TIP! Make sure you are looking forward and looking up as you’re dribbling. If you’ve got your eye on the ball while you’re dribbling, you haven’t mastered it yet.

If being a basketball player is something you want to do, you have to work hard at it and practice a lot. Even if you’re only playing fun, don’t you want to play well? Reading the information here should help you make some improvements in your future basketball games.

Crossover Dribble

TIP! Make sure you spend your time focusing on your strengths. Your skills might not make you an all-start every time out, but playing up your strengths makes you a great contributor.

Crossovers are very important if you’re a ball handler. Crossover dribble is switching hands while you’re dribbling. It has to be done fast to be effective. When you do it right, the crossover dribble helps you alter directions and go down the court faster.

TIP! Make sure that you practice your layups frequently. During any game, layups make up about 75 percent of the game.

If you want to improve your game, play up your strengths. Your talents might not make you a star, but when you make the most of your strengths, you might better contribute to your team. Know the things you’re great at and keep practicing until there is no one better than you.

TIP! You have to know how to bounce pass properly. A good bounce pass should hit the player on the receiving end at waist level.

Free throws require as much mental focus as physical skill. You must train both your body and your mind. Relax and concentrate on your basket to increase your free throws.

TIP! Jump shooters should not also be iron pumpers. You do need muscle conditioning and strength, but you can have too much when it comes to shooting field goals.

Better your basketball skills by watching the pros play. Whether seeing an all-pro on YouTube, attending a game in person, or sitting on the couch with buddies to watch your local professional team, there are many chances to observe the best. You are sure to notice the key skills each player has mastered, and from there you can start practicing.

TIP! Good footwork is important when you’re posting up in the paint. Focus on positioning yourself more quickly than the opposing player is just as important as having someone beneath the hoop.

If you’re a jump shooter, don’t lift weights too often. Muscle is good, but you can have too much. There have been instances where great shooters bulk up so much that it adversely affects their shooting percentage.

TIP! One of the best ways to play a strong defensive game is to know your opponent. Watch taped games, and keep current with scouting reports.

How would you like to trick the opposing team? Try using a back pass! To properly perform this pass you will need to have the ball in your dominant hand. With that same hand, bring the ball around your back. And last, flick the wrist in the direction you want the ball to go. It is an effective means of confusing your opponents.

TIP! Do your free throw shooting the same way every time. You could dribble twice, touch your forehead, bend your knees, or some other kinds of movements.

Use hand signals to avoid errant passes. It can be frustrating passing to a teammate when you’re both heading to the basket. The use of hand signals can help you avoid this difficulty. Without a signal, the ball controller shouldn’t make a pass.

TIP! If an opponent is staying with you, try passing the ball between your legs. Bounce the ball very hard through your legs while stepping to the front or the back.

If you experience a basketball injury, don’t keep playing. It is possible to receive an injury when playing basketball because it is a sport that is physically challenging. Trying to play while injured will just make your situation worse. Serious injuries may require medical attention.

TIP! You should ensure that you can clearly see. Vision is an integral part of making shots and catching passes.

When you’re trying to work out, you should build up your core strength while getting your footwork perfected. Your body will be more stable and easier to move when you have strength in your core muscles. The most important muscle groups include your back, stomach, and pelvic region. Just like boxers, you can improve your footwork and speed by jumping rope.

TIP! One of the best ways to always be in proper defensive position is to never break out of the defensive stance. Slide your feet to and fro or use your opposing foot to push off to maintain your position.

Ask someone to take a video of you playing and watch it. Did you spot something that could be improved? Be honest with yourself, but avoid being too critical. Sometimes, it helps a lot to see yourself as you really are and not as just you imagine yourself to be.

TIP! Alternating your pace is critical to keeping the defense guessing. You can try faking a jump shot by planting quickly, and straightening your body.

Passing between the legs is great when you are being closely guarded. Bounce the ball very hard through your legs while stepping to the front or the back. Mastering this technique can give you a significant advantage.

TIP! You can improve a weak hand by using it in daily life. Try becoming ambidextrous outside of the court, and you will soon find that you do not have a weaker hand when playing basketball.

You need to work on your forearms and your hands to handle the ball more efficiently. Wrist curls are especially effective at making you better able to handle a basketball like you could dribble sleepwalking. Making a goal isn’t just standing there as the ball miraculously comes to you and then shooting it at the basket. You have to start moving the basketball around to get things to happen.

TIP! Keep dribbling until you want to shoot or pass. Once you stop dribbling, you are extremely limited in your options.

You need to take charge when the opportunity presents itself. This allows you to get the ball back for your team, setting up a foul. This may lower the other team’s morale, and it gives you a chance to take the offensive when play resumes.

TIP! Keep dribbling in the same rhythm, until finally you would like to throw the person guarding you off guard. Changing your pace quickly can take the other player by surprise and give you an advantage.

It can help your basketball skills when you strength train. Being physically tough is as important as having the stamina to keep up with the game. Small kids who play stand to reap real benefits from strengthening their legs and arms. As the teenage years approach, weights can be used for even greater impact. During the adult years, strength training is vital to keeping on-court performance at a high level.

TIP! Be sure to practice good teamwork on the court and off. Basketball is something that can work in a team’s favor if they all work together well.

Only stop dribbling when you are prepared to shoot or pass. Standing there without dribbling takes away most of your options on offense. If you can’t shoot or pass, then you will have to pivot with your back foot. This leaves you vulnerable to being double teamed by members of the opposing team, and it is far more likely that the ball will be stolen.

TIP! When playing defense, push your opponent over to the sideline. Letting a player continue to work down the middle of the floor will leave them with many options.

Switch your body’s weight from side to side while practicing your dribbling. Remember that you must dribble in a variety of situations during a basketball game. You might have a truly open court, but you might also be dealing with an onslaught of opposition. Remember to dribble while leaning in various directions. This can help you find your way out of trouble.

TIP! When working out, make sure to jot down what you must achieve. Do not approach your gym visits without a solid plan of attack.

Use the hand you’re not dribbling with to create a barrier between the ball and the opponent. Avoid physical contact like pushing, but keep the ball from them by separating them from it. Keep it up a little bit while you dribble.

TIP! For more advanced players, dribbling is mental and physical. You have to be able to do the math in your head about how to control the ball.

To become a great player talk with your teammates and learn what they have planned. Basketball requires a team. Therefore offense and defense do not play one-on-one. Instead, all players help and support one another. Talk to them and let them know you need help and you will all play better.

TIP! Basketball is a game that relies on good communication. You should do this while practicing.

It is time for you to take the tips here and put them into action. If you use the above advice, you are sure to see a positive shift in your game. Those three things are keys to success.