TIP! Practice your defense more than your offense. Many times, defense actually wins the game.

You probably felt like you entered an alternate universe the first time you played basketball. You explored passing, dribbling and shooting. Sooner or later, you need to seek out new ideas. The advice contained in this article is going to teach you that you still have a ways to go.

TIP! Look forward and hold your head up while you dribble the ball. If you have to keep your eye on the ball when you’re dribbling, practice can remedy that.

Find out how to make free throw shots. This seems like an easy shot, but it is quite hard. Use this technique to better your game. Place the ball right in line with your face. Visualize the ball sailing into the hoop. Then, use the trajectory you just visualized and shoot the ball.

TIP! If you have a kid wanting to play basketball in high school, be certain that they are properly training their core muscles. Hips, abdomen and back must be worked on.

You need good balance when you shoot. You’ve seen the pros fall out of bounds when trying to shoot 30 feet from the basket; this is a bad move. This is simply an improvised move. If you have correct balance when you are making a shot, you will make more consistent baskets over time.

TIP! Don’t let the ball go behind your back. This helps you become aware of the court and lowers chances for surprises from turnovers and quick passes.

If you want to improve your basketball game, you must identify and intensify your strengths. Even though your best abilities might not make you stand out each game, it is sure to help you contribute to the overall success of the team. Focus on the skills you have and work to make them better.

TIP! If the opposition is hot on your tail, pass between your legs. Go forwards and backwards with the ball to practice bouncing it.

Watch professionals play to learn from their techniques. Attend as many professional games as you can, watch the pros on TV, or watch video of professionals. This is a great way to learn new techniques to try out on the court.

TIP! Practice passing while not looking in the direction of the pass. This may confuse your opponents, greatly.

Boost your defensive abilities by studying the opposing team and its players. Watch tapes of their games and see how others move on the court. You should know if a player is right or left handed. Once you understand the opposition, you will now how to mount your defense. The more knowledgeable a defender is, the stronger he is.

TIP! To get more out of layups, take off using the foot that;s the opposite of your shooting hand. This means that when you’re shooting from your right hand you have to use your left foot to take off.

Quickness is a blessing in basketball. If you want the advantage, you need to be quicker than your opponents. In order to be fast, you must constantly do drills. Never try though to get too fast that you can’t make any plays. When you play too fast, you can lose control and that means turnovers.

TIP! You must disrupt and upset the play of your opponent if you want to be successful as a defensive player. Force them into an uncomfortable zone.

To get better at shooting free throws, make sure to keep a consistent pre-shot routine. Always dribble the same way, or with the same movements. Following the same routine gives your body will maintain muscle memory for more consistent free throw shooting.

TIP! Maintain a lower position as you play defense. This helps you jump fast and react quickly.

Practice passing while not looking in the direction of the pass. This may confuse your opponents, greatly. 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 executed properly, this is a powerful play.

TIP! To convert the typical 2-3 zone to a trapping machine, get the best pair of defenders available to wait just until the opposing point guard reaches roughly ten feet beyond the mid-court line. Then your defending guards should encircle the point guard to trap him in place.

The key to great defense is being a nuisance to the player you are guarding. Focus on getting them out of the comfort zone. When making a move, be aggressive. Do not allow them to pick and choose their plays. If don’t play aggressively, you opponent will run you down. Instead, take the initiative and disrupt their rhythm.

TIP! To see improvement in outside shooting skills, you must practice your shots hundreds of times daily from various points on the court. To improve further, work on fast dribbling just before shooting.

You must be able to box out other players when attempting to rebound free throws. The defender may be coming toward you, so its important to slip away from him and get the ball. In this way you can get the rebound without a foul.

Peripheral Vision

TIP! Use the hand you aren’t dribbling with to keep the opponent away from the ball. Avoid physical contact like pushing, but keep the ball from them by separating them from it.

Practice noticing what is in your peripheral vision. You don’t need great vision just to keep score. Working to improve you peripheral vision will help you become a more successful player. If you view the entire game without focusing on the ball, you’ll see defensive pressure advance, along with open teammates.

TIP! Do exercises that will assist you in becoming a better player. You could, for instance, work on your sprint so you can perform plays faster, while running on a longer distance will help you build your stamina.

Take a charge if you can. This allows you to get the ball back for your team, setting up a foul. Not only that, your opponents may become confused or frustrated and stop playing their game plan.

TIP! If you are assigned to defend someone bigger than you are, try staying in the passing lane between your man and the current ball handler. This way, they won’t be open, so the ball cannot be passed to them.

Never break your defensive stance as this will assure you are in your proper position for defense. You need to learn how to slide your feet instead of crossing one foot in front of the other. Remember to never let your feet cross and you will be a difficult player to get around.

TIP! The key to becoming a successful basketball player is being able to pivot. It is important to practice how you move your feet, so you can pivot by instinct, without stopping to think about where to put your feet.

Keep changing up your pace to help keep your opponents on their toes. As you run towards the net, plant your front foot and begin to straighten up. Your opponent will assume you are slowing up, and thus will also straighten up. After that, push hard in a forward motion and scoot by them.

TIP! If a team plays a zone defense, make use of a penetrating dribble to get past them. If you get beside a defender and enter the lane, the defending team will shift.

Now that you learned a great deal about basketball, you should take your game to another level. Start working towards your goals and you can start bettering the skills you have. Apply what you have learned in this article to help yourself become a better basketball player.