“If you really want to do something you will find a way – if you don’t you will find an excuse”

“Success is a tale of obstacles overcome, and for every obstacle overcome, an excuse not used.”  ~Robert Brault

“The overnight sensation understands better than anyone that success never happens overnight.”

“If winning was easy; everyone would be doing it.”

Well, I got the message that I should expound upon what I consider toughness to be. It may not be what you think.

Toughness is something I had to learn the hard way, and something I had no real idea of until I played college basketball. When I played my first game in college, I thought that toughness was physical and based on how much punishment I could dish out and how much I could take. I thought I was tough.

I found out pretty quickly that I wasn’t, but I toughened up over time, and I got a pretty good understanding of toughness through playing in the ACC, for USA Basketball, in NBA training camps, and as a professional basketball player in Europe. I left my playing career a heck of a lot tougher than I started it, and my only regret is that I didn’t truly “get it” much earlier in my playing career.

When I faced a tough opponent, I wasn’t worried that I would get hit — I was concerned that I would get sealed on ball reversal by a tough post man, or that I would get boxed out on every play, or that my assignment would sprint the floor on every possession and get something easy on me. The toughest guys I had to guard were the ones who made it tough on me.

Toughness has nothing to do with size, physical strength or athleticism. Some players may be born tough, but I believe that toughness is a skill, and it is a skill that can be developed and improved. Michigan State coach Tom Izzo always says, “Players play, but tough players win.” He is right. Here are some of the ways true toughness is exhibited in basketball:
read rest of article at ESPN

Jay Bilas – Defining Toughness (PDF)

Coaching Points

• You should always be on the balls of your feet (your heal should never touch the ground)
• First get the pattern down so that you are not stepping on the ladder or the rungs
• As soon as you feel comfortable go as fast as you can to the point where you start messing up occasionally -- really try to push yourself to be as quick as possible
• Always perform on a giving surface (gym floor, grass, etc) -- never perform on concrete

(High knees 1 per hole, High knees 2 per hole, Icky Shuffle, Scissors)

(Under and over, Side Rocker, Icky Shuffle)

(Carioca)

(Single leg exercises)

(Gives a brief overview of what you are trying to accomplish with the ladder)

Advanced Drills

(Advanced drills -- notice the quickness, but also how stable the upper body is)

(Advanced stomp progression)

BTW if you are looking to get your own speed ladder -- I found the cheapest option was this ladder on amazon.com