If you have ever wanted to be a star basketball player, then you know that it takes dedication and much practice. Even if you’re playing for recreation, you still want to improve your game. Reading the following article will help you become a skilled player.
When learning the game of basketball, it’s easy to get caught up in offensive play. But you should also give plenty of attention to defense. Defense ultimately determines the winner of a game of basketball. While everyone focuses on shots made, a good defense can kill the chances of even an amazing shot taker.
Dribbling the ball the right way needs to be done. Don’t use your palm to dribble, but use your fingertips instead. This will give you better control of the basketball. Keep the ball by your side as you dribble instead of right in front your body. Always look up and never look down at the ground.
Keep your head up when you dribble. If you have to ever look at the ball while dribbling, then you haven’t practiced that enough. Take your basketball everywhere. You can practice dribbling when you have to walk to the store. Don’t look while dribbling, because you won’t be able to see what’s going on.
Hitting free throws is a mental challenge as well as a physical one. It’s easy to physically train for a free throw, yet mental preparation is also needed. Take a deep breathe, relax and block out all outside distractions before taking the shot.
Free throws require as much mental focus as physical skill. Making the right physical motions is easier than having the right mind set. Relax and focus on the net, and you’ll be able to make more.
Core Muscles
One way to help improve your overall basketball skills is to spend some time watching what the pros do. Go to a bunch of professional games in person, watch them on television, or just get online to search for basketball videos. You will notice great skills from different players that you can practice.
If you have a kid that wants to play basketball in high school, be sure they’re working on their core muscles. The core muscles include the lower back, hips and abdonimals. Core muscles are the connectors between arms and legs. If the core muscles are weak, basketball performance will suffer. A strong core provides a center of force that can be tapped through the legs while running and jumping during games.
Frequent pass catching practice is important. Practice catching errant throws along with perfect passes. When the pressure is on, not every pass will come straight to you. Cover for your teammates’ errant passes by developing the hands to cover their mistakes.
You can improve your control of the ball by spreading your fingers. This will keep the ball from getting away while you hold it. Also, keep your palm off the ball. Only use your fingers to dribble, pass or shoot.
To be a good post-up player in the pain, you need to have really good footwork. While actually being beneath the basket is key, establishing a good position prior to the opposition is even more so. Plant your feet and own that spot. The key to mastering these skills is good footwork.
Create and stick to a routine each time you prepare to shoot a free throw. You could dribble twice, touch your forehead, bend your knees, or some other kinds of movements. As long as you make it quick, if you have a consistent routine, your body will remember how to make those free throws after you go through your ritual.
A great way you can prepare for what happens on the basketball court is to avoid having your back to the ball. Passes and turnovers won’t take you by surprise because you will be more aware of what is happening on the court. Pay attention to open areas for passes, too.
Take any opportunity to strengthen your weaker hand and build your skill by using it to brush your teeth or open jars. The more dextrous you become with it in your daily life, the better able you will be to control it. As a result, your basketball game will significantly improve.
Have someone record the games you play so that you can watch it to check out your form. Did you spot something that could be improved? When looking at the tape, don’t be too critical, but be honest. It can be an eye-opener to see how you’re playing the game really, not just what you picture it to be.
When you dribble while playing basketball, focus on bending your knees. If you don’t bend your knees, you are more susceptible to having the ball stolen by the other team. Your ball control will improve dramatically by simply bending a little at the knees.
Passing the ball through your legs is a useful maneuver if the opposing team is right on top of you. Practice this by bouncing the ball hard between your legs as you take a step forward or back. When you get this move down, you will have an advantage.
Practice dribbling as you sway your body from side to side. You will dribble during different situations. It would be great if you are always able to go full speed ahead, but more times than not you will need to move and flow with the defense in front of you. You must learn dribbling from all kinds of directions. It will allow you to escape trouble a lot of the time.
To build up your skills with your weaker hand, use it for everything from opening jars to brushing your teeth. If you can become more dexterous with it in all aspects of your life, you will be bettering your control of it. This will make you a force to be reckoned with on the court.
Try to contain the action to the area below your knees. This will make your opponent struggle to steal the ball from you. You’ll have to bend over, but it will be worth the effort.
Keep the ball below knee level if possible. This prevents your opponents from stealing the ball. You’ll have to bend over, but it will be worth the effort.
