Basketball is a classic sport which is loved by all. But, not everyone has a thorough understanding of what it takes to truly play the sport well. The tips in this article will help you improve your game whether you are a complete beginner or have been playing for years.
When dribbling, focus on what’s in front of you by keeping your head up. If you need to look at the ball while dribbling, you’ll need to practice more. Take your basketball everywhere. If you are heading down to the market, dribble as you go. Maintaining unbroken visual contact with the ball makes it difficult to be aware of your surroundings.
Always work on your layups. Layup shots make up nearly 80% of a game’s shots. When you practice, be sure to run at the goal with full speed, jumping and shooting in a smooth series of motions. Drill the jumping technique regularly so you can do layups very smoothly and always stay in control of where the ball is going.
Practice layups often. 80% of all shots in a game are usually layups. Dribble the ball in front of you while taking large strides followed by a smooth shot. That technique of running and jumping helps you get ready for an actual game.
If there’s no one around to play with, it is okay to play a basketball game by yourself. While basketball is a team sport, sometimes you just can’t find others to play with. That is okay. You can accomplish a lot by practicing alone. Work on your free throws or your pivot moves. Additionally, you can practice vertical jumping and dribbling.
A great way to bolster your basketball ability is to observe those who are considered to be the best in the sport. Whether seeing an all-pro on YouTube, attending a game in person, or sitting on the couch with buddies to watch your local professional team, there are many chances to observe the best. You’ll learn that every player is skilled at certain things and that can help you to know what you can do to get better.
Continue Playing
If you’re going to be a jump shooter, don’t lift too many weights. Muscle is good, but you can have too much. There have been instances where great shooters bulk up so much that it adversely affects their shooting percentage.
Should you receive an injury during the course of the game, never try to continue playing despite the pain. It’s easy to be hurt when playing basketball. If you continue playing, you could make the injury even worse. Seek medical advice immediately if you have more than a minor muscle strain.
Don’t play while injured or else your injury will worsen. Basketball is physically demanding and you can easily get hurt. Playing through an injury can prolong it which is always bad. If the pain is bad, visit a doctor.
Keeping your fingers spread will facilitate better ball handling. This way, you won’t lose the ball when holding it. Additionally, the palm of your hand should not come into contact with the ball. Fingers should be the only point of contact as you pass or shoot the ball at its target.
To hold the ball right, spread your fingers out. This can help you to remain in control of the ball at all times. Your palm should touch the ball as little as possible. Only your fingers should touch it during a pass or when dribbling.
Jumping Rope
You need to be quick to be good at basketball. You need to be faster than the opposing team if you want the advantage. Regular drilling will increase your speed. Avoid playing faster than your abilities allow. You will not be able to control your moves if you play faster than you are able to.
Focus on your footwork and your core strength in your workouts. Your body will be more stable and easier to move when you have strength in your core muscles. Your hip, buttocks, back and abdomen muscles need to be worked on. Jumping rope is a favorite amongst professionals when practicing. By jumping rope, you improve speed and footwork.
Video tape your games, and then review your technique later. Can you see chances that you missed or ways that you could have done better? Evaluate what you see honestly, but don’t be too hard on yourself. Sometimes, it helps a lot to see yourself as you really are and not as just you imagine yourself to be.
The best free throws come as a result of routine. Whatever you do, from bending your knees to dribbling three times, do every time. As long as you make it quick, if you have a consistent routine, your body will remember how to make those free throws after you go through your ritual.
Practice passing while looking in the opposite direction. This may confuse your opponents, greatly. If you’re doing it correctly you can fake your opponent out so he/she moves towards that direction and then you pass the ball to a wide open teammate for a shot. If this is pulled off, then it usually has good results.
If the opposing team is breathing down your neck, it’s a good idea to pass the ball between your legs. To practice this skill, bounce the ball between your legs so that it passes through as you step back and forth. This technique can really throw off defenders.
Develop and use a consistent routine for shooting free throws. If you aren’t able to be consistent then you’ll be off when you shoot. Practicing your free throw again and again is the only way to perfect it. If your free throw routine is out of whack, you will miss.
Work on passing in a direction you are not looking. This can go a long way toward confusing the opposition. When it’s done properly, it will cause the opponents to go to the wrong area so that you can pass to someone that has a good look at a basket before shooting. When done smoothly it can be a game changer.
