Do you find yourself fantasizing that you are one of the best players of all time? It takes years to be world-class players like they are, but you can improve your skills with hard work and dedication. Keep reading to learn more about the game of basketball.
Free throw practice is vitally important. There are usually a lot of distractions when you are shooting free throws so you need to concentrate. Practice frequently using these techniques. First, keep the ball in front of you and at eye level. Focus on the basket and picture the ball slipping into the net. Then try shooting the ball along the trajectory that was in your mind.
Paying Attention
When dribbling, make sure you hold your head high and look straight ahead. If you must look at the ball while dribbling, you haven’t practiced enough. Take you ball with you everywhere. Practice in your home and wherever you walk. Paying attention to the ball means you’re not paying attention to the rest of the game.
Constantly practice layups. This will make up about eighty percent of shots during any basketball game. When you are practicing, run full speed at the goal and make the shot. This running and jumping technique will help you learn how to jump and shoot better during the game.
Successful free throwing requires as much mental skill as it does physical skill. With everyone watching, it can be easy to allow the pressure to interfere with your game. Stay relaxed and just focus on the goal and you will increase your free throw rate.
Would you like to fool the opposing team? Try doing what is known as a back pass. Hold the basketball with your writing hand. Move the ball so that it is behind you. Quickly flick with your wrist in the direction you want to pass the ball. This will confuse the other team into wondering where the ball went.
Never try to push through pain after an injury. Basketball is physically demanding and you can easily get hurt. Being tough is one thing, but playing through injury can only harm you even further and make the problem much worse. If it is a serious injury, see a doctor.
A smart tip to follow while playing basketball is to always keep your eye on the ball and not away from the play. This will give you court awareness and keep you from being surprised by quick passes or turnover potentials. Also, you need to stay aware of areas which might open up and give you an easy basket.
Quickness is a blessing in basketball. Always stay ahead of the opposition. To increase your quickness, you must practice playing fast while running drills. Don’t attempt to play more quickly than your skills allow. Playing beyond your speed can result in bad passes and excessive turnovers.
Always be aware of the locations of your feet and what they’re doing. Stepping even over a baseline when you’re in possession of the ball will have you called out of bounds. Going too many steps with no dribbling is a waking call and turnover situation. You can’t move a foot when you take a charge, pick or screen either, or it’s a foul.
In order to perfect your layup shooting technique practice, take off with your left foot if you shoot with your right hand and vice versa. That means, if you shoot right-handed, use your left foot for taking off. This keeps your body balanced and moving toward the basket and keeps your body between yourself and your defender.
You must disrupt and upset the play of your opponent if you want to be successful as a defensive player. Get them outside their comfort zone. Be aggressive as you execute your moves. This will keep them from being able to choose which plays they will make. If you let them, they’ll totally take the control from you. To avoid this, stay aggressive and try to interrupt their thought patterns and rhythm.
Accept a charge when you can. This allows you to get the ball back for your team, setting up a foul. This can hurt the other team’s players psychologically and can also be powerful when you’re creating plays.
Strength Training
Building strength improves your basketball game. Stamina and physical strength are required for basketball excellence. Even younger kids will benefit from strength training. Adding weights in stronger increments is effective as the child becomes a teenager. When they become adults, strength training is critical to maintaining solid court performance.
Now you have some things you can work on to improve your game. Practice hard and with consistency. Over time, the work you put in will translate to confidence on the court. Remember what you’ve read here, and show everyone the player you really are.