TIP! The way to properly dribble is to keep your head up while looking ahead of you. Looking at your ball when you dribble indicates that you haven’t practiced enough.

People of all ages and social strata the world over love basketball. It’s simple enough that nearly any age will like it. Playing teaches you cooperation and sportsmanship. When you seek to know everything you can about the game of basketball, the information you find below will be invaluable.

TIP! Practice your layups a lot. Eighty percent of the shots taken in a game are layups.

It is tempting to concentrate just on offense when just staring out, but defensive practice is absolutely vital. Defense is what stands between you and a win. Offense receives all the glory, but it is nothing without the best defense.

TIP! If your son or daughter wants to play high school basketball, they need to work on core muscle training. Focus on hips, lower back and abs.

To get better in your basketball game, focus on your strengths. If you can rely on your strengths, you will become a better player. Understand your strengths and use it to your advantage to help your team win!

Bounce Pass

TIP! Stay conscious of your foot motion and placement. If you have the ball and you step outside the baseline, then you’re out of bounds.

Learn how to throw a proper bounce pass. Executed properly, a bounce pass will connect with the receiving player at the waist. Letting the ball bounce close to the other person will help the accuracy of your pass. Of course, there are also other factors involved.

TIP! When playing a game of basketball, have a friend tape the game. This way, you can take a look at your game.

Would you like to completely fool the opposing team, making them look silly? Give the back pass a try! To do a back pass, begin by grasping the basketball using your dominant hand. Then, put the ball around your back. Finally, flick your wrist towards the direction in which you wish that ball to travel. This is a very useful trick to confuse the opposing team.

TIP! Your routines must be consistent for free throws. When you stay consistent, you get better success.

Being able to anticipate your opponent is a key skill. You should be look at scouting reports, practicing techniques and watch tapes. One simple thing to know before the game is if your opponent shoots with their right or left hand. Once you understand the opposition, you will now how to mount your defense. Knowledge is power, even in basketball.

TIP! You should ensure that you can clearly see. This isn’t just so you can read the scoreboard and be able to make shots and catch passes.

Passing between the legs is something that helps when you have defense all over you. Refine this skill by bouncing a ball with force between the legs while stepping backwards or forwards. Mastering this move can help give you an advantage on the court.

TIP! An excellent way to have proper defensive posture is to remain in the correct stance. Keep your feet moving to each side or push your opposing foot off so you can keep yourself in position.

Prevent the opposing team from stealing the ball by dribbling hard. The ball bounces faster, giving the guard less time to steal. If you are being closely guarded, then halt your dribbling and quickly pass the ball to a teammate who is open.

TIP! Keep your knees loose when you dribble the ball. It makes it much easier to control the ball while dribbling as opposed to standing straight up, which makes controlling the ball much harder.

Make it your goal to dribble the ball across the entire court in under 5 dribbles. You will need to learn how to push the basketball in front of you while making long strides. It can mean easier lay-ups when dealing with fast breaks and it can help your teammates for just a moment.

TIP! Keep on dribbling until your shot or passing opportunity is imminent. After you have stopped dribbling, your options are quite limited.

Use the hand you aren’t dribbling with to keep the opponent away from the ball. You can’t push the person guarding you, but you can hold your arm out gently. Keep it up and dribble with your other hand.

TIP! The hand not used to dribble the ball should serve as a wall separating the ball from the opposing players. You never want to push the opponent with your hand, but it is possible to use your free hand to secure the ball.

Your off-court practice should mimic your on-court playing. Running for short quick bursts at a time will help you become quicker, and running long distance can help with stamina. Lifting weights and doing resistance training is going to help you to build muscle to take shots. You will develop a confidence and attitude that you make you a better shooter.

TIP! Anticipate where the ball will go. For instance, corner shots usually bounce off the rim, ending up on the opposite side.

Keep a rhythm while dribbling to throw your opponents off. Changing your pace can confuse them. Both the speed and the sound will contribute to confusing the player that is guarding you.

TIP! Keep yourself calm when shooting the ball. Focus on the basketball hoop.

Practice all kinds of shots from every court location. Begin with practicing your grip and balance. Even though it is less accurate, it is possible to score with off-balanced shooting. To get a perfect grip, use the basketball valve as a point of reference. Cover the valve with your palm, and spread your fingers around the ball.

A corner shot often bounces to the opposite end of the court. It may bounce back right into the opponent’s hands.

TIP! Practice dribbling the ball with a lot of force. This needs to be done because when a ball is bounced hard that makes it go faster and allows you to create less time for a defender to get to it.

Landing with a wide stance after catching a rebound will make it easier for you to retain you balance. Have your hands on both sides of the ball. Also, be sure to hold it against your chest tightly. Just make sure your elbows don’t hit the opposing player; this could be called a foul.

TIP! When you play defense, try forcing the opposing player to the sideline. A player who penetrates the center of the court will have far too many options.

Why do so many people love basketball? It’s because it is fun and simple to play. If this game is something you love, then this article gave you tips that can really benefit you. Improve your skills by reading this article.