TIP! It is important to know the right way to throw a bounce pass. In order for a bounce pass to be sufficient, the person should receive the ball around their waist.

This is why basketball is enjoyed by so many people; the game is fast and exciting. There are a few important things to keep in mind when playing ball. You can read the tips below to better your skills.

TIP! Free throws have a huge mental element to them. Making the right physical motions is easier than having the right mind set.

When using the ball a lot, you must relearn a crossover. Switch from one side to the other while dribbling. This action most be quick to work out. Crossovers can help you get out of a tight spot.

TIP! Completing passes to your teammates is just as important as dribbling the ball. This helps to develop passing skills with your teammates, making it much more difficult if you’re standing in one spot and not dribbling.

Be sure to get lots of practice on layups. You should expect layups to represent about 80% of all the shots you take in a game. Practice running while dribbling, jumping and shooting as smoothly as you can. Running and jumping well in practice means better jump shooting in actual games.

TIP! If you’re going to be a jump shooter, don’t lift too many weights. Muscle flexibility is more important than muscle mass.

Passing the ball is an important part of playing basketball so practice making and receiving passes. Try to catch all of the passes that are thrown to you. This will help to improve your game when it gets intense. Therefore, it pays to practice catching passes that are a bit off-target.

TIP! If your son or daughter wants to play high school basketball, they need to work on core muscle training. Core muscles include hips, abs and the lower back.

Practice playing a man-to-man defense and zone defense. Most of the game is played in zone, but your opponent may try to switch things up to do man-to-man coverage. If you haven’t trained yourself to counter this, you could lose any control you have over the game.

TIP! Focus on your footwork and core strength when working out. With strong core muscles, you will have better balance.

Passing quickly without dribbling is a great way to practice. It is hard to play with no dribbling, but it will help your team make great passes. The accuracy of passes will greatly improve over time and the drill will become a lot easier.

TIP! If an opponent is staying with you, try passing the ball between your legs. You can practice this technique by stepping forward or backward and bouncing the ball with force between your legs.

If you’re a jump shooter, don’t lift weights too often. It’s important to be strong, but not too strong. Some overzealous shooting guards buffed up too much, and it had an adverse effect on their overall field goal percentages.

Fingers Spread

TIP! In order to better your shooting skills, you must practice shooting hundreds of times each day from various position on the court. Practice dribbling and quick shots.

Keeping your fingers spread wide is important for holding onto the ball. The ball will not get away if you always keep your fingers spread when handling the ball. Don’t allow yourself to have your palm touching the ball either. Don’t let anything but your fingers touch the ball during passing or shooting.

TIP! Keep dribbling until you want to shoot or pass. You have few options remaining to you after you stop dribbling.

When you’re working out, concentrate on core strength building and your footwork. Your body will be able to move quicker and be more balanced when you have srong core muscles. Exercise your abdominal muscles as well as those of the hips, buttocks and back. Jump rope like the boxers do to increase your footwork speed.

TIP! Keep the action beneath your knees, if you can. This makes it difficult for the ball to be stolen.

When your shooting isn’t accurate, check out your shoulder position. When the shoulders are wrongly positioned, your shot is unlikely to succeed. One area of focus should be to keep your shoulders aligned straight toward the hoop. The dominant shoulder needs to be aligned correctly with the rim.

TIP! Practice a variety of shots from different locations on the court. Practice your grip and proper balance.

Be aware of what your feet are doing and where they are. If you step on the baseline, you will be out of bounds. Taking excessive steps while not dribbling results in a call of walking as well as a turnover. A foul will result if you try to take a charge or set a pick and your feet are moving.

TIP! If a shot is taken from the corner and missed, the ball typically ends up across the court from the player. Figure out where it will land to grab the rebound.

Watch tapes of yourself playing basketball to get a more objective perspective. Can you see chances that you missed or ways that you could have done better? You can use this information to improve your game. Analyze your skills honestly so you can become the player you want to be.

TIP! You will be more balanced when landing after catching a rebound if you will land with legs spaced wider than shoulder-width apart. Hold the ball next to your chest with your hand on either side.

Practice looking in a different direction when you pass. This is a great technique in order to help confuse the opponents. If you do this fake the right way, then the receiver of the pass should have an advantage and a great look at the goal. It’s a great play if done properly.

TIP! Force your opponent to use his weaker hand. If your opponent favors their right side, step to them using your left foot.

You must disrupt your opponent’s game when you’re playing defense. Force them into an uncomfortable zone. Be aggressive as you execute your moves. Don’t let your opponent decide their own plays. 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.

TIP! Keep your anxiety level low when shooting. Maintain focus on the basket.

If you are in a defensive position, keep yourself low. This helps your reaction time against your opponent. Maintain this low stance with arms raised until a shot or high pass is made. When you block a shot, go back to a defensive form quickly.

TIP! Knowing when to pass and when to shoot is of utmost importance in the sport of basketball. You are better off cooperating to make a winning shot instead of hot-dogging and making a bad shot that loses the game.

You can improve a weak hand by using it in daily life. If your ability to use that hand starts to improve, the benefits to your basketball playing talents will be substantial. Keeping your opponents on their toes is an important part of basketball.

TIP! Really understand where your playing is weak. Maintain your personal integrity.

To increase your three-point shooting skill, shoot from where the NBA players range. High school lines, International standard lines, and college lines are closer. If you can make a basket from there, you will open up the defense because they will have to play you closely.

TIP! Dribble as hard as you can when practicing. A ball bounced harder travels more quickly, thereby giving your opponent less opportunity to try to steal it from you.

Try different shots from different places on the basketball court. You need to practice your grip and balance. While it is possible to shoot off balance, it isn’t always accurate. Pay attention to the air valve on the ball. Keep your dominant hand spread out, and place the palm on top of the valve; this is the basketball’s center.

TIP! Always pressure the man with the basketball when you are on defense. The opponent can only hold the ball or dribble for 5 seconds when you’re in 6 feet of them.

After a rebound has occurred, the spot where you are positioned will dictate whether possession is retained. Use both feet when jumping; this improves both height and control. Once you get the rebound, come down with both feet wider apart than your shoulders in order to secure good balance, and make sure the ball is held close to the chest.

TIP! Try to block every shot you can. It doesn’t matter if you are not assigned to cover the player with the ball.

A good thing to do on defense is to get your opponent near the sideline. Allowing your opponents to drive down the middle lets them have a wide array of possible plays. If you push your opponent toward the sidelines, their options will be limited.

TIP! It’s important to remember that basketball is a team sport. Sure, taking shots is exhilarating, but being a team player means you must also master passing.

As you can see, people around the world love basketball. This article shows that you must have basketball knowledge to play like the pros. Follow these tips to enhance your game and play at the top of your ability.