TIP! When you dribble, look forward, keeping your head up. Looking at your ball when you dribble indicates that you haven’t practiced enough.

It was like a new world the first time you played basketball. There were so many different things to learn about the game. Today, you are probably a lot more confident. The tips you’ll find below will show you there is still a lot to learn.

TIP! You should learn the best way to throw a great bounce pass. Bounce passes should not go above or below the receiving players waist.

It is tempting to concentrate just on offense when just staring out, but defensive practice is absolutely vital. Basketball games are won because of good defense. Offensive skills are usually the most impressive ones but defense is something every team should work on.

TIP! If you’re going to be a jump shooter, don’t lift too many weights. You do need muscle conditioning and strength, but you can have too much when it comes to shooting field goals.

Dribble properly. You need to use the tips of your fingers rather than your hand’s palm when you are dribbling. This method gives you much more control of the ball. Dribble along the side of the body, not immediately in front of it, and keep the bounce to the waist level or below. Keep your head up, do not stare down towards the ground.

TIP! If you have student that wants to play basketball for their high school team, they will need to spend some time training their core muscles. Core muscles include hips, abs and the lower back.

Get good at making free throws. This kind of shot seems easy, but it really is not. When practicing your free throw, concentrate on where you want the ball to go when it leaves your hands. Hold the ball level with your head. Maintain focus on the basket and try to visualize your basketball falling through the hoop. When you shoot, keep the visualized trajectory in mind.

TIP! Ask your fellow teammates if they have an opinion of your skills in the game. Do you do something particularly well? Maybe you are quick like lightening or maybe you are a strong defender.

Make sure you are looking forward and looking up as you’re dribbling. If you need to look at the ball while dribbling, you’ll need to practice more. One of the best ways to improve your dribbling is to bring your ball along anytime you need to walk somewhere. Dribble while walking to the store. If you are looking at the ball, you cannot see what is happening down the court in front of you.

TIP! Whenever you work out, practice footwork and work on your core strength. You will stay balanced if your core is strong.

You must learn how to dribble, how a crossover is done and other important ball handling skills. This term refers to switching the hand you use. You have to do this quickly to be good at it. Learn how to perform a crossover dribble will help you get down court quickly.

Bounce Pass

TIP! You want to always be aware of foot placement and what you’re doing. You will be called out of bounds if even one toe is touching the baseline as you hold the ball.

You should learn the best way to throw a great bounce pass. A bounce pass that’s good is going to end up hitting the other player near their waist. The ideal bounce pass should land about 3/4 of the way between you and the receiver. Although, there will be other circumstances that are involved too.

TIP! Dribble hard if you don’t want the ball taken from you. This means you get the ball back from your opponent faster.

You should practice pass catching regularly. Practice catching errant throws along with perfect passes. When the game is going on, every pass isn’t going to make it to its target. Help your teammates by learning what you need to haul in those imperfect passes.

TIP! You need good vision if you are going to play basketball. You will need it for more than checking the scoreboard or passing and shooting.

Learn good passing by drilling often without dribbling. Playing without any dribbling is very hard, but builds your passing skills. Work through the initial frustration and see how the challenge will improve your game in the long run.

Core Muscles

TIP! Remain low when playing defense. This helps you jump fast and react quickly.

If you have student that wants to play basketball for their high school team, they will need to spend some time training their core muscles. The core muscles include the lower back, hips and abdonimals. Core muscles are the connectors between arms and legs. If the core muscles are weak, basketball performance will suffer. The stronger your core, the higher you will jump.

TIP! You can improve a weak hand by using it in daily life. 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.

You now have the knowledge you need to master the game. Practice, run drills and play often. Put putting these tips to use, along with your plan, you will notice the difference in your game.