Many people are in love the the game of basketball. You can play on your own or with a team. You can also play for fun or try and make a career of it. To learn about how to play basketball better, read on.
Figure out how to perfect your free throw. It looks simple to do, but it isn’t that easy. Practice often using the following technique. Start by holding your ball before your face. Eye the basket and imagine the ball swishing down into it. Next, shoot with just the trajectory you saw.
Get educated on the way to properly pass the ball on a bounce. Bounce passes should not go above or below the receiving players waist. Letting the ball bounce close to the other person will help the accuracy of your pass. Of course, there are factors that should be taken into consideration when passing using the bouncing technique.
Free Throw
Making a free throw takes mental concentration as well as physical prowess. You are able to train your hands and legs to free throw well, but if you think you will fail, you will. Relax and focus on your shot, and you can make it.
To make sure there are no errant passes, use hand signals. One of the most challenging aspects is trying to send the ball to your teammate as they are going for the basket. Hand signals can tell you if your teammate is ready. If you don’t receive a signal then realize your teammate is not able to get the pass.
If your shooting is in a slump, take a look at your shoulders. When your shoulders are positioned improperly, you will never make the basket regardless of how good your abilities are. You’ll want to ensure that your shoulders are squared up towards the hoops. Your shooting arm’s shoulder also needs to be exactly lined up with the rim.
You should always be aware of the position of your feet and their actions. Placing even a single toe atop the baseline while holding the ball will result in you being ruled out of bounds. Also, you can cause a turnover if you walk without dribbling the ball. A foul will result if you try to take a charge or set a pick and your feet are moving.
You want to keep your vision completely clear at all times. This means more than just being able to see well enough to play, but “seeing” the court deeply. You need to have the best peripheral vision possible. By seeing the court well, you can anticipate defensive moves as well as what all your teammates are doing. Good vision is vital to basketball success.
Never stop your dribble unless you are going to shoot or pass the ball. Once you stop dribbling, you are extremely limited in your options. If you don’t shoot or pass, you are going to be pivoting 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.
To become a much better basketball player, try speaking with teammates and learning what they do. Basketball is not an individual sport. Playing with the same teammates often helps you understand what they are thinking. Be there for your teammates is important. You must communicate with your teammates so that you can all play better.
Make sure you practice shooting all over the court. Begin with practicing your grip and balance. You can shoot off balance, but it’s not very accurate. Use your basketball’s valve for perfecting your grip. Keep your dominant hand spread out, and place the palm on top of the valve; this is the basketball’s center.
Your diet plays a major role in your health and success on the basketball court. In order to be ready for practice and games, it is vital that you have the proper energy stored in your body. The best additions are whole wheats, grains, poultry and nuts. Avoid sugar and salt when possible.
When rebounding, hit the floor with your legs wide apart. Hold the ball with two hands tightly against your chest. Make sure you don’t hit anyone else with your elbows.
Putting pressure on your opponent, moving them towards the sideline, is a great defensive tactic. If a player remains in the court’s middle, they will have more options available to them. When they are sidelined, their choices for moves becomes very limited.
Write down a plan of what you should work on at the gym each time you go. Do not approach your gym visits without a solid plan of attack. They socialize and wander aimlessly from one machine to the next. If you write down your workout routine, you could focus on improvements without any distractions.
For more advanced players, dribbling is mental and physical. You can control the ball spin and where it will land by where you feet and legs are planted. Change your speed quickly and use your body to keep defenders guessing about what you’re going to do next.
It should be clear to you now what you can do to get more into basketball. It’s not too tough, it just takes the right kind of knowledge and some work. Play as often as you can, especially against really good players. You can be a real player in no time.