When you’re trying to start to improve at basketball, then you’re going to have to start practicing. But you have to make sure you’re practicing the right way, or else you’re wasting time. The following article offers helpful advice to get you to improve your practice habits.
If you want to improve your game, play up your strengths. The best talent you have isn’t going to have you starring in every highlight reel, but having a good skill set can benefit your team. Know your strengths and keep practicing to get even better.
Practice layups often. Layups sometimes wind up being 4 out of every 5 shots in basketball. Don’t just walk through a layup drill. It is key to go at game tempo to practice the timing needed to maintain accuracy. Practicing your running and jumping as a single motion will improve your technique faster than practicing them separately.
A good way to practice sound passing is to drill without dribbling. This is very hard to accomplish, but it forces you and your fellow players to work on accurate passing skills. Don’t get too frustrated if you’re having a hard time when you start because after a while passes are going to be more accurate.
If you are good at shooting the ball then the last thing you want to do is lift weights. It’s possible to have excessive muscles when you play the perimeter. Shooting guards that end up with bulked up arms sometimes find that it affects field goal percentages.
Need to dupe the opposition? The back pass is perfect for this. Perform this pass by holding the ball using your dominant hand. Then, put the ball around your back. Pass the ball from behind your back by flicking your wrist in the direction you want the ball to go. This should help to trick the other team.
Hand signals can help you to stay away from making bad passes. Oftentimes frustration occurs when trying you aren’t on the same page with a teammate who cuts to the basketball when you try to pass him the ball. Using signals helps communicate passes with your team. Without a signal, there shouldn’t be a pass.
See if your teammates admire something in particular about your game play. Are you great at any one thing? You may be quick with your footwork or are always there for backing them up. Find out what others think your natural abilities are, and be certain to keep developing those skills.
Turning away from the ball can be a costly mistake in basketball. Passes and turnovers won’t take you by surprise because you will be more aware of what is happening on the court. Scan the court looking for openings to make a basket.
Have your games taped so you can play them back later and observe your court presence. While reviewing the tape, look for opportunities you may have missed during the game. Look at how you did and judge yourself. Analyze your skills honestly so you can become the player you want to be.
Improve your ball-handling by strengthening your hands and your forearms. An exercise to help develop your basketball skills is to perform wrist curls. Basketball requires its players to move quickly, shoot accurately and pass well. Good dribbling skills will help you always stay in movement.
Take charges whenever possible. Taking a charge allows you a chance to earn a defensive stop, take the ball for your team, and sets up one more foul against the opponent. This may lower the other team’s morale, and it gives you a chance to take the offensive when play resumes.
To enhance your skills at shooting the ball from the outside, run drills every day from different locations on the court. To get even better, try to practice dribbling and quickly shooting. While in the air check out your target, but never before that. In this way, you can simulate the conditions of the game and become more accurate.
You should make sure when practicing dribbling that you shift from one hand to the other. During the game, you will dribble in various situations. You might be able to go through an open court or have to switch sides to avoid opponents. Being able to dribble while shifting momentum is the key to controlling and keeping the ball. By nailing this skill, you have a better chance to avoid a turnover.
If you are a basketball player you should be eating a healthy diet. To play with great frequency, you will need a large amount of carbs combined with a bit of fat and protein. Peanut butter and nuts are great choices. Stay away from salt and sugar as much as possible.
When you’re in possession of the ball you have to know when a shot should be made or a pass needs to be. Instead of hogging the ball and losing the game when you fail to make the shot, be a team player and pass it off to the player who has the better chance to make the winning shot.
One important element in basketball is passing. Passing causes confusion among your opponents. It will also improve your relationship with your teammates since you are sharing the glory with them. You’ll always be able to show off your abilities. Be patient and wait for the right moment.
Whether you only play on the weekends or you’re a hardcore enthusiast, these tips will still help improve your skills on the court. Use a single tip at a time and incorporate it into your game play. Improve your shooting, passing, and overall game control.