10/20/2025 – Workout of the Day (Lower Body Strength & Power)

Hello, I’m Adam Kemp, a professional basketball player, fitness expert, and nutrition educator.

Today’s Workout of the Day was built around developing total-body strength and explosiveness while continuing my in-season goal of staying strong, powerful, and balanced for professional play.

Even though I’ve returned to basketball this year after a 16-month break between the 2023–2024 and 2025 seasons, I’m still working on rebuilding muscle, coordination, and confidence in my movements.

My training now focuses on the intersection of strength, power, and durability, as I try to push hard enough to grow, but not so much that it interferes with game performance or recovery.

Each workout lately has been a reminder of the patience and grace needed to return from injury and time away.

I’m not where I used to be yet, but every day of consistent effort and faith brings me closer.

Verse of the Day:

Ephesians 2:8-9

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.

Ephesians 2:8–9 reminds me that true strength doesn’t come from effort alone; it’s a gift from God.

No matter how disciplined we are or how much work we put in, it’s His grace that gives us life, health, and the chance to improve.

Training is similar: effort matters, but results often come when we surrender pride and trust the process.

Today’s workout embodies that mindset, as I focused on putting in disciplined work while staying humble, grateful, and aware that progress itself is a blessing.

Workout of the Day (10/20/2025)

This session combines unilateral strength, posterior chain power, and elastic plyometric work to improve athletic performance while maintaining joint stability and balance.

It’s designed to build functional power for basketball by blending heavy compound lifts with explosive movements and accessory work for injury prevention.

This workout also reflects my ongoing goal to train with grace and intention; not chasing perfection, but progress.

Each exercise challenged both my strength and control, which are essential for sustaining performance through a long basketball season.

As Ephesians 2:8–9 reminds me that, no matter how much effort I put into training, the opportunity to move, recover, and grow stronger is ultimately a gift from God.

That truth helps me stay humble, grateful, and motivated, both in the gym and on the court.

Warm-Up

A proper warm-up primes your body for performance by increasing circulation, improving mobility, and activating stabilizing muscles.

Today’s Warm-Up Included:

• Dynamic Mobility (10 Minutes): Dynamic stretching exercises such as hip openers, adductor rock backs, hamstring stretches, and thoracic spine rotations.
• Glute Activation with Mini Bands: Lateral band walks and glute bridges to fire the glutes and stabilize the knees.

If you want to see how I warm up before my strength sessions, check out my mobility and activation videos on YouTube.

1A) Bulgarian Split Squat (5×5)

Benefits:
Bulgarian split squats are one of my favorite single-leg exercises. They build stability, balance, and power in each leg independently, which is critical for knee health and athletic performance. This movement also improves hip control and reduces asymmetries between sides.

Safety Tips:

• Keep your front knee aligned over your toes.
• Engage your core and maintain an upright torso.
• Lower under control to avoid knee strain.

Progression/Regression:

• Progression: Add dumbbells or a barbell for load.
• Regression: Use bodyweight or TRX support.

1B) Jump Lunges (5×10 Total Reps)

Benefits:
Jump lunges develop explosive power, coordination, and reactive strength in the lower body. They improve your ability to transition from eccentric to concentric movement, whic is key for sprinting, jumping, and defensive slides in basketball.

Safety Tips:

• Land softly with bent knees to absorb force.
• Maintain balance through the midline of your body.
• Keep movements controlled; prioritize quality over speed.

Progression/Regression:

• Progression: Add light dumbbells or a weighted vest.
• Regression: Perform alternating step-back lunges.

1C) Push-Ups (5×15)

Benefits:
Push-ups are a simple but foundational bodyweight exercise for building upper-body strength, shoulder stability, and core engagement. I often use them between lower-body sets to maintain total-body balance and improve muscular endurance.

Safety Tips:

• Keep your body straight from head to heels.
• Lower your chest under control and push through your palms.
• Avoid flaring your elbows too wide.

Progression/Regression:

• Progression: Add a weight plate or try plyometric push-ups.
• Regression: Perform incline or knee push-ups.

2A) Barbell Deadlift (5×5-4-3-2-1)

Benefits:
Deadlifts build raw power and posterior chain strength by targeting the glutes, hamstrings, and back. This compound movement reinforces full-body coordination and stability, vital for both vertical jump power and durability on the court.

Safety Tips:

• Keep your spine neutral and core braced.
• Drive through the heels and finish with glute contraction.
• Lower the bar under control to protect your back.

Progression/Regression:

• Progression: Gradually increase load each set.
• Regression: Use trap-bar or Romanian deadlifts for less strain.

2B) Stiff Ankle Pogo Jumps (5×10)

Benefits:
Pogo jumps strengthen the feet, ankles, and calves, improving stiffness and reactivity, which are key traits for sprinting and jumping efficiency. These short-contact plyometric drills enhance energy return in each step or jump.

Safety Tips:

• Keep knees slightly bent and ankles stiff.
• Focus on quick, rhythmic ground contact.
• Land quietly to reduce impact stress.

Progression/Regression:

• Progression: Add a low hurdle or increase reps.
• Regression: Perform double-leg calf hops in place.

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2C) Band-Assisted Reverse Nordic (5×5)

Benefits:
Reverse Nordics are an underrated exercise for developing eccentric quad strength and improving knee integrity. Using a resistance band for assistance helps maintain proper form and control through the full range of motion, especially during knee rehab.

Safety Tips:

• Keep your torso tall and engage your core.
• Move slowly through the eccentric phase.
• Avoid collapsing at the bottom — maintain tension throughout.

Progression/Regression:

• Progression: Reduce band assistance or add a tempo.
• Regression: Use more band support or reduce range of motion.