Do you want to be as great as Shaquille O’Neil? Instead of just aspiring to be a great, why not continue to learn more techniques and strategies that can help you out. Keep reading here and you’ll figure out what can be done to accomplish this.
A lot of novice players mostly focus on their offensive skills, but developing good defensive skills will help you become a better player. Basketball games are often won by great defensive play. Even though everyone loves to watch offense, defense is what wins you most games.
Improving your flexibility will greatly help you during a game. If you’re flexible, you’ll be able to move around defenders better. Flexibility will help you to move better when you’re being blocked. You’ll be able to do more moves than others which will result in you getting the change to score or pass freely without being blocked.
When you are in control of the ball, make sure you always pay attention to what is happening on the court. Know where the other players are. Don not stare at the ground. If you do, there is no way for you to have the type of court awareness that you need to be successful.
Practice lay ups over and over. The lay up is one of the most basic basketball shots out there. And you should never let this easy opportunity to score pass you by. While simple, it still takes practice in game-like scenarios to make sure you aren’t laying the ball up too hard or at a bad angle. Get the rhythm down and practice it repeatedly.
When you dribble, make sure that you use fingertips instead of palms. This gives you much more control over the ball. Using your palms can cause the ball to go all over the place on the court, whereas using your fingertips keeps it under your control when you have to run.
You can build your speed by learning the following technique. Begin your speed training by walking at a moderate speed for five minutes. Then, run as fast as you can for one minute. Follow this with a jog for five minutes. Then sprint again for one minute. Cool down by walking for five minutes.
Always remember that to be a great basketball player, you’ve got to be a great athlete first. Put as much time into conditioning your body and increasing your endurance as you do shooting and passing. This will improve your play under even the most excruciating circumstances, making you an invaluable team member.
When dealing with high school basketball players, make sure that they get enough sleep every night. The workouts involved for basketball players are pretty strenuous. That is why it is very important that they get enough rest so that their bodies can recover. They should try to sleep about seven hours each night.
Quickness is something you have to have when playing basketball. If you can play quicker than the opposing team can, then you will be at an advantage. If you want to play the game fast, you need to drill continuously. Don’t play too fast and risk your chances. If you play too quickly, you lose control over the ball and the match.
To help your muscles get used to the change of pace in dribbling during a regular game, do 10-5 drills. Soft dribble for 5 seconds, then power dribble for 10. Do it these drills a number of times on each hand. That way, the muscles in your arms will be prepared to change pace as quickly as you need to.
To get a good workout at practice, dribble back and forth on the court. Start by running to the free throw line, then go back to the end of the court. Then dribble to the middle and then go back, then to the far free throw line and then go back again, and then the entire length of the court.
To warm up your hands for a game, hold the ball ahead of your chest then slap it hard as you pass it from one hand to the other. This helps you to truly get a feel for the ball while the blood begins to flow through your hands, getting them ready to play.
To be sure that you are not withdrawing your hand too quickly when you take a shot, leave it up after the ball has left your hand for two seconds. If you pull your hand back too early, you can under power your shot or cause the ball to go off target.
Practice rhythmic dribbling up until the point you wish to shake an opposing player. Consistent dribbling disrupted by a sudden, fast pace will surprise your opponent, giving you the advantage. Speed and rhythm are two of the strongest advantages you can have to thwart the opposing team.
To play basketball you need to be generating lots of energy. The key is to have your body burning calories throughout the day through metabolism. If you consume 5 to 7 light meals during your day, it will be easy to keep your metabolism fueled. This will produce the energy you need to get on the court and start making the plays.
Try to make all the way up the court in five dribbles. That may sound like it’s impossible, but when you are able to do that in practice, during any game that you play, it will be much easier for you to glide up the court and take a shot.
Be ready for a physical game. Basketball isn’t a sport for those that don’t like to be touched, pushed, shoved, tripped, or even hit. There are flying elbows, lots of jumps, fast breaks, trips, and more that make up a typical basketball game. If this scares you, then look to a less physical sport.
After having read this article, you now have a few things that you can go practice. Be consistent and confident. Keep this excellent advice in mind as you show off your new skills on the court.