Learn to control where your opponent can and can’t move. It is irrelevant whether you are playing defense or offense; in both cases, your ability to control the direction of your opponent is critical. This lets you figure out where you’re needing to go while not letting them set your path for you.
To keep your opponent on their toes, keep your dribbling steady and regular, then surprise them. A consistent pace for your dribble will lull your opponent, and help you move more quickly than they do when the time comes. In addition to the tempo change, the louder sound of your dribbling can catch them off guard as well.
Don’t dribble twice in a row with a stop in between. This is when you are dribbling, then you stop and then you begin again. Remember that if you do stop dribbling, your options are limited to shooting or passing to a teammate. Whatever you do, do not start dribbling once you stop. This will lead to you having to turnover the ball to the opposing team.
Make sure you leap for a rebound while in control of your body, and try to land with balance, and you are more likely to end up with the ball. Use both feet to jump up to create more force and quickly snatch the ball, grabbing it with two hands. When you land, ensure your feet are beyond shoulder width apart and hold the ball near your chest.
You should try to remain calm while you are shooting. Concentrate on the basket throughout your shot. You should work to keep your eyes on the point furthest away from you on the hoop when you’re shooting. But if you want to do a layup, just pay attention to where you need to bounce the ball on the back board.
If you’re in possession of the ball, learn when you should be passing the ball to a player with a better shot and when you should be taking the shot yourself. It’s more important to get the ball to the person who can make the shot than try to take a shot that will certainly miss or be blocked.
You must know as a ball handler how to read when to take a shot and when you should be passing. It’s more important to get the ball to the person who can make the shot than try to take a shot that will certainly miss or be blocked.
Passing is an important part of basketball. It keeps the opponent on their toes. Plus, it shows you are all about the teamwork, which your fellow team members will appreciate. There will come times in the game when you can show off how great you are at the game. That time will come; just be patient and allow others to shine as well.
When you practice dribbling, bounce the basketball as hard as you are able to. This needs to be done because when a ball is bounced hard that makes it go faster and allows you to create less time for a defender to get to it. With that in mind, always do your dribbling as hard as physically possible.
Understand your own personal weaknesses. Honestly assess your skills. Focusing on practicing your foul shots if you miss those a lot. If your paint play is weak, practice shorter shots and improve your physical game. Keep working to build your strengths, as well as your weaknesses, and you will become a better all-around player.
A good thing to do on defense is to get your opponent near the sideline. If you let someone shoot down the middle, you lose control. Angling them towards the sideline limits their movements.
When you play defense, try forcing the opposing player to the sideline. If you leave the middle part of the court open, it gives them more options to stop you or make plays on offense. If you are able to, move them towards the sideline. This will give them less options.
For more advanced players in basketball, dribbling is a mental and physical task. Being a good dribbler requires being able to control spin without thinking, change the speed of your dribbles, and have a developed sense of where the ball always is in relation to your body. Varying your speed and direction can help to throw your opponent off.
For more advanced players in basketball, dribbling is a mental and physical task. You have to be able to do the math in your head about how to control the ball. Change your momentum to keep your defender on edge.
Communication is really important in basketball. This needs to be worked on in practice sessions. During practices you should create hand signals and phrases to help each other out. When you need someone to move in a certain direction, you ought to have a way to tell them.
You must have good communication when playing on a basketball team. Playing with the same teammates for an extended period of time will allow you to communicate effortlessly. Make up hand gestures and other words so your team is on the same page. You have to come up with signals to tell them when to move to the left, right, forward and backward.
Whenever your opponent attempts a shot, contest it. Regardless of whether or not the shooter is assigned to you, make a run at him if he has the ball. If there are holes in your defense, the opponents will pick that up and play on it. Defensive shortcomings can lead to a run by the other team very quickly.
Man-to-man and zone defenses are two of the most common defensive strategies. In the latter, you guard a particular area on the court as opposed to guarding single players. With man to man defense, you focus on one opposing player. “Switch man-to-man” is when the other player switches because of the situation.
Start using the techniques and tips the next time you play a game of basketball. Keep these tips in mind and practice steadily to improve bit by bit. Use what you have learned here to help become the best player possible.
Shooting free throws is a vital part of playing basketball. In the closing minutes of a closely contested game, fouls can be a common occurrence. When practicing your free throws, do so in a loud place. Bend your knees and keep your eyes on the basket. Grip your ball with spread-out fingers and center that hand over the middle of the basketball where its air valve is.
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