Trying To Improve Your Basketball Skills? Check Out These Ideas!

by | May 6, 2022 | Basketball

TIP! Learn proper dribbling. Proper dribbling technique involves use of the fingertips, not the palm of the hand.

Your first basketball match was a whole different ballgame. You explored passing, dribbling and shooting. Now, you feel like you are the game’s master. The information below will teach you to be a better ball player.

TIP! You should often work on your layups. Almost 80% of shots will be layups.

When dribbling, focus on what’s in front of you by keeping your head up. Lack of practice will manifest itself in looking down towards the ball when dribbling. If you are just getting started, bring your ball with you everywhere. Dribble as you walk to the market. If you look your ball, you can’t see the court.

TIP! Free throws are as much mental as they are physical, like other parts of the game. You can train your body to complete the motions of making a free throw, but if you are mentally prepared to fail, you will.

It is important that you practice layups. Layups comprise approximately 80 percent of all shots. During practice you want to get up enough speed to quickly get to the rim then easily lay the ball towards the hoop. Running and jumping well in practice means better jump shooting in actual games.

TIP! A good way to practice sound passing is to drill without dribbling. While this may be difficult, it gets you used to finding teammates and thinking on the run.

A great way to learn how to pass is by doing drills often with no dribbling. It’s tough to play basketball minus the dribbling, and it causes you to pass accurately. Work through the initial frustration and see how the challenge will improve your game in the long run.

TIP! If you are posting up, strategic footwork is important to becoming open and making a good shot. Although a strong presence in the key is important, beating your opponent to good spots on the floor is more important.

If there’s no one around to play with, it is okay to play a basketball game by yourself. There are times you may not find anyone to play with you. That is not a problem. Playing on your own can give you the chance to work on isolated areas of your game. Maybe work on those free throws or practice your pivoting. You can always do something.

Core Muscles

TIP! Passing between your legs can be helpful when the other team is riding you hard. Bounce the ball very hard through your legs while stepping to the front or the back.

If you have a kid that wants to play basketball in high school, be sure they’re working on their core muscles. Core muscles include the hips, abs, and lower back. The core is what holds the body in balance and allows the limbs to work well. A well developed core lets a player generate force with their legs to be applied to faster running and jumping higher.

TIP! Build a routine to improve your free throw game. If you stay inconsistent, you miss a shot.

If you get hurt during a basketball game, don’t try to play while in pain. The sport of basketball is very physical, which makes one susceptible to injury. If you continue playing, you could make the injury even worse. Anytime you have a serious injury, you should seek medical attention.

TIP! In basketball, strength is important, so do strength training. In order to play well, you will need to work on both your strength and stamina.

Never turn away from the ball so that you can always be prepared for what’s coming. Always knowing where the ball is will make sure that you are ready if it quickly comes your way. Also, keep your eyes on areas that open up on the court for an easy basket.

TIP! When you dribble, bend your knees. The ball is harder to control dribbling when you stand up straight.

Make sure your fingers are apart from one another when dribbling. That makes it less likely that you lose control of the ball. You should avoid having your palm touching the ball. Only your fingers should touch it during a pass or when dribbling.

TIP! To get better at three-point shots, work on shooting from the NBA three-point line. College, as well as high school three-point lines are set at a shorter distance.

To be a good dribbler, and a more versatile player, you have to develop not only your dominant hand but your weaker side as well. If you have two hands that can dribble the ball effortlessly then it becomes easier to get by your opponent. Make an effort to dribble with your weak hand by keeping your dominant hand away from the front. You will get new dribbling skills with your weak hand.

TIP! To succeed in basketball you should learn how to change the path of your opponent. With practice, you can learn how to control the path of others players with your footwork.

To rebound a free throw, you have to be quick. You’ll have a defender coming at you and this means you have to figure out what can be done to get around them. Doing so will allow you to get the rebound sans a foul.

TIP! If you are assigned to defend someone bigger than you are, try staying in the passing lane between your man and the current ball handler. This prevents them from getting the pass, which helps them not have the chance to shoot over you.

Dribble hard to avoid ball stealing. A hard dribble returns the ball back to you faster, leaving less chance of it being snatched by the other team. If you have somebody guarding you very closely, pass the ball to an open teammate.

TIP! Try always focusing on the location the ball goes after it exits your teams’ hands or the opponents’ hands. Rebounds are essential to the game.

A great drill to try is to see how many dribbles it takes for you to make it across the court. The ideal number of dribbles is five. 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 drill can help you to have success with lay-ups during a fast break.

TIP! Be sure you understand how important good passing is. Good passing helps beat your opponent.

Accept a charge when you can. This allows you to get the ball back for your team, setting up a foul. Perfecting this play can really give you an advantage on the court.

TIP! Recognize the bad aspects of your game. Be true to yourself.

When you dribble, bend your knees. It makes it much easier to control the ball while dribbling as opposed to standing straight up, which makes controlling the ball much harder. To help out your ball control, try bending the knees.

TIP! When you’re playing defense, one of the best things you can do is force your opponent to the sideline. A player who penetrates the center of the court will have far too many options.

Keep on dribbling until your shot or passing opportunity is imminent. When you stop dribbling, then you limit your options. If you cannot pass or shoot, you can only pivot with your back foot. That leaves you wide open to double teaming by your opponents and the potential of a stolen ball goes way up.

TIP! Practice your pump fake often. There are a number of tactics you can shoot with, but a pump fake is one of the more powerful ones.

With all of the fabulous advice you’ve received, only you stand in your way. Make sure you practice hard to reach your goals. By using these tips, you’ll be able to become a better basketball player in no time.