Basketball is not just a game you play in gym class or intramural competition. It is possible to play this at home or in the park. If you like shooting hoops, you will enjoy learning how to improve your game with the information presented here.
Perfect your free throw. As easy as these shots may seem, they are rather hard. This technique should be practiced often if possible. Hold the ball level to your face. There may be a number of distractions so you need to focus on your goal. Then, use the trajectory you just visualized and shoot the ball.
It’s simple to want to work on offense when you’re getting into basketball, but it’s smarter to think about defense practice too. Defense is what keep the other team from scoring. Offense gets all the praise and attention, but without a good defense, any basketball team is destined to lose.
If you want to improve your game, concentrate on 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. Know your strengths and keep practicing to get even better.
Get educated on the way to properly pass the ball on a bounce. A useful bounce pass will hit the receiving player at waist level. One good rule is for you to bounce the basketball most of the way toward the other player. There are, however, other factors that influence the pass.
Teach yourself how a bounce pass can be properly thrown. It needs to get to the player at their waist. It’s smart to get the ball to bounce about 75% to the receiving player. This all depends on many factors.
There is a lot of pressure when shooting free throws. You can teach your body to make a free throw properly, but unless you are properly prepared mentally, you may not succeed. Relax yourself and concentrate on your shot.
Your mind plays as big a part in making a free throw as your actual body does. It is possible to practice the physical movements needed to make such a shot, but when your mental focus is lacking, you are likely to miss. Relax yourself and concentrate on your shot.
Even professional basketball players spend a lot of time watching other people play basketball. Try to go to games, watch televised games, or check out videos of the pros playing. Watch great players to learn the specific skills that make them exceptional.
Even professional basketball players spend a lot of time watching other people play basketball. Go to professional games in person and/or watch them online or on TV. You will see that each great player has certain skills that make him great and you can practice what you see him doing.
A good way to practice sound passing is to drill without dribbling. It’s tough to play basketball minus the dribbling, and it causes you to pass accurately. Don’t be frustrated by how hard it is at first; you will get used to it.
Perform skills, practice your ball handling and shoot free throws when you are practicing alone. Even though you play on a team, practicing alone can be helpful. This is perfectly acceptable. Solo games can help you immensely. You can work on pivots and free throws. There is no shortage of things you can do.
Ask fellow team members what they like about your skills on the court. Do you do something particularly well? They may say that you are a great team defender or are always playing with excellent speed. Determine what others like about your game and fine tune those skills.
Basketball players of all ages benefit from exercises that strengthen their core. Core muscles include the hips, abs, and lower back. The core is what holds the body in balance and allows the limbs to work well. A strong core helps the legs move better, like jumping higher and running faster.
One great thing to do if you wish to be prepared while playing is to make sure your back isn’t turned to the ball. This keeps you aware of what is going on so you aren’t surprised. Always be on the lookout for open areas where you can seize easy scoring opportunities.
Unseen passes can be avoided when proper hand signals are used by teammates. It is very frustrating when a teammate isn’t open for the perfect pass. You can get around that when you use hand signals, if a player can receive a pass. Without a signal, players shouldn’t attempt to pass.
If you want to correctly handle the ball, you need to know where to place your fingers. This will keep the ball from getting away while you hold it. Additionally, the palm of your hand should not come into contact with the ball. Fingers need to be the only thing that touches the ball when you shoot it or pass it.
Ask teammates what they admire about your playing skills? Can you get better at something? Perhaps you have an excellent understanding of defensive strategies or you are the fastest player on your team. Learn what the other people around you see while you are playing and it may open your eyes to new areas for practice.
Opposite Direction
You should always be aware of the position of your feet and their actions. If you slide onto the baseline, you will lose the ball for being out of bounds. In addition, if you move your feet and you don’t dribble, you will be called for walking. A foul will be called if your feet move while you attempt to screen other players.
Practice passing while looking the opposite direction. This throws your opponents off. Not only will they not see the pass coming, they may think a pass is going in the opposite direction. It can be a really powerful play.
When you’re practicing passing, try to look the other way. You are able to confuse opponents with this technique. By looking in the opposite direction, your teammate has a few extra seconds to make the shot. This can be a great play if it is done correctly.
