What should you know about playing basketball? How can I hone my skills? The knowledge found in this article will help you master the game.

TIP! Know how to dribble the ball in the correct way. You’ll want to use your fingertips to dribble instead of using your palm.

Frequently train yourself on your pass catching moves. Don’t just work on waist-level, perfect passes, though, work on receiving tougher passes as well. During the game, not all passes will go where they’re intended. Make sure that your teammates also practice this type of pass with you.

TIP! Make sure you learn how to shoot free throws. This kind of shot seems easy, but it really is not.

If you want to be a jump shooter, avoid pumping iron excessively. Muscle flexibility is more important than muscle mass. Some guards increase their upper body to the point of harming their field goals.

TIP! Balance is essential to 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.

Quick and solid footwork is what it takes to make the shot when your posting up. While physical positioning is important, it is even more essential to move quicker than an opponent. Once you get into your position, you need to secure it. Footwork, therefore, is crucial.

Playing Fast

TIP! Practice your bounce pass. If done properly, the pass will land near waist level with the opposite player.

If you’re quick on the basketball court, you have a built in advantage. Gaining agility and speed will give you the upper hand when playing a game of basketball. To increase your quickness, you must practice playing fast while running drills. Don’t try playing fast until you can. Playing beyond your capabilities will lead to bad passes and lots of turnovers.

TIP! Work on catching passes frequently. Make sure you get used to catching less than perfect passes smoothly.

It can help you when you pass through your legs. This will make it very hard for your defender to get it. Mastering this skill will provide you with a major advantage on the court.

TIP! A good way to improve team passing to use a no dribbling drill, that is to play the game without dribbling at all. This is very hard to accomplish, but it forces you and your fellow players to work on accurate passing skills.

In order to be successful with layups, the foot that is opposite from shooting hand is the one you should take off from. That means, if you shoot right-handed, use your left foot for taking off. Also, this will improve your balance as you approach the basket.

TIP! If you have a child who has expressed interest in becoming a basketball player in high school, make sure he trains his core muscles. Core muscles include the hips, abs, and lower back.

You must disrupt your opponent’s game when you’re playing defense. Do not allow your opponent to become comfortable with their style, or yours. Execute aggressive moves. You don’t want the defense choosing your plays so to speak. If don’t play aggressively, you opponent will run you down. Make your moves first and end their patterns.

TIP! Practice passing while not looking in the direction of the pass. You are able to confuse opponents with this technique.

Dribble hard if you don’t want the ball taken from you. This makes the ball go back to your hand quicker, so offense has reduced chances at taking it from you. If the defense gets to be too much, look to pass the ball to someone who is open.

TIP! Do drills where you try and get the basketball up a full-court in five dribbles or less. You will need to learn how to push the basketball in front of you while making long strides.

Be sure that your site is good. Your eyesight will affect more than just making shots. Your peripheral vision needs to be as strong as possible. This will help you to find open teammates and keep an eye out for the defensive players.

TIP! If you wish to do better a shooting three pointers, you should do it from where NBA players shoot from. School and the international standard lines are nearer than that.

One of the best ways to always be in proper defensive position is to never break out of the defensive stance. To do this, avoid lurching or stepping across the floor; instead use smaller, shuffling steps to move with your opponent. Don’t cross your feet and no one will get around you.

TIP! Keep the ball below knee level if possible. This is going to make things harder for your opponents if they want to steal the ball.

The first step when dribbling is to bend at your knees instead of standing straight-legged. When you are rigid, the ball is not only hard to control, it is also an easier target for a rival to steal. Bending your knees slightly can really make a difference in the way you control the ball.

TIP! Make sure your off-court exercise is appropriate to help your on-court game. Running sprints helps you get faster for individual plays, and long-distance running is better for improving your game stamina.

Improve your shooting skills by taking hundreds of different shots from all angles and distances. Taking quick shots during practice will help you during the game when the pressure is on. Hone in on your target while you are jumping, but not before you leave the ground. This will mimic game conditions and help improve your accuracy.

TIP! Double dribbling is not a habit you want to get into. This occurs whenever you resume dribbling after a brief pause.

It is important that you remain in control of the ball despite which way your body is going. This will help you learn to dribble during all different kinds of situations. You’ll have people guarding you on all sides. You have to figure out how you can dribble while you’re working with your body leaning. This will help get you out of jams quickly.

TIP! After a rebound has occurred, the spot where you are positioned will dictate whether possession is retained. Jump using both feet for increased power and stability and grab the ball using both hands.

Make sure the ball doesn’t bounce above your knees when you dribble. This is going to make things harder for your opponents if they want to steal the ball. You’ll have to bend down a little to do this, but you’ll find you move more quickly down the court because your opponents aren’t able to impede your progress.

TIP! It is important to know what to do when the ball comes to you. Should you shoot it or pass it? It’s better to assist a goal, than the team to lose a play.

Create a barrier between the ball and your opponent with the hand you are not using for dribbling. You don’t need to push any opponents since that’s a foul, but try using your non-dribbling arm like a separator for keeping the ball safe. You should try to keep your barrier arm up slightly when you are dribbling.

TIP! A dribble that’s penetrating is something you have to do when you’re up against a zone defense. If you pass the defender en route to your lane, the opposing team has no choice but to collapse or shift the ball.

Stay in communication with your teammates. Each team has multiple players on it. Playing with the same teammates often helps you understand what they are thinking. Everyone helps everyone else. Speak with them and make them aware of when you require assistance so that all of you play better.

TIP! You should be aware of your weaknesses in basketball. And that starts with being honest about your skills.

Do you now know the answers to your questions? Can you take the whole court by storm? Are you able to handle the fact that you’re going to do the best at basketball that you’ve ever done because of this article? Go forward, start practicing, implement these tips and find the great rewards you will get as a result.