TIP! Watch your form while you dribble the ball. When you dribble, use the fingertips, not the palm.

The right advice and professional information is all it takes to get started in the right direction. Don’t know the rules? Never fret! It’s easy to learn more about basketball. Read this post to learn a lot about basketball, so you’ll love playing and watching even more.

TIP! Free throws are an excellent skill to practice in your spare time. This is one of those shots that seem easy but in real life are difficult.

When you dribble, look forward, keeping your head up. You haven’t practiced enough if you keep looking at the basketball while you’re dribbling. Carry your basketball everywhere. If you are heading down to the market, dribble as you go. Get used to looking up as you go so that you can focus your attention on the court and not on your hands and the ball.

TIP! When dribbling, focus on what’s in front of you by keeping your head up. If you have to ever look at the ball while dribbling, then you haven’t practiced that enough.

Shooting has much to do with proper balance. Many the professional player can be seen slipping out of bounds or making baskets from far away, but these are not proper techniques. Professional basketball players tend to improvise when need be. When you shoot, you should always be properly balanced, which will help you make more baskets more consistently.

TIP! Keep your weight lifting to a minimum as a jump shooter. Muscle flexibility is more important than muscle mass.

Any good basketball player needs to know how to make a layup. Eighty percent of the shots taken in a game are layups. The best practice strategy is to go full tilt toward the hoop, then do a smooth jump shot. Jump to the net and concentrate on shooting the ball in a specific location on the backboard.

TIP! If there’s no one around to play with, it is okay to play a basketball game by yourself. Basketball is a multiple player sport, but other people won’t always be around.

Learn how a bounce pass is thrown. Bounce passes should not go above or below the receiving players waist. One good rule of thumb is to bounce the ball around three quarters of the way to the other player. There are many factors which come into play, though.

TIP! Make use of hand signals so that wild passes can be avoided. One things that’s frustrating in basketball is passing to a teammate while they try heading to the basket.

Free throws are mental as well as physical. Training your body is important, but you also have to be mentally ready for the shot. Relax, take your time and be focused.

TIP! Ask your teammates what they like about how you play. You may have a certain skill that you have perfected.

Talk to your teammates and find out what they like about your game. Is there something that you excel at? Perhaps you have good dribbling skills or maybe your footwork is enviable. Learn what the other people around you see while you are playing and it may open your eyes to new areas for practice.

TIP! Build your core strength and work on your footwork. A strong core allows you to be more balanced during games.

A great way you can prepare for what happens on the basketball court is to avoid having your back to the ball. This helps keep you aware of the action, and it takes away the surprise factor. Pay attention to open areas for passes, too.

TIP! You need to be quick to play good basketball. If you want the advantage, you’ve got more quickly.

You can improve your control of the ball by spreading your fingers. This keeps it under control. Avoid putting your palm on the ball, too. You should only use your fingers to touch the ball when passing or shooting.

TIP! You can prevent other players from stealing the ball from you by dribbling hard. This means you get the ball back from your opponent faster.

Try practicing how to pass while looking in another direction. This will easily confuse your opponents. By looking in the opposite direction, your teammate has a few extra seconds to make the shot. If you can master this move, it can really work in your favor.

TIP! When you have the chance, take charge. Letting the other guy run into you stops the game without having to use a time out, and adds another four to the opponent’s total.

If you want improve your free throws, you have to develop a routine. Inconsistency will ruin your shots. The most effective method to achieve a great free throw is by practicing it repeatedly until you get it right. If you alter your routine then chances are the shot will not be good.

TIP! Never break your defensive stance when playing ball. Slide your feet from side to side or push off with your opposing foot so that you are always in position.

Dribble the ball hard to keep it from being stolen. The ball bounces faster, giving the guard less time to steal. If the defense gets to be too much, look to pass the ball to someone who is open.

Strength Training

TIP! One way to increase your three-point skill is to practice at the NBA range. Remember that high school, college and international standard lines are all shorter than the NBA distance.

Improve your basketball skills by incorporating strength training into your fitness regimen. You need both stamina and strength to be a good player. It can help young kids get the exercise they need. Use weights when they get older. During the adult years, strength training is vital to keeping on-court performance at a high level.

TIP! Make sure your off-court exercise is appropriate to help your on-court game. Running for short quick bursts at a time will help you become quicker, and running long distance can help with stamina.

You can improve your shooting skills by practicing with shots from different spots on the court. If you wish to get even better at this, try dribbling and then stopping to make a quick shot. While in the air check out your target, but never before that. You will increase your level of accuracy and create an experience closer to real game play.

TIP! The easiest way to do well at basketball is to speak with the team to see what everyone is up to. A good basketball team consists of players who understand that this is not an individual sport.

The goal to improving a game is building conversation with your teammates. Basketball is considered a team sport. This means you can’t plan your strategy without taking your teammates into account. Be there for your teammates is important. Speak to others and tell them when you’ll need help so everyone can play better.

TIP! Your diet is key to being a better player. If you want to have plenty of energy to play, you should take in plenty of complex carbohydrates, healthy fats and lean sources of protein.

These tips should help you get started on improving your game. Now you have more skills to practice, which will help you play a better game. Take the things you’ve just learned here so you can get better at basketball, or just figure out how to adjust your TV to watch the pros go at it!