TIP! When dribbling, make sure you hold your head high and look straight ahead. If you must look at the ball while dribbling, you haven’t practiced enough.

Many people all over the world love the game of basketball. Anyone can play basketball, no matter what age. When playing, be sure you get along and work with your fellow teammates and stay positive no matter if you lose or win. If you want to be the best player you can, then keep reading for tips.

TIP! If you want to improve your game, concentrate on your strengths. Your skills may not turn you into the star player, but knowing how to make the most of your skills will make you a more valuable player.

Make sure that you’re dribbling the ball correctly. Avoid using your palm while dribbling. Instead, use your fingertips. This will give you better control of the basketball. Keep the ball by your side as you dribble instead of right in front your body. Look up and never down at the ground.

TIP! Practice your passes and catches frequently. During practice you should come up with drills where you perfect catching bad passes along with the good ones.

Dribble while keeping your head upward and looking ahead. Looking at your ball when you dribble indicates that you haven’t practiced enough. Take your basketball everywhere. Dribble as you walk to the market. If you’re trying to look at the ball then you’re not concentrating on what’s going on down the court.

Bounce Pass

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

It is important to know the right way to throw a bounce pass. This means your pass should be aimed towards the receiving player at the level of his waist. If it helps to measure it out, consider aiming for a mark on the floor about three-fourths of the way between you and your teammate. Practicing your bounce pass is important so that you can use it skillfully during games.

TIP! Never turn away from the ball, so that you can always stay ready for anything. This helps keep you aware of the action, and it takes away the surprise factor.

Don’t dribble during your drills. While this may be difficult, it gets you used to finding teammates and thinking on the run. Don’t be frustrated by how hard it is at first; you will get used to it.

TIP! You must know your opponent in order to be tough on defense. Watch tapes and stay up on scouting reports.

When posting up, solid footwork is essential to getting yourself into position to shoot. There are two important points you must remember. You must create a physical presence below the basket, and you must secure a good spot in advance of your opponent. Once you’re in position, you also need to secure your spot. Practicing your footwork is important to master these skills.

TIP! If you’ve developed somewhat of a shooting slump, focus on your shoulders. If you do not have your shoulders positioned properly, you will not make the shot.

What do your teammates admire about your skills? What areas are your strong points? Maybe you are nimble or you are reliably there to support them. Learn what other’s see as your natural skills and make sure to keep and develop those skills more fully.

TIP! Speed is a key attribute in the game of basketball. Try playing faster than the opponents for a better advantage.

When exercise, concentrate on perfecting footwork and strengthening your core muscles. You will stay balanced if your core is strong. Work the abdomen, buttocks, hip, and back muscles. Jumping rope is great for improving your footwork and also helping you to gain speed.

TIP! Practice dribbling with your weak hand as much as possible. If you can dribble equally well with each hand, it is simpler to get past your opponents.

If you aren’t shooting the ball well, you need to concentrate on your shoulders. No matter your skill level, you won’t make shots if your shoulders aren’t in the proper position. Your shoulders need to be squared up towards where you’re shooting. The dominant shoulder needs to be aligned correctly with the rim.

TIP! Hard dribbling helps avoid stolen balls. When you dribble hard, the ball bounces back to your hand faster.

Practice passing while not looking in the direction of the pass. This is a great technique in order to help confuse the opponents. If you’re doing it correctly you can fake your opponent out so he/she moves towards that direction and then you pass the ball to a wide open teammate for a shot. Practicing this pass can really help to give your team the winning edge.

TIP! A key play on defense is to draw a charge. When you take a charge, you have the opportunity to get a defensive stop, your team gets the ball and an additional foul is set up against the other team.

Make layups count by taking off with the foot that is opposite to your shooting hand. What this practically means is that if your right hand is your shooting hand, you need to take off with your left foot. Also, this will improve your balance as you approach the basket.

TIP! Maintain a lower position as you play defense. You will become faster and react faster.

You need to put a damper in your opponent’s plan if you want to be successful with defending. Force them to leave their comfort zone. Your defensive moves must be aggressive and executed properly. Don’t let your opponent decide their own plays. By doing so, the opponent will take advantage of you. To avoid this, stay aggressive and try to interrupt their thought patterns and rhythm.

TIP! Don’t cease dribbling until you get ready to shoot or pass. You have few options remaining to you after you stop dribbling.

Workout to increase flexibility and strength in your hands and forearms. Wrist curls can be great for honing ball handling skills. Don’t stay stopped; always move around the court. Motion is key to being successful on the court.

TIP! It is important that you remain in control of the ball despite which way your body is going. In the middle of a game, lots of dribbling situations will arise.

Dribble hard to avoid ball stealing. This speeds up the dribbling cycle, which means the person covering you has less of a chance to steal the ball each cycle. If you have somebody guarding you very closely, pass the ball to an open teammate.

TIP! Make sure the ball doesn’t bounce above your knees when you dribble. This will lower the chances of your opponent being able to steal the ball.

If you want to stay in a good defensive position, simply avoid breaking out of your defensive stance. Shuffle your feet in a side to side motion, then use your opposite foot to push off and give you good leverage. If you never allow your feet to cross one another you will invariably be a very hard player to get passed.

TIP! Do off court exercises that will improve your game on the court. You can run longer distances to build up stamina.

Make sure that the pace changes when you are on defense. Try to block the net by planting your foot hard. You will have the guard think that you’re slowing down. In turn, they will straighten themselves. Use this opportunity to sprint past your opponent.

TIP! You need to practice many types of shots on the basketball court. Balance and grip are the first two things to practice.

If you wish to get your weaker hand built up, you need to use it to brush your teeth and to do other simple tasks. If you are able to become more dexterous in terms of your weaker hand in general life, you’re going to have better control of it. This will help you with your basketball game also.

TIP! Be sure to practice good teamwork on the court and off. Basketball is best played with a team which works well together.

Why do so many people like basketball? It’s probably due to the fact that it’s fun and easy to learn. When you love basketball, you should learn as much as you can about it. Improve your skills by reading this article.