Basketball is a game that can be played in different places. The game can be played at a park or right at home. Shooting hoops is lots of fun and the following article offers you great tips on how to better yourself.
Watch your form while you dribble the ball. Finger tips, not palms, are the key to successful dribbling. This method gives you much more control of the ball. Dribble to your body’s side instead of doing it out front, and bounce the ball at your waist’s level. Do not look at the ground; look up at all times.
Make sure you learn how to shoot free throws. This looks easy, but it is actually very hard to do. The following technique should be practiced often. First, hold the ball just above your nose, about 8 inches from your face. Then, look at the ball and visualize it going in the basket. Then, shoot the ball using the trajectory you pictured.
When dribbling the basketball you should keep your head up. By focusing your sight on the ball, you cannot be fully aware of your surroundings. Bring the ball no matter where you go. Dribble the ball when you’re walking to the shops. If you’re looking at the basketball, you won’t be able to see what is coming at you.
When dribbling the basketball you should keep your head up. Looking at your ball when you dribble indicates that you haven’t practiced enough. Take your basketball everywhere. Dribble as you walk to the market. If you have to watch the ball, you will be unable to see whatever is going on at court level.
Do not practice solely against zone defense. While a great portion of a game will be concentrated in the zone, your rivals could opt to go to man-to-man covering to keep you guessing. If you have not practiced against this, you may lose your grip of the game for the remainder of it.
If you want to improve your basketball game, you must identify and intensify your strengths. While you may have a particular skill that isn’t going to make you stand out as the star player, honing it can help you become an integral part of your team’s success. Focus on the skills you have and work to make them better.
Passing quickly without dribbling is a great way to practice. It is hard to play with no dribbling, but it will help your team make great passes. Do not get frustrated if it it seems difficult at first, over time your team’s passes will become more accurate.
Are you interested in being able to fool the other team? Try doing what is known as a back pass. To work it, place the ball in your most dominant hand. With that same hand, bring the ball around your back. Then you will use your wrist and flip it in the direction you want the ball to be going. This is a very useful trick to confuse the opposing team.
Would you like to pull one over on your opponents? Give the back pass a try! Perform this pass by holding the ball using your dominant hand. Move the ball so that it is behind you. Then, quickly snap your wrist toward the location where you want the ball to end up. This is a good way to trick your opponents.
Hand signals can help you to stay away from making bad passes. Players can get easily frustrated if they make a pass to players that aren’t available to catch the ball. This can be prevented through the use of hand signals. If you don’t see a signal, you shouldn’t pass the ball.
Avoid errant passes by the use of hand signals. Often in basketball, a player makes a pass at the exact same time the receiving player heads to another part of the court. All of this confusion can be remedied through the use of hand signals when a player is opened. If you don’t receive a signal then realize your teammate is not able to get the pass.
When working out, focus on building your core strength and perfecting your footwork. Your body will be more stable and easier to move when you have strength in your core muscles. You must work out your hip, back and abdomen muscles. Practicing with a jump rope is a great way to increase your foot speed.
You must know your opponent in order to be tough on defense. Monitor scouting news and watch footage of other teams in action. Know which team members are right handed and which ones are left handed. When you know your opponent, you will be better able to play an effective defensive game. A defender that has knowledge will be a strong one.
If the opposition is hot on your tail, pass between your legs. You can train for this maneuver by stepping forward or backwards as you bounce the ball real hard in-between your legs. If you get this down, you will have a major advantage on the court.
Learn how to dribble and pass between your legs in case you are being guarded very tightly. Bounce the ball very hard through your legs while stepping to the front or the back. If you can master this move, it will give you quite the advantage when you are on the court.
Give your layouts the most by launching from the foot that opposes the hand you are shooting with. So, your left foot should be the one you take off from if you use your right hand to shoot. This balances your body when moving towards your basket. It keeps your body in between you and the defender.
Practice looking in the opposite direction when you make a pass. This will easily confuse your opponents. When done right, the look draws your opponents to the wrong locale so that the person you passed to has a good long look at the basket before shooting. This can be a great play if it is done correctly.
Free Throw
A consistent pre-shot routine when at the line will increase your chance at success. If you’re consistent, your shots will be too. Repetition is an excellent way to improve your ability to make each free throw. Stick with a routine until you can perfect it. You’ll miss if you don’t have a good routine down.
