TIP! Focusing on the offense may come easily but you need to be able to focus on the defense as well., Defense is what stands between you and a win.

A great thing about basketball is the simplicity of being able to pick up the basics. The basics can be picked up in just a few minutes. But there’s still a lot to learn, and thee tips can help you get there.

TIP! Watch your form while you dribble the ball. You’ll want to use your fingertips to dribble instead of using your palm.

Look forward when dribbling. Lack of practice will manifest itself in looking down towards the ball when dribbling. You can practice dribbling almost anywhere. Dribble as you walk down the street. If you’re looking at the basketball, you won’t be able to see what is coming at you.

TIP! Look forward when dribbling. If you’ve got your eye on the ball while you’re dribbling, you haven’t mastered it yet.

If you have the ball a lot, learn to execute a crossover. Switch from one side to the other while dribbling. You have to do this quickly to be good at it. Once you have learned how to do a crossover, you can travel down the court quickly.

TIP! If you hold the ball a lot, you have to learn crossovers. Crossovers involve moving the ball from hand to hand.

Put the emphasis on your strengths can help you to be a better basketball player. While you may have a particular skill that isn’t going to make you stand out as the star player, honing it can help you become an integral part of your team’s success. Understand your strengths and use it to your advantage to help your team win!

Bounce Pass

TIP! Passing quickly without dribbling is a great way to practice. Playing without any dribbling is very hard, but builds your passing skills.

Every great player understands how to properly perform a bounce pass. In order for a bounce pass to be sufficient, the person should receive the ball around their waist. Letting the ball bounce close to the other person will help the accuracy of your pass. At the same time, take into account any other extraneous factors that may affect the pass.

TIP! Don’t pump a lot of iron if you wish to become a jump shooter. Strong muscles are certainly useful for basketball, but you can overdo it if you plan to play on the perimeter.

A good way to get your basketball game up to speed is to start trying to see how the pros are playing. You can do this by watching games in person and on television. Each player has their strengths and you can learn a lot from each one.

TIP! If you experience a basketball injury, don’t keep playing. Basketball is hard to play well even when you are healthy, so don’t push it.

Improve your passing abilities by challenging yourself to perform drills without actually dribbling. This helps to develop passing skills with your teammates, making it much more difficult if you’re standing in one spot and not dribbling. Don’t get too frustrated if you’re having a hard time when you start because after a while passes are going to be more accurate.

Core Muscles

TIP! Spreading out your fingers is key to handling the ball correctly. This can help you to remain in control of the ball at all times.

If your child is training to be a high school basketball player, make sure that they train their core muscles properly. The core is the following areas: abdominal muscles, lower back muscles and hip muscles. Stronger core muscles will help them be more resistant and allow them to develop many different athletic abilities. A strong core helps the legs move better, like jumping higher and running faster.

TIP! Quickness is a virtue in basketball. Developing speed and vision is vital to playing the game well.

Work on core strength when you work out. Your body is going to be more balanced and be able to move faster when you have strong core muscles. Work your ab, back, hip and buttocks muscles. Similar to boxers, jump rope to help increase speed and better your footwork.

TIP! To maximize your layups, take off with the foot that opposes your shooting hand. Practice shooting using your right hand, then jump off your left foot.

If you aren’t shooting the ball well, you need to concentrate on your shoulders. If your shoulders aren’t properly positioned, your shot is not going to go in. Your shoulders should always be squared towards the hoop. You should also make sure that your dominant shoulder is lined up with the rim.

TIP! Make sure that you can see clearly. This means more than just being able to see well enough to play, but “seeing” the court deeply.

If you want to make the most of your layup, push up from the foot that is opposite the hand you will shoot from. This means that if you shoot with your right hand, take off from your left foot. Doing this lets you maintain balance and movement towards the goal, while keeping your body in between your defender and your shot.

TIP! If you want to put pressure on the offense, you need to change the pace of things. Plant a foot and start to straighten your body.

You must disrupt your opponent’s game when you’re playing defense. Focus on getting them out of the comfort zone. Be aggressive in the moves you execute. Don’t let them dictate the game. This will give your opponent the chance to run over you. Try to interrupt their game plan by taking charge and controlling the tempo.

TIP! To increase the strength of your weaker hand, utilize it for doing everything, including brushing your teeth and opening jars. If your ability to use that hand starts to improve, the benefits to your basketball playing talents will be substantial.

Your forearms and hands should be strengthened if you wish to handle the ball better. Curling your wrists also help you improve your own dribbling. Making a goal isn’t just standing there as the ball miraculously comes to you and then shooting it at the basket. You have to be ready to move fast and change directions on a dime.

TIP! Make sure you don’t pick up your dribble unless you are prepared for a shot or pass. Once you stop dribbling, you are extremely limited in your options.

Always set your three-point shooting practice goal at the official NBA distance. College, as well as high school three-point lines are set at a shorter distance. Learning how to shoot from the NBA three point line can help you get better looks at the basket.

TIP! Practice dribbling while switching the momentum of your body from side to side. This will have you ready for a game, when you will need to move any direction on a moment’s notice.

Keep the action beneath your knees, if you can. This will make your opponent struggle to steal the ball from you. To help this occur, you must be bending, however it will speed up your efforts to move down the court.

TIP! Keep the action beneath your knees, if you can. The opposing team will have a harder time separating the ball from you.

Maybe you recently learned the rules of the game. Or, perhaps you have been on the court since a young age. Either way, the information here can help you improve your game. Use the knowledge you have gained to step up your game and become the best basketball player that you possibly can.