TIP! A great way to hone your own basketball abilities is to watch the pros. Watch pro games on TV, or attend games in person.

When you give yourself game goals, you must practice to reach them. If you aren’t practicing right then there really is no use in practicing at all. These hints will introduce you to some interesting basketball techniques that you can then practice on the court.

TIP! Children who aspire to become great basketball players in high school must engage in physical fitness activities that focus on the core muscles. This is the hip area, the lower back, and the abs.

Many people forget that defense is as important as offense during practice. Defense is how you win a basketball game. Without good defense, a basketball team will lose the match.

TIP! When injuries occur on the court, it is unwise to keep on playing. It’s easy to be hurt when playing basketball.

Make sure to dribble properly. Proper dribbling technique involves use of the fingertips, not the palm of the hand. This method gives you much more control of the ball. Bounce only at the level of your waist at the side and not in front. Always look up and never look down at the ground.

Free Throw

TIP! Proper handling of the ball requires that your fingers be spread apart. You will have better luck holding onto the ball as well.

Figure out how to perfect your free throw. It seems easy to do but surely isn’t. When practicing your free throw, concentrate on where you want the ball to go when it leaves your hands. To start off, hold the ball in front of you. Concentrate on the basket and visualize the basketball going in. Then shoot! Shoot the ball in the trajectory you imagined.

TIP! Quickness is a virtue in basketball. Try playing faster than the opponents for a better advantage.

If you want to improve your game, play up your strengths. 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. Focus on the skills you have and work to make them better.

TIP! Consistency in your approach is vital to becoming solid at free throws. This could mean two dribbles before taking your free throw, bending your knees, or some other thing you do to get into a rhythm before shooting.

Practice layups often. Layups account for up to 80 percent of the shots taken during a game. It’s critical to practice running towards the basket at full speed and following up with a good jump and smooth shot. This running and jumping technique will help you learn how to jump and shoot better during the game.

TIP! Practice passing while looking another way. Your opponents can really get confused by this, as well.

Free throws are as mental as physical. You may know how to make a free throw but if your focus is off, then you will miss. Stay relaxed and just focus on the goal and you will increase your free throw rate.

TIP! Practice dribbling with your weak hand as much as possible. Being able to effortlessly dribble with both hands gives you the ability to run both sides on an opponent and keep them off guard.

Play basketball against yourself even during the off-season. You may not always be able to find someone to play with you. That is okay. There’s still a lot that you can do playing on your own. You can practice many different techniques, such as your free throw routine. You can always find things to practice.

TIP! A good drill to try is the five dribble drill. You try to get the ball the entire length of the court in only five dribbles.

If your child is training to be a high school basketball player, make sure that they train their core muscles properly. Show them how to exercise their hips, lower back 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. Building a solid core helps maintain the leg strength that lies at the core of a strong game.

TIP! Never break your defensive stance as this will assure you are in your proper position for defense. Use your opposite foot to push with or slide your feet around.

It need not matter how much you play the game of basketball, the tips here will help improve your game all the time. Just start with one tip and watch your game improve. You can make every shot count, pass better, rebound like a pro and overall improve how you play every day.