Colorado Lightning: Inspiring Smarter, Stronger, and Healthier Players
Colorado Lightning’s blog serves as an educational cornerstone of the club’s mission to develop well-rounded athletes — blending skill instruction, physical training, mental preparation, and values-driven perspective. Rather than purely focusing on wins, these articles guide youth players and parents through essential aspects of basketball growth both on and off the court.
The blog is authored primarily by seasoned coach Todd Harmon and covers a wide range of topics designed to support players at every level — from fundamentals and workouts to nutrition, mindset, and recovery. Each piece reflects Colorado Lightning’s commitment to helping players improve their basketball IQ, physical capabilities, and understanding of the game itself.
Training, Conditioning, and Physical Performance
A large focus of the article section centers on performance-enhancing training topics such as:
Strength and Conditioning Workouts — These posts include Coach Todd’s breakdowns of basketball-specific strength workouts, like upper body and leg day routines that help players build functional power and athleticism necessary for explosive movements on the court.
Weight Training for Basketball — One popular article explores how consistent weight lifting can transform a high school athlete’s game by boosting explosive strength, balance, and injury resistance.
Stretching and Mobility — Another useful guide highlights the importance of stretching — even routines humorously called “lazy stretching” — as a key tool for longevity in the sport and injury prevention.
These pieces emphasize safe, practical training approaches that complement skill work and contribute to long-term athletic development.
Technical Skills and Basketball IQ
Beyond workouts, Colorado Lightning’s articles provide technical insights into the game:
Basketball Fundamentals — This article reinforces that the essentials — dribbling, passing, shooting, defense, and rebounding — form the foundation for future success. Attention to these basics ensures that players are prepared for higher levels of competition.
Basketball IQ Development — Another piece explains the concept of basketball intelligence, emphasizing the importance of awareness, decision-making, and game understanding over pure physical traits.
These articles aim to help young players think about basketball as a strategic and mental game, not just a physical one.
Health, Recovery, and Preparation
The blog also recognizes that peak performance doesn’t happen only in the gym or on the court:
Rest and Recovery — Coach Todd stresses that recovery days, sufficient sleep, and proper nutrition are essential to avoid burnout and sustain progress in youth players.
Nutrition Guidance — Highlighting the often overlooked role of food and hydration, articles on nutrition provide guidelines on fueling young athletes for energy, growth, and endurance.
This lets players and parents approach performance holistically, balancing work with rest and nourishment.
Tryouts and Mindset
Practical advice also extends to tryout preparation and mindset topics, such as tips for making a team — emphasizing hustle, communication with coaches, positive attitude, and playing to one’s strengths.
In summary, the blog on Colorado Lightning functions as an ongoing educational resource that complements their on-court training. With balanced coverage of physical training, skill development, mental growth, nutrition, and recovery, these articles help young athletes build confidence, deepen their understanding of basketball, and prepare more effectively for success both within the game and beyond. Learn more at https://coloradolightning.com/