Basketball is a sport that has been much loved by young and old alike for decades. However, many people don’t know what involves really mastering the game. Anyone wishing to enjoy basketball more and make improvements in playing technique will benefit from the information presented here.
Practice your defense more than your offense. You can win a game, thanks to good defense. The offense gets lots of attention, but if the defense is lacking no basketball team will ever win a game.
Dribble the ball the right way. You’ll want to use your fingertips to dribble instead of using your palm. Dribbling this way improves your ball control dramatically. You should be dribbling the ball at your side instead of in front of your body. The ball should always be dribbled at waist level. Never look at the ball; instead, look forward.
If you hold the ball a lot, you have to learn crossovers. This move entails transferring the basketball from your left hand to your right hand and back again. This action most be quick to work out. After doing so correctly, a crossover gives you greater control over the court’s flow.
Practice layups often. Layups sometimes wind up being 4 out of every 5 shots in basketball. Run as fast as possible, while jumping and performing a smooth shot. Like everything, practicing at game speed will only improve your skill and have you ready to play at the fastest pace.
It is important to know the right way to throw a bounce pass. Good bounce passes need to hit the other player waist length when they receive it. One good rule is for you to bounce the basketball most of the way toward the other player. Although, there will be other circumstances that are involved too.
Would you like to learn how to fool your opponent? Try a back pass. Hold the ball in your strong hand to start the pass. Move the ball so that it is behind you. Flick your wrists in the direction that it must travel. This will confuse the opposition.
Core Muscles
Your child should work on their core muscles if they want to become a basketball player in high school. Core muscles are comprised of the hips, lower back, and abdominal muscles. The core links both the lower and upper extremities. Without a strong core, they will have limited athletic performance. A strong, sturdy core allows force from the legs to fuel movements like running and jumping.
You should ask your teammates about your strengths and weaknesses. Do you do something particularly well? They may say you’re fast or that you share well. Improve the skills where you tend to be a bit weaker while maintaining your stronger skills.
If you’re looking to be the best defensive player that you can be, you’ll want to know your opponent. Study video tape on your opponent and read over any scouting reports. See if you can determine each players strong and weak sides. The more you understand what you are up against, the more likely you are to develop an effective strategy during games. Knowledge is power, even in basketball.
Learn how to dribble and pass between your legs in case you are being guarded very tightly. This can be practiced by dribbling the ball as hard as you can between the legs while you step in either direction. This move can give you an advantage when playing a tough defense.
When you’re practicing passing, try to look the other way. This will easily confuse your opponents. By looking in the opposite direction, your teammate has a few extra seconds to make the shot. When completed correctly, it creates an awesome play.
If you want to better your dribble, start practicing with your weaker hand. If you’re using both hands to dribble the ball well then you can get by an opponent easily. If you find it difficult to continue using your weak hand, make your strong hand unusable. Eventually, your weak hand will be trained to dribble properly.
You can prevent other players from stealing the ball from you by dribbling hard. This causes the ball to return to your hand more quickly, so the offense has less time to try to get it away from you. If an opposing player is guarding you to the point where you can’t dribble well, it’s time to pass to an open teammate.
Drills should be done where you attempt to get your basketball up the court within five dribbles or even less than that. You will need to learn how to push the basketball in front of you while making long strides. This will help you accomplish great layups on those fast breaks.
It can help your basketball skills when you strength train. Strength and stamina are both needed to excel at basketball. Small kids who play stand to reap real benefits from strengthening their legs and arms. As they age, begin adding weights to their exercise routine. Then they will be ready to really learn the skills that really make an excellent player.
It is hard to argue that basketball is one of the most popular sports in American life. Knowledge is the key to getting the most you can out of the sport. Use the information you learned today to help take your love for this game to an entirely new level of satisfaction.