TIP! It’s simple to want to work on offense when you’re getting into basketball, but it’s smarter to think about defense practice too. Defense ultimately determines the winner of a game of basketball.

A great thing about basketball is the fact that the fundamentals are easy to learn. Basic techniques can be learned in a couple minutes. That said, to learn even advanced techniques, read on.

TIP! Dribbling the ball the right way needs to be done. Proper dribbling technique involves use of the fingertips, not the palm of the hand.

Perfect your layup technique. Layups comprise approximately 80 percent of all shots. Don’t just walk through a layup drill. It is key to go at game tempo to practice the timing needed to maintain accuracy. This running and jumping technique will help you learn how to jump and shoot better during the game.

TIP! Practice shooting free throws. The execution of a free throw is not as simple as it may appear.

Observing what the professionals do can be a great way to improve your game. Go to games, watch them on TV and you can also watch videos. You’ll notice that each player has a skill that they are great at. Choose a move that you like and start practicing it.

TIP! Connecting on your free throws is as much mental as it is physical. You can teach your body to make a free throw properly, but unless you are properly prepared mentally, you may not succeed.

Practice catching passes often. Try to catch all of the passes that are thrown to you. When the game is going on, every pass isn’t going to make it to its target. You can do the rest of your team a favor by practicing how you can best complete imperfect passes.

TIP! If you have a child that is strength training for basketball, their core muscles should be properly developed. Core muscles are comprised of the hips, lower back, and abdominal muscles.

Remember to practice a lot of different possibilities so that you will not limit your game. While a great portion of a game will be concentrated in the zone, your rivals could opt to go to man-to-man covering to keep you guessing. If you are unprepared, you may lose the match fast.

TIP! Don’t play while injured or else your injury will worsen. It’s a challenging sport that’s very physical, and you have the ability to get injured.

Never turn away from the ball so that you can always be prepared for what’s coming. This will help you stay on top of quick changes in possession or plays attempted by your opponent. You will want to keep extra attention on areas that could improve your position as well.

TIP! Whenever you work out, practice footwork and work on your core strength. Your body will maintain balance and move more quickly when your core muscles are strong.

Always have an awareness of the location and movement of your feet. You want to make sure you don’t step over the bounds by even a teeny bit. Going too many steps with no dribbling is a waking call and turnover situation. Also, when you’re moving your feet when a screen is being set, you can take a charge or pick to try and get a foul.

TIP! A good basketball player is really quick on his feet. Always stay ahead of the opposition.

If your opponent is pressing hard, you can give yourself some room to work by dribbling the ball between your legs. To practice this skill, bounce the ball between your legs so that it passes through as you step back and forth. This move can give you an advantage when playing a tough defense.

Free Throws

TIP! Learn how to dribble and pass between your legs in case you are being guarded very tightly. Practice dribbling the ball between your legs.

To help you shoot better free throws you need to come up with a consistent routine. If you stay inconsistent, you miss a shot. Practice makes perfect when shooting free throws. If you break your routine, you’ll start missing shots.

TIP! Perform exercises to strengthen the muscles in your forearms and hands in order to maximize your ability to handle the ball. Wrist curls work well at helping you handle the ball.

The key to great defense is being a nuisance to the player you are guarding. Take them out of their own comfort zone. Use aggression with your moves. You don’t want the defense choosing your plays so to speak. If you let them, they’ll totally take the control from you. Make your moves first and end their patterns.

TIP! Perform drills in which you move the ball up the court in just five dribbles. This might not seem possible, but if you can do it your speed and length will strengthen.

Build up your forearms to become a better ball handler. Try doing some wrist curls as they are particularly effective in honing your dribble skills. Don’t believe you will be able to simply plant yourself someplace, receive the ball and sink a shot. Things rarely happen unless you are actually moving the basketball.

TIP! Mix things up offensively to keep the other team’s defense off-balance. When you are getting closer to the net, put your foot out and straighten up your body.

A good basketball drill to perform is to see if you can get the ball down the entire court in 5 or less dribbles. This may seem to be too difficult at first, but once you’re able to do it you’ll have a lot of speed and stride length. This may mean you can get your team some numbers for a period of time, or you can do easy lay-ups.

TIP! Building strength improves your basketball game. In addition to strength, stamina is key in basketball.

You might be a complete novice at basketball. Maybe you have played since you were a little kid. Either way, you can benefit from the information contained within this article. Make use of this advice the next time you step onto the court.

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