Practicing with your weak hand will help to make you a better dribbler. If both hands are useful for dribbling, your opponents will not stand much of a chance. To help develop your weaker hand, avoid using your dominant hand. Your weak hand will soon develop better dribbling skills.
Your forearms and hands should be strengthened in order for you to handle the ball better. One important exercise is wrist curls, which help you with your dribbling. You will not be able to stand in one place and shoot. Learning how to pass the ball ensures that you can get the ball safely to a teammate who has better position on the court.
You need to put a damper in your opponent’s plan if you want to be successful with defending. Force opposing players into an unfamiliar or unexpected position. Make aggressive plays. Never allow them to decide what plays will be made. This will give your opponent the advantage. Instead, disrupt their rhythm by making the first move.
A good way to stay defensive is to have a defensive stance. You need to learn how to slide your feet instead of crossing one foot in front of the other. Never cross your feet and your opponents will find you a difficult player.
Improve both forearms and hands to improve ball control. Exercises that involve strengthening the wrist are especially helpful for dribbling. Don’t think you can just go somewhere on the court, catch a ball and then make a successful shot. The best way to get into the flow of the game is to be in motion.
To trap with a 2-3 zone, have your guards cover the point guard once he gets a few feet past midcourt. Then they need to get to the guard on point to trap him. With the forwards blocking outside, you have a good shot at intercepting a bad pass. A pass should be thrown by the point guard for forwards to steal.
When you have a chance, take a charge. The charge lets you build a defensive stop and get control of the ball. This can have a major impact on the other team psychologically, and it can be a powerful play as well.
Keep dribbling in the same rhythm, until finally you would like to throw the person guarding you off guard. A steady dribble interrupted by a fast dribble will take your opponent by surprise and give you the advantage. The speed as well as the shift in sound combine to cause confusion.
Your defenders need to wait for the point guard to make it 10′ ahead of the time line. Once he passes mid court the guards should rush up on him. Concurrently, have forwards go to the wings. The point guard throws a pass that can be easily stolen by your forwards.
Create teamwork both off and on the basketball court. Basketball is something that can work in a team’s favor if they all work together well. Once you and your teammates begin communicating, and even hanging out together in your spare time, your success should rise.
Don’t just practice while static; try to move around while shifting your weight to learn how to best control the ball. In the middle of a game, lots of dribbling situations will arise. You might be swarmed by various opponents or get an open court. You must know how to dribble effectively by leaning your body in both directions. This allows you to get yourself out of a tough spot.
When you return to the floor from a rebound, make sure your legs hit the floor at wider than shoulder-width apart so that you maintain your balance. You want to bring the ball tight into your body with both hands. Make sure you don’t hit anyone else with your elbows.
If possible, keep action beneath the knees. This makes it more difficult for your opponents to steal the ball. You’ll have to bend down a little to do this, but you’ll find you move more quickly down the court because your opponents aren’t able to impede your progress.
Whether you keep possession of the ball or not is based in your position just before and right after a rebound. If you wish to have better balance and power, then make sure you use both feet when you jump. Once you get the rebound, come down with both feet wider apart than your shoulders in order to secure good balance, and make sure the ball is held close to the chest.
Do exercises that will assist you in becoming a better player. For example, you can improve individual plays with sprinting. You can improve overall game performance and endurance with long distance running. Additionally, weightlifting and resistance training will help you develop the muscles needed for those long distance shots. The passion which results will help you become a better shooter.
A penetrating dribble can help you beat a team that uses a zone defense. If you get beside a defender and enter the lane, the defending team will shift. Alternately, they may collapse on the basketball. If you get yourself well into the paint, go for the shot. If you spot an open teammate, pass the ball so that they have an easier shot.
Whether you’re just playing for fun or on a team, if you become a better player you’re going to enjoy basketball quite a bit more. Now that you’ve read through this article, the only thing left to do is to put what you’ve learned into practice. As you learn more, you play better.
You should know your weaknesses. Be very honest when thinking about your game. For instance, if foul shots are a problem, work on them more than long, high risk, three point shots. Adopt a more aggressive style and work a lot on short passes and shots so you can improve your plays inside the paint. Strengthen your weaknesses so you can be an all-around player.
About The Author
