aside from actual game play, improving your one on one basketball training will make you better as an individual player. If you are a recreational player and just like to play basketball for fun, it will also help you to out point your friends in one on one games.
To train to improve your one on one basketball skills you need to work on three main areas: speed, coordination, and power.
Speed
Speed is a very important part of basketball. When you are playing someone one on one, you not only need the speed to keep up with them on defense, but you also need more speed than them to score on offense. Most plays in basketball one vs one play revolve on quick footwork and beating your opponent to the punch. The best way to improve speed on your own is by using some very simple drills.
The first is a very basic way to increase speed and agility, backwards sprinting. You probably already train by sprinting forwards in your workouts. However, because defensive movement is mainly always backwards, increasing your reverse speed is a key factor you should get down.
The next is pretty much the same thing, increasing side to side and lateral speed. To do this, practice shuffling from side to side on the court. Remember to stay low, and keep good form. Increase your speed as you gain momentum.
Coordination and Agility
Gaining better coordination requires you to work on your footwork. The best way to improve footwork on your own is by exercising with plyometrics.
Plyometrics is basically a reenactment of actual movements an athlete uses in a sport. To train for basketball, you want to work on quick ever-changing lateral, backward, and forward movements. To do this, get some athletic tape and place marks on the court. Start by placing the tape in a hop-scotch typed pattern. (you are going to use the marks as spots to mark your steps) After you have done that, work on your foot speed by maneuvering on top of, and around the dots. As you start to get a rhythm, increase your speed. Be sure that all your movements are precise and accurate.
Power
There is one classic lift that is great for basketball, that is the squat exercise. The squat exercise builds muscle throughout your entire legs and back. Not only will it improve your vertical jump, but it will also give you more explosiveness in your movements which is a huge part of basketball one on one.
Better One On One
By adding the above routines to your workouts, you should be able to see more ease and improvement in your one on one basketball skills fairly quickly. All of them are not only good for basketball, but many other sports as well. A great untraditional way for basketball players to work on their foot speed is by playing tennis. Tennis often mimics many movements involved in basketball as well as increases strength in your shooting hand.