Whether you are a player or a spectator, it is important to understand the fundamentals of the game. Not too sure what the score is? Don’t worry. Basketball can be pretty easy to learn the basics. Read on for advice you can use for either viewing or playing basketball.
Keep practicing your layups. In a typical game, up to four-fifths of all shots are layups. When you practice, be sure to run at the goal with full speed, jumping and shooting in a smooth series of motions. This type of technique will translate well into actual game situations.
Basketball players of all ages benefit from exercises that strengthen their core. The core muscles include the lower back, hips and abdonimals. These muscles form a bridge across the lower and upper parts of your body. When the core is weak, it is difficult to coordinate the movements of both halves. Having a strong base allows the player a solid position from which to jump and accelerate during the game to help speed up their movements.
When an injury occurs while you are playing ball, don’t keep playing with pain. Basketball is challenging physical sport and you can get injured. You can quickly turn a strain into a debilitating medical issue if you do not take a break from the action. See a doctor if the injury is serious enough.
Build your core strength and work on your footwork. Your balance will improve if you strengthen your core. Work the muscles in your abdomen, back, buttocks and hips. Jumping rope is great for improving your footwork and also helping you to gain speed.
Always know where your feet are and what they are doing. Just touching the baseline is going to get you called out of bounds. If you take several steps while holding the ball, you could be called for traveling. Moving your feet as you are setting a screen or pick usually results in you being called for a foul.
Consistent Routine
To help perfect your free throw abilities you should perform a consistent routine. This can include the number of times you dribble, how you position your feet, or anything else. 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.
If an opponent is staying with you, try passing the ball between your legs. Step forward and back while dribbling the ball between your legs hard. Mastering this move can help give you an advantage on the court.
Shooting Free Throws
Develop and use a consistent routine for shooting free throws. If you aren’t consistent, you won’t make the basket. Practice makes perfect when shooting free throws. You’ll miss if you don’t have a good routine down.
Using a weaker hand helps improve overall dribbling skills. Being able to effortlessly dribble with both hands gives you the ability to run both sides on an opponent and keep them off guard. Immobilize your dominant hand by tying it behind your back, then practice using your other hand for everything. This will help you use that hand more easily and improve your dribbling with that hand.
To increase your basketball playing abilities, consider strength training exercises. Strength, flexibility and stamina are all important things to have in basketball. Younger kids can benefit from boosting their arm and leg strength with proper exercise. As they reach their teen years, bring weights in to further enhance exercise. The adult years are where strength training is crucial to maintain solid performance on the court.
Practice shooting hundreds of shots during each training, and you quickly improve shooting skills. To improve even more, practice preparing for a shot quickly after dribbling the ball. Be sure you look at the target as you’re in mid air. This improves your accuracy.
Keep dribbling until you want to shoot or pass. After you have stopped dribbling, your options are quite limited. If you opt to not pass or shoot, you’re left with pivoting on your back foot. Once this happens, you are prone to being double-teamed and more likely to turn the ball over.
These tips should help you get started on improving your game. Now you have more skills to practice, which will help you play a better game. You can use the information you got in this article to gain game perfection, or you can just perfect your television tuning skills so you can observe the pros in action.