If you wish to get a free throw rebound from a teammate, you have to stay on your toes properly. Use your feet to slip around the opposing player below you, then get into position for a rebound off the rim. Doing this lets you get a rebound freely and not commit a foul in the process.
Free Throw
When playing defense, always try to stay low. That helps you stay quick when it comes to the jump and will help you react more quickly to the person just ahead of you. Keep yourself in proper defensive stance at all times. When you need to block, quickly get back into your stance.
Get into a consistent routine to improve your free throw shots. If you aren’t able to be consistent then you’ll be off when you shoot. The most effective method to achieve a great free throw is by practicing it repeatedly until you get it right. If you don’t do the routine right, then the shot won’t make it.
To trap the opposing players in a 2-3 zone, have the defending guards hold back till the opposing point guard has moved beyond the midcourt line by about ten feet. They can then run toward the point guard to trap him. Simultaneously, forwards should block sprint toward wing players. The guard on point should make a pass that can easily be stolen by the forwards.
If you want to better your dribble, start practicing with your weaker hand. If you’re using both hands to dribble the ball well then you can get by an opponent easily. Practice with your weak hand by tying your dominant hand behind your back. Soon enough you will develop those weak hand dribbling skills.
Communicating with your teammates is a vital part of being a good basketball player. A good basketball team consists of players who understand that this is not an individual sport. This means that everyone on the team must work together to achieve a common goal. Be there for your teammates is important. Constantly let your teammates know when you are open or in need of some assistance.
To be a strong defender, you must have the ability to disrupt and interfere with the opponents’ plans. Get them outside their comfort zone. Stay aggressive. This will keep them from being able to choose which plays they will make. If you let them, you’ll be at their mercy. Rather, you make the initial move and break up their flow.
One way to misdirect your opponent is to dribble in a rhythm, then break that rhythm. A consistent dribbling broken up by a fast paced dribble can surprise your opponent and give you a major edge for a shot. In addition to the tempo change, the louder sound of your dribbling can catch them off guard as well.
Prevent the opposing team from stealing the ball by dribbling hard. Dribbling fast allows you to keep better control of the ball and there is a slimmer chance of it being stolen from you. When closely guarding another player, cease dribbling and pass it to another play on your team that’s open.
If someone is shooting from a corner of the court, a missed shot will likely bounce right over the net and to the other side of the court. Anticipating this can help you score a quick rebound.
Your defenders need to wait for the point guard to make it 10′ ahead of the time line. After he crosses the midcourt line, they should run and trap him. With the forwards blocking outside, you have a good shot at intercepting a bad pass. The point guard will toss a pass that can easily be stolen by your forwards.
When you are coming back down from a caught rebound widen your stance. This will help to increase your overall balance. Keep your elbows out to protect the ball and keep it close to your chest. Do not swing your elbows around or you may be hit with a foul.
Stay low and dribble the ball below the level of your knees. Defenders will have a more difficult time stealing the ball. You need to bend your body somewhat to accomplish this. It will, however, increase your overall effectiveness, as you are making the ball much harder to steal.
It’s difficult to be an effective player if you are unable to pivot. You must practice your footwork until pivoting correctly is second nature. Work on having a good pivoting stance and after that work on doing quick reactions after getting the ball.
You have to know how to change the path of your opponent. Whether you’re playing offense or defense, controlling what the other player does is essential. The will help you get to where you want to go and will deter them.
You should know your weaknesses. And that starts with being honest about your skills. You want to practice and strengthen the areas where you have the most trouble. If you play weakly inside the paint, work on your short shots, and train to play more physically. Address your weak spots, and become a well-rounded player.
Double dribbling is a major rule, and something that must always be avoided. A double dribble occurs when you’re done dribbling one time and then begin to do it again a little while afterwards. Once you’ve stopped dribbling, you can only pass the ball or shoot the ball. You are not allowed to resume dribbling. When you do that, it’s called a turnover. It will cause you to have to surrender the ball to the opposing team.
When you dribble, you want to practice bouncing the ball as hard as possible. A ball bounced harder travels more quickly, thereby giving your opponent less opportunity to try to steal it from you. Dribble hard and low.
Basketball is enjoyed by people from all different backgrounds. To truly enjoy the game, a player must possess both skill and knowledge. This information will help you to get your skills to the highest level.
Set your workout goals in writing to help you focus upon them. So many players practice but they never have a good game plan. They start chatting and don’t really know what they need to work on. If your workout routing is documented, you’ll be able to concentrate on conditioning without being distracted.
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