
When you wish to better your basketball game, you must practice. That said, what’s the point in practicing when you aren’t doing it right in the first place? Keep reading to discover some great basketball tips to help you improve your game.
Learn proper dribbling. Use the fingertips, not the palm, for the best dribbling. This provides you with much more ball control. 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. Always look up and never look down at the ground.
Crossing over is a vital skill to have for handling the basketball. In a crossover, you transfer the basketball from hand to hand. That action has to be done fast to be successful. When done properly, crossover dribbling is a great way to quickly switch direction or move around the court in an efficient manner.
Concentrate on your strong points if you want to improve your game. 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. Realize your limitations, and roll with your talents.
Hitting free throws is a mental challenge as well as a physical one. You must train both your body and your mind. Relax and focus on your shot, and you can make it.
Core Muscles
If you have a kid that wants to play basketball in high school, be sure they’re working on their core muscles. These core muscles for basketball include your lower back, hips and abs. The core connects the lower and upper extremities, and if a person has a weak core, they will fail to excel in athletic pursuits. A core that’s solid and strong will allow you to use force that comes from your legs so you can jump higher and run faster.
To be a good post-up player in the pain, you need to have really good footwork. You must beat the opposing playing to an open spot. Having found a good spot, you must secure it. Both of those skills rely on solid footwork.
The key to ball control is to spread your fingers out. This makes sure that it does not escape away from your grip. Try to keep your palm off of the ball as well. Your fingers must be the only things contacting it when you shoot or pass the ball at the target.
Pay attention closely to the shoulders if you’re starting to slump when you shoot. When your shoulders are positioned improperly, you will never make the basket regardless of how good your abilities are. Be sure that your shoulders square up in front of the hoop. The shoulder that is dominant should be perfectly aligned with the hoop rim.
The best free throws come as a result of routine. This might mean that you dribble the ball twice, bend your knees, touch your forehead, or any other movement. If you make your routine consistent, your body will eventually know how to make the shot every time.
To generate consistency with layups, leap from the opposite foot from the hand you use to shoot. Thus, if you use your right hand for shooting, you need to push off using your left foot. Your body will be better balanced and moving in the direction of the basket. Your body will also be kept between the defender and yourself.
To get a rebound of a free throw that one of your teammates is taking, you need to be sly with your feet. The defender may be coming toward you, so its important to slip away from him and get the ball. This will allow you to score a rebound without getting penalized for a foul.
Be certain that your vision is the best it can be. You don’t need great vision just to keep score. Your peripheral vision should be the best it can be. If you’re looking around the whole court and not only at the ball, you’ll be able to look to the defense to see if pressure is coming and you can see who’s open.
Don’t leave your defensive stance. Slide both feet side to side, or just push off using the opposite foot. Avoid getting your feet cross as this makes it much more difficult for the opponent to get by you.
Have two of your guards wait for the point guard to go past midcourt for the best results. This is when they should trap him. While this is happening, your forwards must sprint toward players in the wings. Point guards need to throw up passes that your team’s forwards can steal easily.
Even if you only play basketball once in a while, these tips will help you out. Use a single tip at a time and incorporate it into your game play. You can improve your game in every way, just like professional.