Indiana University Athletics
Summer Update with Nick Zeisloft
7/20/2015 3:01:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Rising fifth year senior Nick Zeisloft met with members of the media recently to give an update on how summer workouts are going for the team and how this year is different for him now that he has been able to be around from the start of the offseason.
On how this summer compares to last:
"I was here for the last month (in 2014), I just couldn't join all the team stuff but I was watching. Some of the things are different like Coach (Je'ney) Jackson and Coach (Lyonel) Anderson – not saying one is better than the other, they're both tremendous weight coaches. Lucky to have them both work with me. It's been going great so far. Differences…not a lot. Individuals have been great and maybe we're doing a couple different things. We didn't have the sandpit last year, that's been going well. Overall it's just been a great summer so far."
On the advantages of using the sandpit to train:
"Learning different running forms, planting and different agility drills. Stuff that is tougher in the sand and it can definitely increase your quickness and explosiveness and we've definitely been working on that with Coach Lyonel a lot this summer."
On using elevation masks and how they impact training:
"You just don't breathe as much, oxygen intake and you really have to focus on your breathing to get the amount of oxygen you need in to sustain conditioning, agility or whatever we're doing that day – a jump program or whatever. As we get better with it, we continue to increase."
On what having the entire summer of workouts has allowed them to do:
"I would say more camaraderie, more understanding of what guys are going to be on the court, more timing. We had a lot of new guys come in last year and we didn't have the months of the summer to work together. This summer we've had everybody here the whole time and it's been great. Whether it's open gym or individuals or just seeing how guys tick in the weight room and in different conditioning drills. You know how to communicate with one another and work with one another already at this point instead of Emmitt coming in in September and us just trying to get our feet wet with him and then school starts."
On a typical week for them in the summer:
"It depends on our schedule. A lot of things are depending, but we definitely get in our individual hours every week. Those are great because those are with coaches and then we take full use of our lifting and conditioning. But there's not really a 'this is what it's going to be everyday.' Sometimes we go two weeks of things then the next two weeks are different. Or, sometimes it's one week's one thing and the next week is a different thing. Sometimes we've had heavy lifting weeks, sometimes we've had heavy intensive agility weeks so it's been alternating a lot."
On Coach Lyonel getting more involved and doing the workouts with them and if players like it when he jumps in…
"He gets a little more involved. Coach Jackson would kind of pick and choose when to show off his strengths, and he knows that's the case too. The first day that I was here in the summer, I got back a little late and did my workouts at a different time. He did his workout with the first group, and then would do it all over again with me. He's very passionate, has a lot of energy, and doesn't seem to get very tired ever."
On other differences of things they're working on:
"I'm working on ball screens, making plays for others, and drawing fouls so that I can get to the free throw line. Drawing fouls is a big key with coach Crean. Defensively, guarding the best guys that I can—James (Blackmon Jr.), Troy (Williams), Collin (Hartman), Yogi (Ferrell) and Rob (Johnson). I'm even working against the bigs. Thomas (Bryant) is strong down there. Sometimes, you get switched to guarding him in open gym, and it's pretty tough."
On trying to expand his game:
"We're always working on our game. I wouldn't call it 'branching out' so much as I would call it improving, and being able to do more with what you work on every day. I'm not just shooting every day—I'm working on driving, shot fakes, getting to the rim, my mid-range game, drawing fouls, and posting up every day. I'm not trying to stick with what I've done before. I'm looking to improve every day."
On how open gym this year compares to last:
"Open gym this summer is more competitive compared to last summer and fall. Last year, we didn't really know each other, so we didn't get after it. Now, we get after it and we don't really care about feelings anymore, which is better for us. We're all best friends at the end of the day and great teammates. But when it's open gym time, you don't want to lose a series, to say the least."
On how this summer compares to last:
"I was here for the last month (in 2014), I just couldn't join all the team stuff but I was watching. Some of the things are different like Coach (Je'ney) Jackson and Coach (Lyonel) Anderson – not saying one is better than the other, they're both tremendous weight coaches. Lucky to have them both work with me. It's been going great so far. Differences…not a lot. Individuals have been great and maybe we're doing a couple different things. We didn't have the sandpit last year, that's been going well. Overall it's just been a great summer so far."
On the advantages of using the sandpit to train:
"Learning different running forms, planting and different agility drills. Stuff that is tougher in the sand and it can definitely increase your quickness and explosiveness and we've definitely been working on that with Coach Lyonel a lot this summer."
On using elevation masks and how they impact training:
"You just don't breathe as much, oxygen intake and you really have to focus on your breathing to get the amount of oxygen you need in to sustain conditioning, agility or whatever we're doing that day – a jump program or whatever. As we get better with it, we continue to increase."
On what having the entire summer of workouts has allowed them to do:
"I would say more camaraderie, more understanding of what guys are going to be on the court, more timing. We had a lot of new guys come in last year and we didn't have the months of the summer to work together. This summer we've had everybody here the whole time and it's been great. Whether it's open gym or individuals or just seeing how guys tick in the weight room and in different conditioning drills. You know how to communicate with one another and work with one another already at this point instead of Emmitt coming in in September and us just trying to get our feet wet with him and then school starts."
On a typical week for them in the summer:
"It depends on our schedule. A lot of things are depending, but we definitely get in our individual hours every week. Those are great because those are with coaches and then we take full use of our lifting and conditioning. But there's not really a 'this is what it's going to be everyday.' Sometimes we go two weeks of things then the next two weeks are different. Or, sometimes it's one week's one thing and the next week is a different thing. Sometimes we've had heavy lifting weeks, sometimes we've had heavy intensive agility weeks so it's been alternating a lot."
On Coach Lyonel getting more involved and doing the workouts with them and if players like it when he jumps in…
"He gets a little more involved. Coach Jackson would kind of pick and choose when to show off his strengths, and he knows that's the case too. The first day that I was here in the summer, I got back a little late and did my workouts at a different time. He did his workout with the first group, and then would do it all over again with me. He's very passionate, has a lot of energy, and doesn't seem to get very tired ever."
On other differences of things they're working on:
"I'm working on ball screens, making plays for others, and drawing fouls so that I can get to the free throw line. Drawing fouls is a big key with coach Crean. Defensively, guarding the best guys that I can—James (Blackmon Jr.), Troy (Williams), Collin (Hartman), Yogi (Ferrell) and Rob (Johnson). I'm even working against the bigs. Thomas (Bryant) is strong down there. Sometimes, you get switched to guarding him in open gym, and it's pretty tough."
On trying to expand his game:
"We're always working on our game. I wouldn't call it 'branching out' so much as I would call it improving, and being able to do more with what you work on every day. I'm not just shooting every day—I'm working on driving, shot fakes, getting to the rim, my mid-range game, drawing fouls, and posting up every day. I'm not trying to stick with what I've done before. I'm looking to improve every day."
On how open gym this year compares to last:
"Open gym this summer is more competitive compared to last summer and fall. Last year, we didn't really know each other, so we didn't get after it. Now, we get after it and we don't really care about feelings anymore, which is better for us. We're all best friends at the end of the day and great teammates. But when it's open gym time, you don't want to lose a series, to say the least."
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Men's BasketballFB: Nico Radicic - Spring Practice No. 11
Tuesday, April 21
FB: Drew Evans - Spring Practice No. 11
Tuesday, April 21
FB: Bray Lynch - Spring Practice No. 11
Tuesday, April 21
FB: Spring Practice - Curt Cignetti Press Conference
Thursday, April 16