You don’t need a gymnasium or a competition stadium to play basketball. It is possible to play the game anywhere, including on your lawn or at a court at the park. If you love to shoot hoops, then you should focus on learning all you can about how to play better by reading the content below.
Be sure to dribble correctly every time. Use fingertips to dribble. You retain much more ball control this way. When dribbling the basketball you should bounce it to your side instead of right in front. Keep your head up and do not look at the ground.
Pay attention to what you are good at. If you can rely on your strengths, you will become a better player. Understand where you excel, and work on those talents until they are perfected.
Learn how to hit a free throw shot. These shots may seem easy, but they can be quite difficult. You should practice as often as possible with this technique. Hold the ball level with your face. Maintain focus on the basket and try to visualize your basketball falling through the hoop. Then throw the ball just as you had visualized.
Making a free throw takes mental concentration as well as physical prowess. You must be mentally strong to be a consistent free throw shooter. Relax and concentrate on your basket to increase your free throws.
If you have the ball a lot, learn to execute a crossover. A crossover means moving the ball between your hands. Crossovers must be done quickly to keep defenders at bay. When done correctly, the crossover dribble help you to change direction in order to move down the court efficiently.
Avoid errant passes by the use of hand signals. One thing that can frustrate you when playing basketball is to try and pass while a player is trying to run to the basket. You can avoid this by using hand signals if a player is able to take a pass. No signal, no pass.
Practice catching passes often. When you practice, drill yourself to pay attention to errant throws and passes that are picture perfect. During a real game, many of the passes that come your way will be off-target and tougher to handle. Therefore, it pays to practice catching passes that are a bit off-target.
Good footwork is important when you’re posting up in the paint. Getting a great position under the goal is the most important. After establishing good position, you need to make sure you hold it. Practicing your footwork is important to master these skills.
You can improve your passing skills by practicing a simple drill where dribbling is forbidden. Playing the game without the use of dribbling is a challenge, but it can help you and your team learn to make more precise passes. This is very challenging at first, but eventually it will really improve your entire team’s passing game.
You should ask your teammates about your strengths and weaknesses. Is there something that you excel at? It may be that you are quick on your feet or that you are always there to back them up. Find out how your game appears to others and develop your skills accordingly.
Would you like to completely fool the opposing team, making them look silly? The back pass is perfect for this. To properly perform this pass you will need to have the ball in your dominant hand. Now hold the ball behind you. After determining which direction you want the ball to go, use a quick flick of your wrist to send it that way. This will trick your opponents.
Keep your eye on the ball. You must always be prepared to receive a pass and you need to know where players are on the court. Always watch for areas opening up where you can go for a quick basket.
Make better passes through the use of coordinated hand signals. It can be frustrating passing to a teammate when you’re both heading to the basket. Players should use hand signals often when available for a pass. If your teammate misses your signal, then they may miss the ball as well and the other team could gain possession.
Remember to spread your fingers when handling the ball. This keeps it under control. Keep your palm off the ball too. You should only use your fingers to touch the ball when passing or shooting.
Ask your fellow teammates if they have an opinion of your skills in the game. What do you need to focus in on and practice more? Continue to develop the skills that play into your natural abilities. Find out what others perceive as your natural gifts and build upon those more completely.
Build your core strength and work on your footwork. When your core is strengthened, you will have more balance and be able to move more swiftly. You must work out your hip, back and abdomen muscles. As with boxing, you can increase footwork speed and dexterity by jumping rope.
Don’t let the ball go behind your back. You must always be prepared to receive a pass and you need to know where players are on the court. Always watch for areas opening up where you can go for a quick basket.
Watch your shoulders if you obtain a shooting slump. No matter your skill level, you won’t make shots if your shoulders aren’t in the proper position. Your shoulders should be facing the hoop. The shoulder that is dominant should be perfectly aligned with the hoop rim.
Use small weights and resistance training to build the muscles in both forearms and hands. Wrist curls are great for bettering your ball handling in basketball to the point where you could practically do it sleepwalking. Don’t ever believe you’re going to be able to stand still, receive a pass and take a shot. Your ability to handle the ball will affect your success on the court.
