People all over the world love the game of basketball. Anybody can play basketball, no matter what their age is. While playing, you should learn to get along with your teammates. You should also learn to maintain good sportsmanship even if you lose. If you wish to learn about basketball, you should read below.
Dribbling the ball the right way needs to be done. When you dribble, only use your fingertips instead of your palms. This way you’ll have a lot more control over the ball. Dribble off to the side waist high. Always look upwards, never at the ground.
To improve your game, concentrate on your strong points. You might not become a big basketball star based on your strengths, but you will be an asset to your team. Know what you are good at, then practice it until you’re absolutely perfect at it!
Practice the skill of pass catching. When practicing make sure you drill yourself to catch errant throws as well as picture perfect passes. During the game, not all passes will go where they’re intended. Learning how to catch these errant passes will put you at an advantage.
You should practice against a variety of defense types, not just zone. The majority of game play might take place in the zone, but that doesn’t mean that the opposing team will not try to catch you off guard. If your practice hasn’t included this type of scenario, you might lose control rapidly.
A great way to learn how to pass is by doing drills often with no dribbling. This helps to develop passing skills with your teammates, making it much more difficult if you’re standing in one spot and not dribbling. Don’t get frustrated if it’s hard at first because it will get better over time.
You can learn to trick the opposing team. Consider the back pass. To do this pass, hold on to the ball with your dominant hand. Now hold the ball behind you. And last, flick the wrist in the direction you want the ball to go. This will confuse the other team into wondering where the ball went.
To keep passes under control, make use of hand signals. You can become easily frustrated when a teammate does a poor job of anticipating your next passing move. The use of hand signals can help you avoid this difficulty. If you don’t receive a signal then realize your teammate is not able to get the pass.
One good way to always be ready for whatever happens on the court is to never turn your back on the ball. It’s all about court awareness, and always facing the ball will make it so you are less surprised by passes. That means less turnovers. Also, keep your eyes on areas that open up on the court for an easy basket.
Focus on your footwork and your core strength in your workouts. This allows your body to be in balance and be more explosive on the court. Work the muscles in your abdomen, back, buttocks and hips. Your speed and footwork can be improved by jumping rope.
If you’re quick on the basketball court, you have a built in advantage. You need to be faster than the opposing team if you want the advantage. It takes steady drilling to play fast. However, don’t try to be faster than you’re physically able to be. If you play basketball past your own speed ability, then you can lose control of you game with bad passes and needless turnovers.
Making a pass from between your legs is sometimes a good option when the opposing team is right on top of you. This can be practiced by dribbling the ball as hard as you can between the legs while you step in either direction. If this move is something you master, you’ll have an advantage when you go out to play a game.
Strength Training
Basketball players can greatly benefit from strength training. In addition to strength, stamina is key in basketball. Even the youngest kids that play will benefit from the game. As the teenage years approach, weights can be used for even greater impact. As an adult, a player must continue strength training for optimum performance.
Only stop dribbling when you are prepared to shoot or pass the ball. After you have stopped dribbling, your options are quite limited. If you choose against passing or shooting, you are stuck pivoting in place. This situation leaves you vulnerable to a double team by the defense, and you risk losing the ball.
How come so many people enjoy basketball? It’s due to how easy it is to play. When you love basketball, you should learn as much as you can about it. Enjoy yourself as you play and use these great tips to increase your skills.