The sun peeked gently over the rooftops of the city, casting warm golden rays across the quiet streets. Inside a nearby gym, the atmosphere was already heavy with the scent of iron and determination.
Aleksandar, still shaking off the last wisps of sleep, stood next to Vinnie his coach, mentor, and now unofficial alarm clock.
Vinnie's arms were crossed, his clipboard tucked under one arm, a bottle of water in the other. He turned to Aleksandar with a look that could cut through steel.
"Eight hours of sleep. Minimum. That's not a suggestion, that's a rule," he said firmly. "That's when your body heals, grows stronger, and locks in everything we grind for. Miss that, and you may as well throw this whole training cycle into the trash."
Aleksandar nodded, rubbing the back of his neck like a schoolboy being scolded.
"Understood."
Vinnie clapped once.
"Good. Now we're hitting mobility and weight training today. Welcome to Day Two. First we warm up. Don't ever skip this, got it? You skip warm ups, you risk injury. You get injured, you waste weeks. So stretch like your career depends on it."
And with that, they got started.
The two had finished their mobility drills: hip openers, ankle rolls, resistance band stretches, and dynamic lunges. Aleksandar's joints now felt oiled and ready, like an old machine brought back to life.
Vinnie glanced at his watch and gave a small nod of approval.
"All right. Now the real work begins."
He flipped the page on his clipboard and pointed toward the rack of weights.
1. Trap Bar Deadlifts 4 sets of 5 reps
"We're building explosive hip power here. Keep your core braced, back straight. Every rep should feel like you're launching off the floor."
2. Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squats 3 sets of 8 reps per leg
"Single leg strength. That's your plant foot, your takeoff. Control the descent, explode upward."
3. Push Ups 3 sets of 15 reps
"We're going with a mix: archer, clap, tempo."
4. Pull Ups 3 sets to failure
"Assistance bands if you need 'em, but fight for every rep. Upper body power translates to real on court advantage."
5. Plank Rows 3 sets of 8 per side
"Core and shoulders, stabilizing under stress. Don't let your hips twist. Control."
6. Medicine Ball Slams 3 sets of 10
"You're transferring rotational power through your core exactly what you use for eurosteps and quick turns."
7. Lateral Band Walks 2 sets of 20 steps
"Strengthen the knees and glutes. Lateral movement is everything on defense."
The sound of metal clanking echoed through the gym like the rhythm of war drums. Aleksandar was in the zone shirt drenched, jaw clenched, eyes burning with focused fire.
Thud.
The trap bar slammed back onto the rubber mat after a set of deadlifts.
Push… breathe… hold.
He hovered in the plank position, struggling through rows with shaking arms.
Boom!
Medicine balls slammed like thunderclaps against the wall, reverberating like a warning to anyone doubting his resolve.
Vinnie stood at a distance, arms crossed, watching everything. He didn't say much anymore only when it mattered.
"Keep your knee tracking forward. Adjust the angle. Good. Lock it in."
Aleksandar didn't respond. He couldn't. His mind was blank just reps, breathing, and pain.
But behind that pain was something new: rhythm, consistency… strength.
By the end, he collapsed on the mat, gasping, arms sprawled out like he'd just finished running a marathon on Mars.
Vinnie finally walked over and looked down at him with the faintest smile.
"You didn't die. That's progress."
Aleksandar, still staring at the ceiling, whispered.
"Barely survived…"
Vinnie stood tall, clipboard in hand like always, eyes sharp and voice calm but commanding.
"All right, Small Fry. Water break's over. Now we're moving into mobility and plyometric work this is where we train your body to move like it matters. Not just strength, but function. Explosiveness. Control."
Aleksandar groaned, barely lifting his head.
"Didn't we already explode earlier…?"
Vinnie ignored him and began reading off the next section of the program with the tone of a general preparing his troops for battle.
1. Depth Jumps 3 x 5
"Step off a box, land softly, and explode up into a vertical jump. We're teaching your body to absorb force and redirect it upward. Focus on reactivity. The quicker the rebound, the better."
2. Lateral Bounds 3 x 8 per side
"Push off from one leg, land on the other. Think wide bounds like you're dodging defenders. Control the landing, don't wobble. This builds lateral power and balance."
3. Tuck Jumps 3 x 10
"Knees to chest, minimal time on the floor. We're training quick takeoff and soft landing. Keep that rhythm like a pogo stick."
4. Split Squat Jumps 3 x 8 each leg
"Get into a lunge, then jump up and switch legs mid air. It's awkward at first, but this simulates driving off one leg like you do in a layup or eurostep."
5. Line Hops 3 x 20 sec
"Fast feet. Pretend the floor is lava. It's all about reactivity. Your calves will scream. That's a good sign."
6. Broad Jumps 3 x 5
"Full horizontal power. Swing your arms and launch forward like a long jumper. Measure your distance beat your last jump every round."
7. Resisted Band Sprints 3 x 15 yards
"Strap the band around your waist. I'll hold the other end. Drive with your legs, lean forward, accelerate. This builds first step explosion your weapon off the dribble."
Aleksandar stepped off the plyo box. Thud his feet hit the ground. Boom! he launched into a vertical. Again. Again. And again.
Sweat dripped from his chin as he bounded side to side in perfect rhythm. His balance wavered at first, but gradually he stuck every landing.
His knees kissed his chest in tuck jumps. Up. Down. Up. Down. Breathing was ragged, shoes squeaked against the hardwood. Vinnie stood nearby, nodding approvingly.
"Shorten the contact time. Jump like the floor's on fire."
Split squat jumps his quads now fully betrayed him, each rep a battle against gravity. But Aleksandar powered through, gritting his teeth and driving off each leg like his future depended on it.
Cone drills turned into a blur. Forward back. Side to side. His feet became a blur, legs shaking but never stopping.
"Faster."
With a deep breath, Aleksandar exploded forward with broad jumps each one longer than the last. By the final set, he collapsed into a heap, panting like a dog in summer.
And then, the final test: resisted sprints. A thick resistance band tugged at his waist as he leaned forward and drove. Step. Step. Step. Muscles burning. Vinnie anchored him from behind, counting the yards.
"Keep the angle! Knees up! Punch the ground with your feet!"
Aleksandar dropped to the floor, staring up at the ceiling as if it might give him a reason to get up again.
Vinnie tossed him another bottle of water and checked the clipboard.
"Not bad."
Aleksandar just gave him a thumbs up from the floor, eyes closed, lungs working overtime.
Vinnie knelt beside him and smirked.
"Tomorrow… we do it all again. You're not just training, Small Fry. You're transforming."