Get into a consistent routine to improve your free throw shots. If you aren’t consistent, you won’t make the basket. The most effective method to achieve a great free throw is by practicing it repeatedly until you get it right. If your free throw routine is out of whack, you will miss.
If you want to dribble the basketball better, you need to practice dribbling with your weaker hand. By being able to easily dribble with two hands rather than one, you have a huge advantage over your defenders. You can focus on the strength of your weak hand by tying your dominant hand behind your back. You will quickly strengthen your non-dominant hand for dribbling.
Practice dribbling with your weak hand as much as possible. If you use both your hands to dribble, it is easier to control. Don’t allow yourself to use your dominant hand when practicing. Your weak hand won’t be that for long!
The key to great defense is being a nuisance to the player you are guarding. Force them away from their comfort zone. Stay aggressive. Do not allow them to choose the plays that they make. Your opponent will take any opportunity to give you the run around. Try making the initial move and interrupt their rhythm.
Do drills where you try and get the basketball up a full-court in five dribbles or less. This may seem like an impossible challenge, but it will increase your stride length and your speed. This will help you accomplish great layups on those fast breaks.
A good drill to try is the five dribble drill. You try to get the ball the entire length of the court in only five dribbles. This may seem quite difficult at first, but once you’ve gotten the hang of it, you’ll have great speed and stride length. This drill can help you to have success with lay-ups during a fast break.
Never break your defensive stance when playing ball. Slide your feet to the sides or push off using the opposite foot to always be in position. Keep your body constantly facing toward your opponent in order to ensure the best possible defense.
Be certain you are able to see well. This isn’t just for reading the scoreboard. You need to have the best peripheral vision possible. If you scan the entire court instead of keeping your eye on the basketball, you will be aware of oncoming defensive pressure as well as the positions of your open teammates.
Alter your pace to confuse the opposition. When you’re moving towards the net, act like you’re going to straighten up. This will cause the guard to believe you are slowing, and it will also cause them to straighten up. When they do this, run ahead and push yourself forward.
Alter your pace to confuse the opposition. Plant a foot and start to straighten your body. You will have the guard think that you’re slowing down. In turn, they will straighten themselves. When that happens, rush forward and power past them.
Shoot hundreds of shots every day from every position on the court to improve your shooting skills. Practice dribbling and quick shots. While in the air check out your target, but never before that. Your accuracy will get better and you’ll have a better idea of what real game conditions will be like.
You can strengthen you weaker hand by using it as much as possible, for instance open jars or even brush your teeth. By improving your weaker hand’s dexterity, your control over the hand will significantly improve. As a result, your basketball game will significantly improve.
Until the moment you are prepared to shoot or pass, you must dribble constantly. When you stop dribbling the ball, you only have a limited amount of plays you can perform. If you don’t have the chance to shoot or pass, you can just pivot with the foot in the back. This leaves you vulnerable to being double teamed by members of the opposing team, and it is far more likely that the ball will be stolen.
Be sure to practice shooting from a variety of spots on the court. Initially, you need to practice both your grip and your balance. You’re much more accurate if you are balanced well. Utilize the basketball’s air valve as a way to improve your grip. Spread the fingers on your writing hand, and cover the valve with your palm.
After catching a ball that has rebounded, land on your feet, spreading legs wider than your shoulders in order to get greater balance. Make sure that your hands are on both sides of the basketball, and that you hold it close to your chest. Be mindful of your elbows, since hitting an opponent with them is a foul.
Make sure your team really meshes together off and on the court. When your team is of one accord, your game will be the best possible. If you get to know and trust your teammates, you’ll see that your game will reach untold levels of excellence!
When shooting the ball you have to be sure not to get nervous. This will help improve your focus during the shot. Specifically, keep your eyes trained on the rim’s back. However, when making a lay-up, focus sharply on the section of the backboard where you will bank the ball.
Avoid double dribbling. This occurs whenever you resume dribbling after a brief pause. When you stop, you have to shoot or pass. Whatever you do, do not start dribbling once you stop. This creates a turnover, which will cause you to lose the ball to your opponent quickly.
Whether you enjoy the occasional casual game or compete in local tournaments, improving your skills on the court can help you get more out of the game. Reading this article is great only if you use what you have learned here. The more you know, the better player you’ll be.
If you already know that the ball handler has a weak side, try to force the use of it. If they are right handed, step towards them with your left foot so they have to switch sides. Have your head parallel with their chest so that your body is low and ready to grab the ball.
About The Author
