Basketball is beloved by millions worldwide. You can go play it in your driveway if you wish to, or it’s something you can do for a living if you begin early. Read this article to gain some information about how to improve your skills.
A good way to practice sound passing is to drill without dribbling. It is quite challenging to play the game without dribbling, but it does make sure you and your teammates make accurate passes. Even though this is not an easy drill, you will be rewarded for your efforts during game time.
Lifting weights too much can actually take away from your jump shot. Even though having strong muscles is great for the inside game, being on the outside it can harm you when shooting the ball. Some shooting guards that play professionally have such big arms that their field goal rate went down.
Would you like to pull one over on the other team? Give the back pass a try! Use your dominant hand to palm the basketball. The next step is pull the basketball behind the back. Quickly flick with your wrist in the direction you want to pass the ball. This is a good way to trick your opponents.
Play basketball games with yourself during the season and before it. While basketball is a team sport, sometimes you just can’t find others to play with. That’s fine. Playing on your own can give you the chance to work on isolated areas of your game. Practice pivoting or doing free throws. You can always find things to work on.
Never have your back to the ball so that you’re ready for anything in a basketball game. This can help you to avoid surprises by fast passes, help you keep an eye on the rest of the court, and allow you to spot potential turnovers. Also, watch for areas to open up so you can make an easy basket.
Whenever you work out, practice footwork and work on your core strength. With strong core muscles, you will have better balance. You must work out your hip, back and abdomen muscles. Jumping rope is great for improving your footwork and also helping you to gain speed.
Be aware of what your feet are doing and where they are. Stepping even a toe on the baseline with the ball in your hands means you are out of bounds. If you travel without dribbling, you’re going to get yourself into a turnover situation. Moving your feet as you are setting a screen or pick usually results in you being called for a foul.
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? Don’t be too critical, but do be honest. A realistic view of yourself can be quite helpful.
If an opponent is staying with you, try passing the ball between your legs. Refine this skill by bouncing a ball with force between the legs while stepping backwards or forwards. If you manage to master this, you will have a tremendous advantage during games.
To maximize your layups, take off with the foot that opposes your shooting hand. Jump off your left foot when you shoot using your right hand. Your body remains balanced while you move towards the basket.
To gain greater dribbling skill, always practice with the weaker hand as well as the more dominant one. When you are ambidextrous, you’ll be a better player. Tie the main hand you use behind your back so that you have to use the weak hand. This will train your weaker hand to dribble and control the ball well.
Now you should know how to get into basketball even more. It isn’t hard, but it does take some know-how and effort. Begin playing and before you know it, you will be playing every day. You will learn more playing against highly-skilled players.
