Improve Your Play On The Court With These Basketball Tips!

by | Mar 4, 2023 | Basketball

TIP! Dribble while keeping your head upward and looking ahead. If you have to ever look at the ball while dribbling, then you haven’t practiced that enough.

It’s easy to see why millions of people adore basketball. It can be hard to become good at it. Even if you aren’t the most athletic person in the world, you can still enjoy playing the game. Read on to learn how you can make the most of your basketball experience.

TIP! Successful free throwing requires as much mental skill as it does physical skill. Training your body is important, but you also have to be mentally ready for the shot.

Look forward and hold your head up while you dribble the ball. Lack of practice will manifest itself in looking down towards the ball when dribbling. If you are just getting started, bring your ball with you everywhere. Dribble while walking to the store. If you’re trying to look at the ball then you’re not concentrating on what’s going on down the court.

TIP! Want to become a better basketball player? Watch the pros! Try to go to games, watch televised games, or check out videos of the pros playing. You will see that each great player has certain skills that make him great and you can practice what you see him doing.

Pay attention to what you are good at. Your best skills may not be center-stage every game, but knowing how to play the best angles can help you give more to your team. Focus on the skills you have and work to make them better.

TIP! Want to trick the other team? The back pass is perfect for this. To work it, place the ball in your most dominant hand.

Free throws are as mental as physical. You are able to train your hands and legs to free throw well, but if you think you will fail, you will. Relax, take your time and be focused.

TIP! If you have a child who has expressed interest in becoming a basketball player in high school, make sure he trains his core muscles. The core muscles are the hips, lower back muscles and the abdominal muscles.

Better your basketball skills by watching the pros play. Get tickets to some pro games, if possible, or catch some games on television. You’ll be able to learn from the moves they make.

TIP! One good way to always be ready for whatever happens on the court is to never turn your back on the ball. This helps keep you aware of the action, and it takes away the surprise factor.

Good footwork is important when you’re posting up in the paint. While physical positioning is important, it is even more essential to move quicker than an opponent. When you are in position, you must secure your spot. Good footwork is key to a good basketball game.

TIP! A routine can enable your free throw percentage to rise. Inconsistency will ruin your shots.

If you’ve developed somewhat of a shooting slump, focus on your shoulders. Regardless of your skill level, if you don’t have your shoulders positioned correctly, you will miss. Keep your shoulders squared with the basket at all times. If your right hand is your dominant hand, your right shoulder must be aligned with the rim. For left-handedness, the opposite is true.

Free Throw

TIP! A good player on defense will annoy the heck out of the opponent and cause the other team to get flustered. Don’t let them get comfortable.

To help perfect your free throw abilities you should perform a consistent routine. This could mean two dribbles before taking your free throw, bending your knees, or some other thing you do to get into a rhythm before shooting. As long as you make it quick, if you have a consistent routine, your body will remember how to make those free throws after you go through your ritual.

TIP! Prevent the opposing team from stealing the ball by dribbling hard. Dribbling fast allows you to keep better control of the ball and there is a slimmer chance of it being stolen from you.

If you want to better your dribble, start practicing with your weaker hand. Dribbling with both hands helps you gain the upper one. Immobilize your dominant hand by tying it behind your back, then practice using your other hand for everything. Your dribbling skills will improve with your weaker hand.

TIP! Accept a charge when you can. When you do that, you can earn defensive stops, get the ball back, and set up foul shots against the other team.

Dribble hard to make it less likely for the ball to be stolen. This speeds up the dribbling cycle, which means the person covering you has less of a chance to steal the ball each cycle. When closely guarding another player, cease dribbling and pass it to another play on your team that’s open.

Peripheral Vision

TIP! Switch the weight of your body while you are dribbling. Real game dribbling has a lot of variety.

Practice noticing what is in your peripheral vision. This is so that you’re able to catch passes, get shots in, and look at the scoreboard. You want your peripheral vision to be as good as it can. Having good court awareness to see everything around you lets you see plays develop before they happen, either by warding off the defenders or getting the ball to open teammates.

TIP! You’ll want to use the hand that you aren’t dribbling with as a barrier to protect the ball. Avoid physical contact like pushing, but keep the ball from them by separating them from it.

Trip up the offense by constantly changing your pace. As you approach the goal, plant your foot and then straighten up. This will confuse your opponent into adjusting their stance. When they do, try pushing forward hard and running right past them.

TIP! When guarding a person that is stronger or taller, be sure you stay in between that person and the player with the ball. That closes the lane for a pass as you won’t be able to block their shots.

Improve your basketball skills by incorporating strength training into your fitness regimen. Strength and stamina are both needed to excel at basketball. Even smaller children can use fitness routines to build stronger arms and legs. As they grow a bit older, they can add free weights to their strengthening routine. The adult years are where strength training is crucial to maintain solid performance on the court.

TIP! Learning how to pass is critical to the game of basketball. Passing moves the ball quicker and confuses the opposing team.

Do you want to impress your friends with your basketball skills? Well, perhaps you would like to practice first. Use these tips to take your game to a whole new level. Before long, you will be a much better player, thanks to these amazing tips.