TIP! When dribbling, your head must be up, and you need to look forward. Looking at your ball when you dribble indicates that you haven’t practiced enough.

Basketball is a game played and loved by both genders. Almost anyone can get in the game if they want to. Get your friends together and impress them with your new moves. What moves do you want to learn? Keep reading to find out.

Offensive Skills

TIP! Playing basketball does not require excessive muscle development. Muscle strength is great for any position in basketball, you can have too much when it comes to perimeter play.

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 won more often by defense than offense. Offensive skills are usually the most impressive ones but defense is something every team should work on.

TIP! Play solo basketball in the months leading up to the season, as well as during the season itself. These skills all help with muscle memory so you know just what to do when you’re playing in a game.

Work on improving your strengths to become an even better player. Your strengths might not make you a star player, but you’ll be contributing a lot to your team. Understand your strengths and use it to your advantage to help your team win!

TIP! Find out what your teammates like most about how you play? Are you skilled at something? Perhaps you have an excellent understanding of defensive strategies or you are the fastest player on your team. Honest feedback can really help you to narrow in on areas where you might need a little extra help practicing.

Bounce passes are important in the game of basketball. A good bounce pass should hit the player on the receiving end at waist level. It’s best to bounce the basketball about 75 percent of the way towards your teammate. It does depend on a variety of other factors, however.

TIP! You must know your opponent in order to be tough on defense. Watch replays and follow scouting reports.

Play basketball against yourself even during the off-season. Many times you are unable to find people to play with. No problem. There are many ways that you can improve your game alone. Work on free throws and pivot moves. You can always do something.

TIP! Watch tapes of yourself playing basketball to get a more objective perspective. Are you able to see missed opportunities or ways in which you could have improved? Appraise your performance honestly but don’t be overly harsh with yourself.

Avoid errant passes by the use of hand signals. One of the more frustrating aspects of basketball is making a pass to a teammate at the same time they head to the basket. You can get around that when you use hand signals, if a player can receive a pass. If the person doesn’t make a signal the person shouldn’t get passed to.

TIP! Use the foot opposite of the hand you shoot with for a better layup. If you use your right hand to shoot, use your left foot to take off.

Proper handling of the ball requires that your fingers be spread apart. That makes sure that you don’t lose the ball when you hold it. However, remember to keep your palm away from the ball. The only things that should touch the ball are your fingers, as you shoot or pass.

TIP! Using a weaker hand helps improve overall dribbling skills. If you’re using both hands to dribble the ball well then you can get by an opponent easily.

Speed is a key attribute in the game of basketball. If you can play quicker than the opposing team can, then you will be at an advantage. Playing fast requires steady drilling. Though, you should never attempt to a play faster game than your abilities permit. By playing beyond your speed capabilities, you will quickly lose control of the ball, which will lead to bad passes, bad shots, and turnovers.

TIP! Playing basketball well means developing good court “eyesight.” This isn’t just so you can read the scoreboard and be able to make shots and catch passes.

Make your forearms and hands stronger so you can handle the ball better. Strong hands make it easier for you to keep control of the basketball. Basketball requires its players to move quickly, shoot accurately and pass well. While this does happen on occasion, you should be moving in order to execute the play.

Strength Training

TIP! Keep dribbling until you’re ready to either pass or shoot. When you stop dribbling, then you limit your options.

To increase your basketball playing abilities, consider strength training exercises. Stamina and strength are two things you need to do well in this sport. Even kids can benefit by getting stronger through exercise. Adding weights in stronger increments is effective as the child becomes a teenager. Once they transition into adulthood, strength training must continue to be a core part of their exercise routine.

TIP! A good way to improve your game is by finding out from your teammates what they plan to do. It takes the efforts of an entire team to succeed.

When you dribble, bend your knees. Standing while dribbling will make it much easier for the opponent to steal the ball from you. You will have better ball control with bent knees.

TIP! If you’re serious about your game, you should take your diet seriously. You use a lot of fuel playing basketball so a lot of carbs is needed, as well as adequate protein and fats.

To become a better three-point shooter, make sure you attempt shots from where the NBA three-point line would be. All the other lines are closer. Being able to shoot successfully from the NBA range will give you a great advantage.

TIP! Always anticipate where a missed basket might go so you can grab the resulting rebound. Pay attention to this as you prepare for a rebound.

Practice dribbling while switching the momentum of your body from side to side. You will dribble during different situations. You may see an open court but there are opponents ready to swarm you. You must dribble while you make your body lean in various directions. This allows you to extricate yourself from high-pressure situations.

TIP! You need to be able to alter your opponents path. Regardless of whether you play defense or offense, the ability to control the other team creates a significant advantage.

If possible, the action should remain below your knees. Defenders will have a more difficult time stealing the ball. You need to bend your body somewhat to accomplish this. It will, however, increase your overall effectiveness, as you are making the ball much harder to steal.

TIP! When you are coming back down from a caught rebound widen your stance. This will help to increase your overall balance.

The goal to improving a game is building conversation with your teammates. Basketball is considered a team sport. It is not a one-on-one game. You have to help everyone out. Communicate and have everyone on the same page in order to play better.

Foster a strong team camaraderie both on the court and off. Great basketball games happen when teams work together. When you trust your teammates, you’ll play a better game.

TIP! Penetrating dribbling is essential to defeating the zone defense. Passing a defender with the ball causes the defenders to collapse inward.

Position yourself between the ball carrier and your opponent if they are bigger than you. This prevents them from getting the pass, which helps them not have the chance to shoot over you.

TIP! Understand your own personal weaknesses. It’s important to be honest when it comes to your weaknesses.

Pivoting is essential to becoming a great player in basketball. Practice often so you do not have to think about pivoting during a game. Work on your stance as well as your ability to react.

TIP! Practice dribbling the ball with a lot of force. The reason for this is because hard ball bouncing means faster movement, which decreases the chances the defender has to steal the ball.

Now that you know how to play, you can be confident when you play. You can now impress your friends with the secrets that you’ve learned. Never forget that the game should always be fun. Enjoy your playtime!