By Jennifer Azzi

Becky Hammon, New York Liberty Jennifer Pottheiser/NBAE/Getty Images

I have been impressed watching New York Liberty guard Becky Hammon’s success in the WNBA. Conditioning has certainly played a major role in her outstanding young career Coupled with all-star skills, her fitness level helps her wear opponents down, enabling her to shoot well late in the game. Becky was also able to come back from a major knee injury. She credits her conditioning for helping her get back to full strength.

“Being fit is a very big part of being a basketball player. You can’t be at the top of your game without being in great physical shape, both cardiovascular and strength training are vital to being able to compete for a full 40 minutes if a basketball game.”

How did conditioning play a role in recovering from your knee injury?

“Conditioning is important when you have an injury because while you're working hard to get stronger and build muscle around the injury, it's also important that you fatigue the leg over a period of time, to build strength that way as well. Conditioning on the bike for 30 minutes for example allowed me to work on cardiovascular conditioning, building strength, and also allowed my knee to work the full range of motion.”

Do you have one tip for the average person to help him or her get in shape?

“Most people are pretty busy throughout the day, so my tip would be do little things along your day that keep you active, such as taking the stairs, instead of the elevator.”

Now that I am “retired”, I take Becky’s advice and do the little things throughout the day to exercise. It is important to get your heart rate up to 50-80% of your maximum capacity at least 30-60 minutes each day. You can do that by walking, running, biking, swimming, or whatever your activity of choice may be. You can start right where you are. Go for it!