TIP! Many people forget that defense is as important as offense during practice. Victory requires the ability to play defense.

In order to succeed at basketball and attain your goals, you must be a good practice player. Now that you know that, you have to actually know how to practice in the correct way for it to be effective. The helpful hints in the following text will help you get that ball into the basket time and time again.

TIP! Figure out how to perfect your free throw. The free throw shot might seem simple, but it can actually be pretty difficult.

Dribbling the ball the right way needs to be done. When dribbling the basketball, use your fingertips rather than the palm of your hand. This provides you with much more ball control. Keep the ball by your side as you dribble instead of right in front your body. Always look up and never look down at the ground.

TIP! To be a great basketball player you need to work on your balance. You’ve seen the pros fall out of bounds when trying to shoot 30 feet from the basket; this is a bad move.

Practice your layups a lot. Layups account for up to 80 percent of the shots taken during a game. The best practice strategy is to go full tilt toward the hoop, then do a smooth jump shot. If you can do this right, you can master this shot.

TIP! Frequently train yourself on your pass catching moves. When you practice, drill yourself to pay attention to errant throws and passes that are picture perfect.

Perfect your bounce pass. This means your pass should be aimed towards the receiving player at the level of his waist. One thing you should do is always remember the ball should be bounced three quarters on its way towards the person you’re passing too. Of course, there are also other factors involved.

TIP! Do not restrict your practices to zone defenses alone. While you might see a zone defense mostly, a team can switch defenses to man-to-man quickly in order to confuse you.

Your child should work on their core muscles if they want to become a basketball player in high school. The concept encompasses the abdominal muscles, the hips and the lower back. Without a strong core, a player’s performance may not be as good as it could be. A core that’s solid and strong will allow you to use force that comes from your legs so you can jump higher and run faster.

TIP! How would you like to trick the opposing team? Consider the back pass. Hold the basketball with your writing hand.

To make sure there are no errant passes, use hand signals. One of basketball’s most frustrating elements is the concept of sending a quick pass onto a teammate who has just moved in a different direction. You can stay away from doing this if you use a hand signal to see if someone is ready for a pass. If your teammate misses your signal, then they may miss the ball as well and the other team could gain possession.

TIP! Make better passes through the use of coordinated hand signals. One things that’s frustrating in basketball is passing to a teammate while they try heading to the basket.

If you’re posting up, good footwork is the key to getting open and getting a good shot. You always want to beat your opponent to the open spot. Once you’ve reached a good spot, you need to secure it. Footwork is the key to either of these.

TIP! Find out what your teammates like most about how you play? Do you have an area where you excel? You might be quick, or you might always be around to support them. By understanding what your teammates see as your best skills, you can ensure that you keep a strong focus and hone these abilities even more.

Understand your opponent. Review tapes and keep up with scouting reports. For example, you might look to see which players favor their left side and which have dominant right hands. The more you understand what you are up against, the more likely you are to develop an effective strategy during games. Smart defenders are good defenders.

TIP! A good way to see yourself playing is to have someone record your games. While reviewing the tape, look for opportunities you may have missed during the game.

When playing a game of basketball, have a friend tape the game. This way, you can take a look at your game. You’ll likely see ways that you can improve. Look at how you did and judge yourself. Sometimes it’s beneficial to look at yourself the way you really look and not just like you think you look.

Free Throws

TIP! Consistent free throws require a consistent technique. A consistent routine enables the shooter to have a perfect motion every time.

Having a pre-free-throw shot routine will help you become dependable at free throws. Whatever you do before each shot, from dribbles to body motions, should be the same each time. This routine will help you make your free throws, but make the routine a quick one.

TIP! Being a good defensive player involves disrupting your opponent’s concentration. You should work to make your opponent feel uncomfortable.

To gain greater dribbling skill, always practice with the weaker hand as well as the more dominant one. You will be able to get past your opponent more easily if you can use either hand to dribble the ball. Hold the dominant hand behind the back and make certain you use just the weak hand. You will get new dribbling skills with your weak hand.

TIP! You need to take a charge anytime you can. Taking charges gives you a chance for earning a defensive stop, gives your team the ball, and gives one more foul called in your favor.

To rebound off your fellow player’s free throws, use sly feet. Your defender will move towards you, so figure out how to slither past him and grab the ball. Now you can achieve a proper rebound and not commit a foul.

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.

Practice moving the ball from one courtside to the other in just 5 dribbles of the ball. Although this might seem tricky in the beginning, this can really help your game if you can master this skill. It will allow you to execute easy layups.

Practice Shooting

TIP! Do not double dribble. This occurs when you halt the dribble once, only to begin dribbling immediately thereafter.

Practice shooting hundreds of shots during each training, and you quickly improve shooting skills. An even better way to improve your accuracy is to practice shooting after pulling up from a dribble. While in the air check out your target, but never before that. This helps to simulate game conditions and improving your accuracy.

TIP! When you shoot, try to stay calm. Focus on the basketball hoop.

Dribble the ball below knee level. The other team’s players will have a difficult time stealing the basketball from you. It will be necessary to bend over, but you should be able to get down the court faster.

TIP! A penetrating dribble is the key to beating a team that’s playing a zone defense. If you are able to get past your defender, the opposing team will have no option but to switch up their zones.

Understanding your teammates is a vital part of basketball. Basketball is not an individual sport. That means offense and defense aren’t one on one. Everyone has each others’ backs. Be vocal on the court to form better communication with your teammates for play.

TIP! You must have good communication when playing on a basketball team. This should be done during your practices as well.

This article will help you with your basketball skills, even if you play every day. Focus on one area at a time and enjoy the steady success. Make all your shots count and soon you will be passing and rebounding like a pro too.