For about so long as she’s been taking part in basketball, Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale has been a bucket. She holds her highschool (Divine Savior Holy Angels) document for factors scored (2,240), she completed her collegiate profession as Notre Dame Ladies’s Basketball all-time main scorer (2,626) and took residence the WNBA scoring title in simply her second season. All of those made baskets not solely underscore an immense expertise to attain but additionally a aggressive nature that’s second to none. Arike Ogunbowale’s exercise has performed a key position in her success this season.
Headed into this season, Ogunbowale’s objectives have been to enhance on the earlier season and to be in the perfect situation doable. The Wings have been seeking to enhance on final season’s 22-win marketing campaign. Sadly, accidents have hampered the staff in the course of the first half of the season. Ogunbowale has carried out her half, which incorporates being second within the league in scoring (23.6) and main the league in steals (2.8) and minutes performed.
M&F caught up with the four-time All-Star to debate the offseason work that’s led to her on court docket efficiency this yr, the good thing about having a sibling who can also be knowledgeable athlete and why nice efficiency begins from the bottom up.
Arike Ogunbowale’s Ideas To Get In Form
Arike Ogunbowale led the WNBA in minutes final season at 37.2 per recreation and knew coming into this season that she can be counted on the identical once more. She got down to get in the perfect situation she might to deal with that load. Except for lifting, coaching and choose up towards male athletes, she additionally targeted on yoga and Pilates to assist make certain her base and core are stable.
Up till a few years in the past, Ogunbowale spent her winters dwelling in Russia whereas taking part in with WBC Dynamo Kursk. From that have, she discovered to shorten her exercises by specializing in particular areas somewhat than placing extra stress on her physique than she wanted to. As somebody who loves being within the health club and coaching, the transfer took some getting used to however she’s discovered it useful.
“Despite the fact that the time was shorter, it was invaluable, and I bought every part carried out that I wanted to,” she stated. “I feel now it’s nearly being smarter, and extra targeted on the precise issues I knew I wanted to work on and I simply do much more repetition aside from a variety of totally different workout routines. I would deal with two or three for a month in order that I can actually get good at these earlier than I transfer on to different stuff.”
Consuming Wholesome is a Life-style
To take a number of the strain off of making an attempt the multitudes of diets which are on the market, Ogunbowale chooses to eat wholesome. Given how a lot strain is positioned on her to carry out, alongside along with her expectations of herself, the very last thing she needs to do is fret over counting energy and make meals consumption a chore. When she does have a cheat day, her go to is the African meals she used to get pleasure from as a child. Given all the totally different spices used, she’s cautious within the parts she does get pleasure from.
Having an NFL Operating Again as a Brother Doesn’t Damage
Ogunbowale’s brother, Dare, is a veteran operating again and special-teams contributor for the Houston Texans. The siblings do get to coach collectively throughout their respective offseasons and Ogunbowale has picked up a number of pointers and ideas from her brother that she makes use of in her present routine.
Arike Ogunbowale’s Exercise Mantra: Poor Ft Don’t Eat
Regardless of how gifted an athlete is, if their foot well being is poor, they aren’t going to have the ability to carry out at their finest. Plantar fasciitis used to plague Ogunbowale and regardless of the therapy used, she had turn into accustomed by means of taking part in by means of discomfort. By probability, she met Jonathan Cotten, who owns and operates over 20 Good Ft Retailer areas. The corporate makes a speciality of premium, personally fitted arch helps for each foot and life-style and it wasn’t lengthy earlier than Ogunbowale was placing them to the check on the ground and off of it.
Simply final yr, she signed a multi-year endorsement deal as a model ambassador and proudly attests to what a distinction the arch helps have had on her.
“When you may have aches or something small, it will probably mentally have an effect on you,” Ogunbowale stated. “Being an athlete, your physique is what you do, what you want, and how one can carry out. Even when one thing small is out of whack, it will probably throw your whole recreation out of whack. Every part begins from the bottom up and in case your toes are tousled, then it’s onerous to be on the market on the ground. With getting my toes proper, I’ve felt a giant distinction after I’m on the court docket and off.”
Enjoying Pickup Will By no means Get Outdated
One of many tried and true methods to enhance in the course of the offseason for any basketball participant is choose up basketball. It’s a option to check new expertise and coaching towards actual competitors, and it’s why Ogunbowale loves it a lot. It additionally takes the Milwaukee native again to a less complicated time when the sport was simply the sport.
She additionally prefers taking part in towards males to additional sharpen her expertise towards totally different defenders and defenses which are predicated on making every area objective try of hers as onerous as the subsequent.
“I simply like it,” Ogunbowale stated. “Simply me being from the place I’m from, going to the park and all the time eager to play basketball — the artwork of taking part in pickup and simply hooping and having enjoyable with none construction or restriction is certainly one thing that simply comes from the love of the sport.”
Arike Ogunbowale’s Warmup
Train Bike: 7 min
Arike Ogunbowale’s Exercise For Muscle Activation
Carry out 2 Units of the next workout routines:
Susceptible to runner stretch: 8 reps
T-Backbone Rotations: 10 reps
Lateral Loaded Hip flexor:
Hip Circles (C.A.R.S.) “UMT”: 10 Reps
Arike Ogunbowale’s Exercise For Explosive Energy
Carry out 5 Units of the next workout routines:
Tremendous Band Excessive Knee sprints: 3 units, 10 sec.
Med Ball Loaded Field Jumps: 10 reps (24 to 30 inch top)
Depth Jumps to Hurdle Hop: 8 reps
Tremendous Band Deadlifts: 10 reps
Tremendous Band Barbell Glute Raises: 10 reps