Speed is everything in basketball. If you want the advantage, you need to be quicker than your opponents. If you want to play the game fast, you need to drill continuously. Don’t try playing fast until you can. You will end up in a turnover if you play too fast.
You need good vision if you are going to play basketball. This will enable you to make good shots as well as catching passes that come your way. You want to be sure that your peripheral vision is at its best. This will help you to find open teammates and keep an eye out for the defensive players.
Where are your feet? If you have the ball and you step outside the baseline, then you’re out of bounds. More than three steps will cause you to get called for travelling. Also, moving a foot when setting up a screen can result in a foul.
If you want to put pressure on the offense, you need to change the pace of things. When running towards the net, step on your front foot, and start to straighten up your body. The guard will assume you are reducing speed and will do the same. You should push and get past them as they straighten themselves.
Shooting Free Throws
Strength training can improve your game. Conditioning training will also increase your stamina. Even young kids can improve if they exercise the right way and strengthen their core. As they start to get older, get them some weights to help them exercise harder. As adults, it will be imperative to maintain a strength training routine.
Develop and use a consistent routine for shooting free throws. If you are inconsistent then your shot will be off. Practice makes perfect when shooting free throws. If you have a glitch in the routine, you are likely to miss your shot.
To trap the opposing players in a 2-3 zone, have the defending guards hold back till the opposing point guard has moved beyond the midcourt line by about ten feet. At this point, your guards must rush the point guard thus trapping him. At the same time, have your forwards on the blocks sprint out to the players on the wings. The guard on point should make a pass that can easily be stolen by the forwards.
If you wish to get a free throw rebound from a teammate, you have to stay on your toes properly. The person defending the position down-court from you will be coming at you, so you need to find any way you can to slide around him that gets you to the ball. This allows you to secure the rebound without finding yourself penalized.
While you’re dribbling the basketball it is wise to bend your knees. When you are rigid, the ball is not only hard to control, it is also an easier target for a rival to steal. Just bending a little bit at your knees can really help you to control the ball better.
You need to take charge when the opportunity presents itself. Taking charges gives you an opportunity to get defensive stops, get the ball and lay the groundwork for fouls. This can make for good psychological warfare.
Only stop dribbling when you are prepared to shoot or pass the ball. When you stop dribbling the ball, you only have a limited amount of plays you can perform. If you decide not to shoot or pass, all you can do is pivot on your rear foot. This leaves an opening for your opponents to double team and try get the ball away from you.
Strength Training
Practice a variety of shots from different locations on the court. Practice your grip and balance first. It is possible to make a shot when your balance is off, but it is a lot less likely. You can perfect your grip on the ball by using the valve. Spread out your fingers, and center the valve in your hand.
Strength training can improve your game. In addition to strength, stamina is key in basketball. Even the youngest players need to have strong arms and legs. When they become teens, try using weights to keep enhancing their exercises. It’s important to continue strength training when you are an adult to maintain your performance.
A missed shot from the corner of the basketball court will usually go to the opposite side. If this is the case, you need to guess where it will end up and catch the rebound as a result.
Practice dribbling by switching momentum. You’re going to be dribbling in many different conditions during a game. 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 dribble while you make your body lean in various directions. By nailing this skill, you have a better chance to avoid a turnover.
Learning how to pass is critical to the game of basketball. Passing helps confuse the opponent. Also, it’s going to establish you as a good teammate, which your fellow players are going to respect and return the favor. The time will come for you to share your individual abilities. Those moments will come, but you need to be a team player first and foremost.
If you want to play better, communicate with your teammates so you know what they intend to do. Basketball requires a team. Neither defense nor offense is a one-on-one matter. Be there for your teammates is important. Discuss your strengths and weaknesses with teammates so you know where you need improvement.
Dribbling is both physically and mentally challenging. You control the spin of the ball, where it lands and how hard. Change your momentum to keep your defender on edge.
No matter if you like to watch the game or play it, learn all you can. Now that you’ve read this information, take it to the next level by putting what you’ve learned into practice. The more you learn, the more you can enjoy playing and watching basketball.
It is important to practice your footwork. The position and placement of your feet affects your ability to pivot and play. If you have a fast response time and control over your feet, you are more likely to secure the best position. You must have the ability to move fast while maintaining your balance and doing the task at hand.
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