Basketball is a game that is perfect for everyone. People of any age or gender enjoy playing this exciting game. You can really impress your friends with the techniques you’ll learn here. What new moves? Keep reading here if you wish to figure out what you can do.

Many people only direct their attention to the offensive part of the game without realizing that defense is the key to winning. Defense can make or break a basketball game. If your team doesn’t have a good defense, you’re not going to make it far in a game.

TIP! Perfect your layup technique. This will make up about eighty percent of shots during any basketball game.

You must have good balance to shoot well. You’ve seen the pros fall out-of-bounds and shoot a basket up to 300 feet away, however, this isn’t proper technique. Those who do this are improvising. You need to be balanced properly if you’re going to be making shots, so that over time you’ll be able to always hit the basket.

Bounce Pass

Perfect your bounce pass. A bounce pass that’s good is going to end up hitting the other player near their waist. One good rule of thumb is to bounce the ball around three quarters of the way to the other player. There are many factors which come into play, though.

TIP! Perfect your bounce pass. Bounce passes need to be at waist level when received.

If you have a kid wanting to play basketball in high school, be certain that they are properly training their core muscles. The core muscles include the lower back, hips and abdonimals. The core muscles link lower and upper extremities. Without a strong core, they won’t have strong athletic performances. Building strong core muscles will allow your to jump higher, run faster and maintain your balance.

Talk to your teammates and find out what they like about your game. Can you get better at something? Maybe you are quick like lightening or maybe you are a strong defender. Honest feedback can really help you to narrow in on areas where you might need a little extra help practicing.

A great way you can prepare for what happens on the basketball court is to avoid having your back to the ball. You have to be aware of what is going on with the ball at all times. Also, you need to stay aware of areas which might open up and give you an easy basket.

TIP! Don’t spend all your time practicing how to confront a zone defense. A lot of the game is sure to be played in the zone, but your opponent could change to man-to-man coverage.

Understand your opponent. One great way to get a better understanding of your opponent is to take the time to watch film and get information from other players or scouts. For example, you should know which of the players are left-handed and which are right-handed. If you know their game, you can defend against it. When you are prepared, you play better defense.

Quickness is something that’s desired in basketball. You’ll have an advantage if you’re faster than an opponent. You have to be steady as you play quickly. Don’t try playing fast until you can. If you play beyond your speed, the game gets out of control, with errant passes and turnovers.

To make your layups count the most, take off from the foot opposite your shooting hand. So, your left foot should be the one you take off from if you use your right hand to shoot. Your body will develop good coordination and you keep your defender at a distance.

TIP! You can learn how to pass well by drilling on it separately from dribbling. Playing basketball without dribbling is very challenging, but your entire team will quickly improve their passing skills.

Practice with your weak hand when it comes to dribbling. Using both hands to dribble makes you a more effective player, especially when you’re trying to get past your opponent. Try tying the dominant hand behind you and forcing yourself to just using your weak hand. You will improve dribbling with your weak hand soon enough.

The key to great defense is being a nuisance to the player you are guarding. Don’t let your opponent get comfortable out there on the court. The more aggressive you are the better. Keep them from deciding what moves to make. You should never let an opponent control what you do on the court. Rather, move first; attack their rhythm.

Dribble the ball hard to keep it from being stolen. This makes the ball go back to your hand quicker, so offense has reduced chances at taking it from you. If the defense gets to be too much, look to pass the ball to someone who is open.

TIP! If you are good at shooting the ball then the last thing you want to do is lift weights. Muscle strength is beneficial for playing any basketball position, but there is such a thing as too much.

You don’t have to worry about your basketball skills any longer. You may now even know a few secrets that your friends are unaware exist. Keep in mind that basketball is supposed to be fun. Winning or losing, you’ll have a great time.