TIP! Teach yourself how a bounce pass can be properly thrown. Bounce passes need to be at waist level when received.

Many people love the fun game of basketball. However, it’s not that simple to be the greatest at the game when you first start. You do not need to be a great player, the point of the game is to have fun. Keep reading so that you can find out some helpful information concerning basketball as a sport.

TIP! Your mind plays as big a part in making a free throw as your actual body does. You can train your body to complete the motions of making a free throw, but if you are mentally prepared to fail, you will.

Make sure you learn how to shoot free throws. This looks easy, but it is actually very hard to do. Practice constantly using this tip. Put your weaker hand in front of the ball and center your stronger hand over the air valve in the basketball. There may be a number of distractions so you need to focus on your goal. When you shoot, keep the visualized trajectory in mind.

TIP! Practice the skill of pass catching. During practice you should come up with drills where you perfect catching bad passes along with the good ones.

Make sure that your regular practice includes catching of passes. Try to catch all of the passes that are thrown to you. During a game, not all of your passes will hit the mark. You can do the rest of your team a favor by practicing how you can best complete imperfect passes.

TIP! Never play through an injury on the court. Basketball is hard to play well even when you are healthy, so don’t push it.

Don’t limit your practice to just playing against the zone defense. Most of the game is played in zone, but your opponent may try to switch things up to do man-to-man coverage. If your practice did not include this, you can quickly lose control of the game.

TIP! Watch your shoulders and their position if you notice yourself developing a slump in your shooting. Regardless of your skill level, if you don’t have your shoulders positioned correctly, you will miss.

Don’t dribble during your drills. It is hard to play with no dribbling, but it will help your team make great passes. Even though this is not an easy drill, you will be rewarded for your efforts during game time.

TIP! To help you shoot better free throws you need to come up with a consistent routine. If you are inconsistent then your shot will be off.

Practice playing by yourself. These skills all help with muscle memory so you know just what to do when you’re playing in a game. That is not a problem. There is still much you can accomplish playing alone. Maybe work on those free throws or practice your pivoting. You can always hone your skills when practicing alone.

TIP! You need to mess with your opponent’s head. Force them into an uncomfortable zone.

In order to get a good shot, good footwork is essential when posting up. Focus on positioning yourself more quickly than the opposing player is just as important as having someone beneath the hoop. Having found a good spot, you must secure it. Expert footwork is the key to these skills.

TIP! To improve ball handling, consider focusing workouts on your forearms and hands. Consider wrist curls and and exercise machine that focuses on strengthening each finger individually.

Talk to your teammates and find out what they like about your game. Do you do something really good? It could be your speed, or it could be your back-up abilities. 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.

TIP! To avoid having the ball stolen, dribble hard. The ball returns more quickly to your hand when you do this, giving the opponents fewer opportunities to steal it from you.

If you have someone who can tape your game, you can view the recording to see how well you performed on the court. While reviewing the tape, look for opportunities you may have missed during the game. When looking at the tape, don’t be too critical, but be honest. Seeing yourself realistically can be a great way to make changes in a positive direction.

Free Throw

TIP! If you’re serious about basketball, seriously consider your diet. Complex carbohydrates and protein will give you energy to ensure that you get through a long, fast-paced basketball game.

High percentage free throw shooters typically have the same free throw routine prior to each and every shot. That could include a set number of dribbles, knee-bends or some other type of movement. Just remember it has to be fast and consistent. The reason is, this routine will put your body on alert that the next thing coming is a free throw. This will help insure your success.

TIP! For the best balance, make sure you land with your feet spread apart. Keep your hands on either side of the ball and hold it tight to your chest.

Are you prepared to give this your all? Consider first practicing the pointers in this article. Get pumped and get out into the game! You will soon begin to see the advice you got here will help you to improve your game.