TIP! Learn proper dribbling. You’ll want to use your fingertips to dribble instead of using your palm.

The love that many people have for this game cannot be overstated. Understanding the nuances of the game helps you to appreciate it in its splendor. Read this article to gain the knowledge that will make watching or playing the game more fun.

TIP! Perfect your bounce pass. This means your pass should be aimed towards the receiving player at the level of his waist.

Keep your head up when you dribble. If you must look at the ball while dribbling, you haven’t practiced enough. Bring the basketball with you everywhere you go. Dribble the ball when you’re walking to the shops. If you look your ball, you can’t see the court.

Bounce Pass

TIP! If you’re going to be a jump shooter, don’t lift too many weights. While muscle strength is good to have in any basketball position, it is possible to have too much for perimeter play.

You should learn the best way to throw a great bounce pass. A bounce pass that’s good is going to end up hitting the other player near their waist. A useful tip is to have the ball bounce roughly 3/4 of the distance to the recipient. There are, however, other factors that influence the pass.

TIP! Do not wait for any special season to play some basketball. Even though you play on a team, practicing alone can be helpful.

Free throws have a huge mental element to them. You can practice for hours on how to make the shot, but if you over think things or get distracted you will miss every time. Relax yourself and focus on the hoop.

TIP! You should ask your teammates about your strengths and weaknesses. Are you skilled at something? Knowing your strengths and weaknesses will allow you to develop your skills to become an all around better player.

Practice catching passes often. You should practice catching errant passes, along with perfectly executed ones. In the heat of the game, not every pass is going to hit the bulls-eye. Make sure that your teammates also practice this type of pass with you.

TIP! If you want to correctly handle the ball, you need to know where to place your fingers. This way, you won’t lose the ball when holding it.

You should practice against a variety of defense types, not just zone. You can count on quite a bit of the game being played in zone; however, you should not be surprised if it becomes one-on-one coverage just for the sake of confusion. If you haven’t prepared yourself for that, you might lose your game very quickly.

TIP! You need to be quick to play good basketball. Make an effort to do all things on the court more speedily than the opposing team.

A good tip about passing is try doing it without dribbling the ball. It is hard to play with no dribbling, but it will help your team make great passes. Even though this is not an easy drill, you will be rewarded for your efforts during game time.

Core Muscles

TIP! Sly feet will help you get the rebound of your team mates free throw. The defender in your path will be moving at you, so be sure you’re thinking of how to get past that defender.

If you have student that wants to play basketball for their high school team, they will need to spend some time training their core muscles. This will involve their lower back, hips, and abs. The core links together all of the extremities and if it isn’t strong, they will be dealing with a limited athletic ability. Building strong core muscles will allow your to jump higher, run faster and maintain your balance.

TIP! Work on getting the ball down the length of a full court with five or fewer dribbles during drills. While this is a challenging goal, working toward it will make you a much better player.

If you’re injured when playing basketball, don’t push through the pain. You can easily tear a muscle or even break a finger while playing. If you try to keep playing, you can hurt yourself worse. See a physician if you think your injury is serious.

TIP! Bend your knees when dribbling the basketball. If you are standing straight, you will have a harder time controlling the ball and your opponent will be able to steal it more easily.

Have your team mates critique your playing skills. What are your your best skill areas? Perhaps you are quick footed, or you are always ready to lend a hand on the court. Honest feedback can really help you to narrow in on areas where you might need a little extra help practicing.

TIP! Shoot from NBA distances to see your three-point skills improve. That is the furthest distance that you would ever have to shoot from to score a three.

If your shooting is suffering, take a close look at your shoulders. When the shoulders are wrongly positioned, your shot is unlikely to succeed. Your shoulders should always be squared towards the hoop. Your shooting arm’s shoulder also needs to be exactly lined up with the rim.

TIP! Don’t cease dribbling until you get ready to shoot or pass. After dribbling is stopped, your choices are very limited.

Passing between the legs is great when you are being closely guarded. Step forward and back while dribbling the ball between your legs hard. When you get this move down, you will have an advantage.

TIP! If it is possible, keep all action below the knee. This makes it more difficult for the opposing players to get control of the ball from you.

Practice passing while not looking in the direction of the pass. Doing this is a great way to confuse your opponents. You give your teammate a better chance to make the shot because the opposing player is moving the wrong direction when you pass the ball. When executed properly, this is a powerful play.

TIP! Keep your dribbling consistent until the time you want to confuse your opponent. Consistent dribbling followed by fast dribbling can confuse your opponent and put you in place for a shot.

Launch your layup jumps from the foot that is opposite the hand you shoot with. Practice shooting using your right hand, then jump off your left foot. This way you keep your body away from defenders, your momentum going in the direction of the basket and your body stays balanced.

TIP! Anticipate where the ball will go. For instance, corner shots usually bounce off the rim, ending up on the opposite side.

To get the rebound from the free throw your teammate is making, you need to do some fancy footwork. The defender in your path will be moving at you, so be sure you’re thinking of how to get past that defender. You won’t foul as you catch the rebound this way.

TIP! Ask yourself what your weaknesses are. Maintain your personal integrity.

One way to increase your three-point skill is to practice at the NBA range. All the other three point lines are much closer than the NBA line. If you’re able to get the shot from where the NBA shoots, then you can start working from a range further than the defense expects.

TIP! When dribbling the basketball you should focus on how hard you’re bouncing the ball in practice. The reason for this is because hard ball bouncing means faster movement, which decreases the chances the defender has to steal the ball.

You should practice your dribbling while switching your balance from right to left. Games require you to be able to dribble under all types of conditions. It would be great if you are always able to go full speed ahead, but more times than not you will need to move and flow with the defense in front of you. Learning to dribble effectively will help you in many different situations. This will help you in bad situations.

TIP! Dribbling takes both physical and mental ability. The position of your feet and legs affects the speed and power you put behind the ball as well as where it lands.

Stay low and dribble the ball below the level of your knees. The other team’s players will have a difficult time stealing the basketball from you. It will be necessary to bend over, but you should be able to get down the court faster.

TIP! Communication is really important in basketball. This should be done during your practices as well.

Be certain to practice moves off the court that will truly help you on the court. You can run longer distances to build up stamina. To build speed, try doing wind sprints. Both are necessary for playing good ball. Lifting weights and doing resistance training is going to help you to build muscle to take shots. Building your muscles and your confidence will help you game in many ways.

TIP! If you are playing defense, your focus should be on the opposing player who has possession of the ball. When you are less than six feet away, the player can only hold the ball after he stops dribbling for no more than five seconds.

It is impossible to beat the excitement of a basketball match. However, it’s so easy for novices to be lost, wondering what the fuss is all about. We hope this piece has provided the sort of guide that virtually anyone looking to understand basketball better will find useful.