It is clear from fans around the world that the game of basketball brings happiness to so many people around the world. Many people don’t know all that there is to know about this game. Continue reading to find out the best basketball techniques available.
If you have the ball a lot, learn to execute a crossover. Moving the ball from hand to hand is a crossover. This should be something you do quickly. One done the right way, the crossover dribble can help you change directions and get down the court more efficiently.
Crossing over is a vital skill to have for handling the basketball. When you do a crossover, you move the basketball very fast from one hand over to the other hand. The action needs to be performed quickly in order to be successful. Once you’ve learned how to use it, the crossover dribble makes it easy to navigate the court in a more effective way.
Passing quickly without dribbling is a great way to practice. Playing without any dribbling is very hard, but builds your passing skills. Don’t get too frustrated if you’re having a hard time when you start because after a while passes are going to be more accurate.
You should ask your teammates about your strengths and weaknesses. Are you great at any one thing? You may be quick with your footwork or are always there for backing them up. Determine what others like about your game and fine tune those skills.
Don’t bulk up if you want to be good as a jump shooter. Though muscle strength is great to have with any sport, it is very possible to be too buff for serious game play. Some professional shooting guards made their arms so big that it started decreasing their field goal percentage.
Holding Onto
During your workouts, concentrate on improving your footwork as well as your core strength. You will stay balanced if your core is strong. Your hip, buttocks, back and abdomen muscles need to be worked on. Jumping rope is great for improving your footwork and also helping you to gain speed.
Keeping your fingers spread wide is important for holding onto the ball. You will have better luck holding onto the ball as well. However, remember to keep your palm away from the ball. Only your fingers should touch it during a pass or when dribbling.
Watch your shoulders if you obtain a shooting slump. If you have bad shoulder position it doesn’t matter how great you are the shot isn’t going to go in. Your shoulders should be facing the hoop. Then, make sure that your shooting side is lined up directly to the rim.
Understanding your opponent is a good way to shut him down on defense. Watch tapes and be sure you’re paying attention to scouting reports. Also know which is their dominant and weak hands. Once you start to get to know the other team, you can do a lot better when you’re on defense. One of the most important keys to being a solid defender is an understanding of your opponent.
Speed is one of the best virtues when playing basketball. Try playing faster than the opponents for a better advantage. Regular drilling will increase your speed. Just don’t play any faster than you’re able to. You will end up in a turnover if you play too fast.
Quickness is a key skill in basketball. To get an advantage over an opposing player, you must have the quickest reactions. Playing fast requires steady drilling. Make sure you never play past the speed you are comfortable. When you play too fast, you can lose control and that means turnovers.
Practice with your weak hand when it comes to dribbling. Dribbling with both hands helps you gain the upper one. If you find it difficult to continue using your weak hand, make your strong hand unusable. Very soon, you will develop dribbling skills with the hand you considered weak.
Create a routine to improve your free throw success. A consistent routine enables the shooter to have a perfect motion every time. Practicing your free throw again and again is the only way to perfect it. You are likely to miss your shot if you’re not settled into your routine.
Take charge when the opportunity presents itself. When you take a charge, you have the opportunity to get a defensive stop, your team gets the ball and an additional foul is set up against the other team. This is a great way to take control of the court and intimidate the other team.
Dribbling hard keeps the ball from being stolen from you. The ball returns more quickly to your hand when you do this, giving the opponents fewer opportunities to steal it from you. If you have somebody guarding you very closely, pass the ball to an open teammate.
Change your pace up to throw the offense off. When you approach the goal, put your front foot in firm place and start straightening up. The guard will assume you’re slowing down and start to straighten up, too. As hes does, plow forward and run by him.
It is important that you can clearly see everything that is occurring during a game. Vision is an integral part of making shots and catching passes. Peripheral vision is important during game play. This will help you see the whole game better and anticipate openings and defense players.
Basketball players can greatly benefit from strength training. In addition, stamina is important to the game, too. Basketball requires a lot of sprinting and jumping. As they age, begin adding weights to their exercise routine. Adult players must use strength training to prevent loss of mobility, speed, and power.
You should always bend your knees while dribbling. When you stand straight up, you’ll find that the ball is harder to control and the ball will be a lot easier for an opponent to steal. You only need to bend your knees slightly to improve your control of the basketball.
When you are on the defense, the key is to stay as low as you can. This will let you get to the jump quicker and let you react to your opponent easier. Stay in your defensive stance all the time. You should return to this position immediately after leaving it to block or defend.
Do not stop dribbling unless you’re going to shoot or pass. If you stop, you limit your options. You can’t do anything but pivot if you don’t shoot or pass. Putting yourself in this position makes you more vulnerable to having the ball stolen by the opposing team.
If you want to improve your three-point shooting, try and do it from the NBA distance, at a minimum. The standard line and college lines are much closer. You are less likely to be guarded, the farther you are from the basket.
Control the ball at a level that is below your knees. Defenders will have a more difficult time stealing the ball. This also allows you to cover large distances across the court, which makes it difficult for opposing players o block you.
Don’t stop dribbling until you are ready to pass or shoot. When you stop dribbling the ball, you only have a limited amount of plays you can perform. If you don’t have the chance to shoot or pass, you can just pivot with the foot in the back. The chances of the ball being stolen is high, and you might be double teamed as well.
Your off-court practice should mimic your on-court playing. You can run longer distances to build up stamina. To build speed, try doing wind sprints. Both are necessary for playing good ball. Resistance training or weightlifting builds better muscles for shots. You will also gain aggression and confidence that will help you when shooting.
Use the hand you’re not dribbling with to create a barrier between the ball and the opponent. Be careful not to push your opponent or you may get a foul. Just keep it up slightly while dribbling with the other hand.
Communication with your team mates is crucial to your overall success. Your actions and strategies must not be kept to yourself. The sport of basketball is truly a team game. Therefore offense and defense do not play one-on-one. All players on your team are interdependent. If you communicate your wishes before you go out on the court, the team will work better as a unit.
You need to practice many types of shots on the basketball court. Practice your grip and proper balance. While it is possible to shoot off balance, it isn’t always accurate. Use the valve on the basketball to perfect your grip. Spread the fingers on your writing hand, and cover the valve with your palm.
Many shots from the court corner end up sailing right over the basket. Anticipating this can help you score a quick rebound.
If you want to be a great player, you need to pivot. You need to practice your footwork able be able to pivot without having to think about it or getting disoriented or tangled in your own feet. Practice this frequently without the ball, and then with the ball.
The position you are in before and after your rebound will determine whether you get to keep the ball or not. For better power and balance, jump using both feet and take the basketball with both of your hands. After rebounding, land with wide feet to keep your balance, and clutch the ball to your chest.
Understand your own weaknesses. And that starts with being honest about your skills. Practice your foul shots if you often miss them. If you play weakly inside the paint, work on your short shots, and train to play more physically. Working on improving your weaknesses is a good rule of thumb if you want to progress.
Basketball offers both a fun physical activity and a great spectator sport. To make sure that you’re getting the most out of the game, you should know all that you can about the sport. This article is a great resource for accomplishing that.
Dribbling is both mental and physical, especially for advanced athletes. Dribbling involves more than just bouncing the ball against the court. You need to be able to control the ball while moving around unpredictably.
About The Author
