TIP! To get better in your basketball game, focus on your strengths. Your talents might not make you a star, but when you make the most of your strengths, you might better contribute to your team.

Folks of all persuasions have long been enamored with the sport of basketball. However, many folks still have much to learn regarding this pastime. This article will help to fine tune your basketball skills.

TIP! Practice layups often. This is the most popular shot in basketball.

You can improve your skills by paying attention to how the pros play. Go to professional games in person and/or watch them online or on TV. Watch great players to learn the specific skills that make them exceptional.

TIP! A good way to get your basketball game up to speed is to start trying to see how the pros are playing. Go to as many pro games as possible, watch them on TV, or watch videos of them playing.

Work on pass catches. When you practice, be sure to do drills that improve catching wild throws and making great passes. During a game, not all of your passes will hit the mark. Help your team by learning to catch those bad passes, as well as those perfect passes.

TIP! If you want to take jump shots, don’t spend time pumping iron. It’s possible to have excessive muscles when you play the perimeter.

Don’t pump too much iron if you plan on being a jump shooter. Muscle strength is great for any position in basketball, you can have too much when it comes to perimeter play. Many guards in the pros have developed their arm muscles too big, which has really harmed their shooting percentage.

TIP! If there’s no one around to play with, it is okay to play a basketball game by yourself. Basketball is a multiple player sport, but other people won’t always be around.

Want to make the other team not know what’s going on? Try using a back pass! You want to grip the basketball with your strongest hand. Then, move the basketball around your rear. Pass the ball from behind your back by flicking your wrist in the direction you want the ball to go. This will confuse the opposition.

TIP! Speed is everything in basketball. Gaining agility and speed will give you the upper hand when playing a game of basketball.

If you have a kid that wants to play basketball in high school, be sure they’re working on their core muscles. This includes their abs, lower back, and hips. The lower and upper extremities are linked by the core, and athletes with a weak core will exhibit limited performance. A well developed core lets a player generate force with their legs to be applied to faster running and jumping higher.

TIP! In order to be more reliable shooting free throws, practice your routine. Always dribble the same way, or with the same movements.

Build hand signals so passes are more successful. It can be frustrating to attempt to pass the ball to a team mate as that person is heading toward the basket. A simple hand gesture can let your teammate know you’re ready for the pass. If they don’t signal, don’t pass to them.

TIP! In order to be successful with layups, the foot that is opposite from shooting hand is the one you should take off from. Use your left foot when shooting with the right hand.

Quality footwork will help you get better shots. You need to have physical presence beneath the net, but you also have to choose the right spot to be in. Once there, you have to firmly claim the area as your own. The key to this relies on having good footwork.

TIP! A solid routine is necessary for improvement in free throw shooting. A consistent routine enables the shooter to have a perfect motion every time.

Work on passing in a direction you are not looking. This can go a long way toward confusing the opposition. If you do it right, the look makes members of the opposing team look in the wrong direction, which gives the person to whom you passed the ball plenty of time to make the shot. If this is pulled off, then it usually has good results.

TIP! Good footwork will help you get rebounds off your teammates’ foul shots. Slip around the defender moving your way and get the ball.

When moving in for a layup, push off from your weaker foot and lead with your shooting hand. Jump off your left foot when you shoot using your right hand. Your body remains balanced while you move towards the basket.

TIP! To avoid turning the ball over to the other team, make sure that you’re dribbling hard. This causes the ball to return to your hand more quickly, so the offense has less time to try to get it away from you.

Basketball has been around for a very long time and has been a favorite of all sorts of people. Knowledge is what makes or breaks a player. Keep what you’ve just read in mind, and grow your love for the game.