TIP! When dribbling, make sure that you look forward and keep your head up. By focusing your sight on the ball, you cannot be fully aware of your surroundings.

Have you ever pictured that you’re Michael Jordan, LeBron James or some other player on the court? Don’t just dream about being great! Learn some great techniques that will help you attain your dream. This article will tell you how to master the game of basketball.

TIP! Don’t spend all your time practicing how to confront a zone defense. While a good chunk of the game will most likely be played in zone, your opponent might flip the switch to man-to-man coverage just to change things up and surprise you.

Learn proper dribbling. Don’t use your palm to dribble. Instead, use your fingertips. Doing so will allow you a greater degree of ball control. Avoid dribbling in front of you and only dribble to the sides of your body. Instead of focusing on the ground, gaze upward.

TIP! Keep your weight lifting to a minimum as a jump shooter. Though muscle strength is great to have with any sport, it is very possible to be too buff for serious game play.

Get good at making free throws. It looks simple to do, but it isn’t that easy. Practice constantly using this tip. Hold the ball level with your face. Keep your eyes on the goal and visualize the ball going into the goal. Shoot the basketball exactly as you saw in your mind.

TIP! To keep passes under control, make use of hand signals. It can be frustrating making a pass when a player moves away towards the basket.

Practice your layups a lot. Layup shots make up nearly 80% of a game’s shots. When practicing this technique, run toward the goal and shoot. Like everything, practicing at game speed will only improve your skill and have you ready to play at the fastest pace.

TIP! If you’re on the offense, you footwork needs to be excellent to stay open for passes and shots. Securing a good location is critical when playing basketball.

Perfect your bounce pass. It needs to get to the player at their waist. It’s best to bounce the basketball about 75 percent of the way towards your teammate. Although, there will be other circumstances that are involved too.

TIP! Videotape your games to see what you do right and wrong. Are you able to look at your skills in a different light? Look at how you did and judge yourself.

Free throws are as much mental as they are physical, like other parts of the game. Training your body is important, but you also have to be mentally ready for the shot. Stay focused and vigilant to improve your ability to make free throws.

TIP! Passing between the legs is great when you are being closely guarded. This will make it very hard for your defender to get it.

To keep passes under control, make use of hand signals. One of the most challenging aspects is trying to send the ball to your teammate as they are going for the basket. Hand signals can tell you if your teammate is ready. If the person doesn’t make a signal the person shouldn’t get passed to.

TIP! A solid routine is necessary for improvement in free throw shooting. Your shot could be off if you are inconsistent.

Good footwork remains a vital part of basketball. You must beat the opposing playing to an open spot. After grabbing the position, you need to hold the area. These skills require solid footwork.

TIP! Work on making your forearms and hands stronger in order to improve ball handling. Wrist curls are great for bettering your ball handling in basketball to the point where you could practically do it sleepwalking.

To hold the ball right, spread your fingers out. This can help you to remain in control of the ball at all times. Also, keep your palm off the ball. Your fingers must be the only things contacting it when you shoot or pass the ball at the target.

TIP! Can you see well? Your eyesight will affect more than just making shots. You want to be sure that your peripheral vision is at its best.

To land your layups, jump off the foot opposite the hand you shoot with. So, your left foot should be the one you take off from if you use your right hand to shoot. This keeps your body balanced and moving toward the basket and keeps your body between yourself and your defender.

TIP! You need to take a charge anytime you can. Taking charges gives you an opportunity to get defensive stops, get the ball and lay the groundwork for fouls.

Practice drills where you strive to make it across the full court within 5 dribbles. This seems an impossible feat when you start. By working on this drill regularly you develop speed and great, lengthy strides. Being able to do this lets you lead your team on a fast break and gets you to the rim that much quicker.

TIP! If you play basketball, you should incorporate strength training into your workout routine. In order to play well, you will need to work on both your strength and stamina.

After having read this article, you now have a few things that you can go practice. You’re going to have to be consistent with your practice, and you must have confidence in your abilities. Don’t hesitate to put your skills to the test, and don’t be afraid to change your strategy up every now and then.