TIP! Make sure you are looking forward and looking up as you’re dribbling. By focusing your sight on the ball, you cannot be fully aware of your surroundings.

Basketball is a widely popular sport with many fans. If a basketball team wants to have happy fans, the team members must play well. Every teammate contributes, so taking time to figure out your skills can help you better your game. Start practicing today. Follow these tips to learn how to play basketball effectively and become an important member of your team.

TIP! Your balance is an important aspect to consider when you are shooting. You’ve seen the pros fall out-of-bounds and shoot a basket up to 300 feet away, however, this isn’t proper technique.

Dribbling the ball the right way needs to be done. You want to dribble with the tips of your fingers, not your whole hand. You’ll have a lot more control over the ball this way. Also, dribble off to the side instead of in front. The ball should bounce no higher than your waist. Look up, not down.

TIP! A good way to improve team passing to use a no dribbling drill, that is to play the game without dribbling at all. It is hard to play basketball without dribbling, and demands accurate passing and teamwork, so it will be a challenge.

Observing what the professionals do can be a great way to improve your game. Go to a bunch of professional games in person, watch them on television, or just get online to search for basketball videos. You are sure to notice the key skills each player has mastered, and from there you can start practicing.

TIP! A great way you can prepare for what happens on the basketball court is to avoid having your back to the ball. Always knowing where the ball is will make sure that you are ready if it quickly comes your way.

Practice your passes and catches frequently. When practicing make sure you drill yourself to catch errant throws as well as picture perfect passes. When the game is going on, every pass isn’t going to make it to its target. Therefore, learn how to catch any type of pass so that you can help lead your team to victory.

TIP! In order to handle the ball correctly, spread your fingers out. This can help you to remain in control of the ball at all times.

Don’t bulk up if you want to be good as a jump shooter. Even though having strong muscles is great for the inside game, being on the outside it can harm you when shooting the ball. Shooting guards that end up with bulked up arms sometimes find that it affects field goal percentages.

TIP! If you’re shooting isn’t what you’d like it to be, make sure that your shoulders are in the correct position. When you’re in a shooting slump it usually means that your shoulders are not square to the hoop.

Practice basketball in season and out of season. Even if you can’t get a bunch of people together to play, you can still practice on your own. This is perfectly acceptable. In solo games, you can accomplish quite a bit. Go to the free throw line and work on your shots. You can always practice something.

TIP! Always have an awareness of the location and movement of your feet. Out of bounds will happen with even one toe over the baseline of the lined play area on the court.

Good footwork is important when you’re posting up in the paint. There are two important points you must remember. You must create a physical presence below the basket, and you must secure a good spot in advance of your opponent. After positioning yourself on the court, make sure that you are secure. Good footwork is key to a good basketball game.

TIP! Ask someone to take a video of you playing and watch it. Do you see how you could’ve handled a situation differently? Be honest when assessing, but avoid being overly critical.

It is best to take a break if you sustain an injury while playing. This is a physically challenging game, so you may end up hurt much worse. Trying to play while injured will just make your situation worse. Be sure to seek medical care if you have a serious injury.

TIP! Having a pre-free-throw shot routine will help you become dependable at free throws. For example, many people touch their foreheads or tap their chest before making a free throw shot.

Build your core strength and work on your footwork. You will stay balanced if your core is strong. Focus on the back, buttocks, and hip muscle groups. Jump rope like the boxers do to increase your footwork speed.

TIP! Try practicing looking in the opposite direction when you pass. This will confuse your opponents.

Quickness is something that’s desired in basketball. You need to be faster than the opposing team if you want the advantage. Fast play is a result of heavy drilling. Just don’t play any faster than you’re able to. By playing beyond your speed capabilities, you will quickly lose control of the ball, which will lead to bad passes, bad shots, and turnovers.

TIP! When doing a layup, start running using the weaker of your two feet. When shooting right-handed, take off using the left foot.

Alter your pace to confuse the opposition. Plant a foot and start to straighten your body. The guard will assume you are reducing speed and will do the same. Once they slow their momentum, you can shoot past them with a burst of speed.

Strength Training

TIP! You need to constantly disrupt your opponents in order to be a great defensive player. You should work to make your opponent feel uncomfortable.

Basketball players can greatly benefit from strength training. In order to be the best you can at basketball, you need to be strong and hardy. Even young children can benefit from strength training. Adding weights in stronger increments is effective as the child becomes a teenager. The adult years are where strength training is crucial to maintain solid performance on the court.

TIP! Perform exercises to strengthen the muscles in your forearms and hands in order to maximize your ability to handle the ball. Try doing some wrist curls as they are particularly effective in honing your dribble skills.

Clearly, many things exist that can help bolster your game. When you improve your worth as a player, you can help to lead your team to victory while giving fans a taste of victory. Just a little knowledge can go a long way. You must do all that you can to help your team out. By following the advice in this article, you will shape yourself into the ultimate team player in no time at all.