TIP! The way to properly dribble is to keep your head up while looking ahead of you. If you are looking at the ball for any reason while dribbling, you have not put in enough practice.

Basketball is a beloved sport worldwide. You can enjoy a good pickup game or the challenges of playing on a real team. Learn a little more about what basketball is all about by reading this article.

TIP! Make sure to practice catching passes. You need to be able to retrieve perfect passes and not so perfect passes.

You need to learn the correct way to dribble the ball. When you dribble, only use your fingertips instead of your palms. This allows you to control the ball much better while you dribble. Avoid dribbling in front of you and only dribble to the sides of your body. Do not look at the ground; look up at all times.

TIP! If you’re going to be a jump shooter, don’t lift too many weights. Strong muscles are certainly useful for basketball, but you can overdo it if you plan to play on the perimeter.

Practice your layup shot often. You should expect layups to represent about 80% of all the shots you take in a game. Run as fast as possible, while jumping and performing a smooth shot. Practicing the running and jumping method will help you shoot better this way in a game.

TIP! If your child is training to be a high school basketball player, make sure that they train their core muscles properly. They should train their lower back, hips, and abs.

A bounce pass is an important technique to learn. Bouncing the pass to the receiver should be at their waist. Letting the ball bounce close to the other person will help the accuracy of your pass. There can be other factors in play to keep in mind, as well.

TIP! Never try to push through pain after an injury. It is possible to receive an injury when playing basketball because it is a sport that is physically challenging.

If you’re a jump shooter, don’t lift weights too often. Though muscle strength is great to have with any sport, it is very possible to be too buff for serious game play. Some overzealous shooting guards buffed up too much, and it had an adverse effect on their overall field goal percentages.

TIP! See if your teammates admire something in particular about your game play. Find out what they perceive as your best skill.

If you get hurt during a basketball game, don’t try to play while in pain. Basketball is physically challenging, and injuries are not uncommon. Trying to play while injured will just make your situation worse. Be sure to talk to a doctor if you feel that the injury isn’t going away.

TIP! Practice passing while looking another way. This will confuse your opponents.

You should ask your teammates about your strengths and weaknesses. Are you great at any one thing? Perhaps they see you as someone who is fast on the court, or that you’re a really good teammate. Honest feedback can really help you to narrow in on areas where you might need a little extra help practicing.

TIP! In order to do the best you can with layups, you’ll want to take off with the foot that is opposite of your shooting hand. This means that if you shoot with your right hand, take off from your left foot.

Turning away from the ball can be a costly mistake in basketball. It’s all about court awareness, and always facing the ball will make it so you are less surprised by passes. That means less turnovers. Always watch for areas opening up where you can go for a quick basket.

TIP! If you are in a defensive position, keep yourself low. This allows you to jump or react quicker.

Be aware of what your feet are doing and where they are. If you slide onto the baseline, you will lose the ball for being out of bounds. If you walk without dribbling, you will be called for walking and this will result in a turnover. A foul will be called if your feet move while you attempt to screen other players.

TIP! To trap someone in a 2-3 zone, get your guards to wait for the point guard to get about 10 feet past midcourt. Then your defending guards should encircle the point guard to trap him in place.

Perform exercises to strengthen the muscles in your forearms and hands in order to maximize your ability to handle the ball. One important exercise is wrist curls, which help you with your dribbling. Don’t believe you will be able to simply plant yourself someplace, receive the ball and sink a shot. Good dribbling skills will help you always stay in movement.

TIP! To build up your skills with your weaker hand, use it for everything from opening jars to brushing your teeth. If you can become more dexterous with it in all aspects of your life, you will be bettering your control of it.

Make it your goal to dribble the ball across the entire court in under 5 dribbles. This will help you to gain speed, stride length and control of the ball. You will have easy layups on fast breaks and you will be able to advance your team easily.

TIP! Always bend the knees while dribbling. Standing straight makes it hard to control the ball.

Never break your defensive stance when playing ball. Shifting your weight back and forth between your feet will help you to stay in position. Never cross your feet and your opponents will find you a difficult player.

TIP! To get better at three-point shots, work on shooting from the NBA three-point line. All other distance lines, high school, college and International, are not as far.

When you dribble, bend your knees. The ball is harder to control dribbling when you stand up straight. It also leaves you open to a steal from the opposing team. Just bending a little bit at your knees can really help you to control the ball better.

TIP! In order to better your shooting skills, you must practice shooting hundreds of times each day from various position on the court. To improve even more, practice dribbling the basketball and then pull up fast for a quick shot.

It is important that you remain in control of the ball despite which way your body is going. During a game, you’ll be dribbling in all kinds of situations. You might be able to go through an open court or have to switch sides to avoid opponents. Being able to dribble while shifting momentum is the key to controlling and keeping the ball. This will help get you out of jams quickly.

TIP! Don’t cease dribbling until you get ready to shoot or pass. When you stop dribbling the ball, you only have a limited amount of plays you can perform.

Now you should know how to be a better basketball player. Not a difficult sport to understand, although it can be enhanced by learning and through hard work if you play. Once you being to play, you’ll probably be hooked. Get out there and have a blast!