Many people love basketball. No matter if you watch championships, play on your own team, or just play in your yard, it’s a sport that’s here to stay. Players want to become better, of course. Use these basketball tips to enhance your understanding and love for this incredible sport.

Perfect your free throw. This is something that seems simple, but in reality it can be hard. Practice often using the following technique. Put your weaker hand in front of the ball and center your stronger hand over the air valve in the basketball. Then, look at the ball and visualize it going in the basket. Then, shoot the ball using the trajectory you pictured.

TIP! You can easily focus on offense when learning to play basketball, however, you must really focus how playing defense. Many times, defense actually wins the game.

Keep your weight lifting to a minimum as a jump shooter. Muscle strength is beneficial for playing any basketball position, but there is such a thing as too much. Some shooting guards worked on their arms so much that they started lowering their percentage of field goals.

Tricking the other team is a good way to win a game. Try doing what is known as a back pass. Perform this pass by holding the ball using your dominant hand. Now, pull it behind your back. After determining which direction you want the ball to go, use a quick flick of your wrist to send it that way. It can be a dangerous maneuver that catches the other team off guard.

Play basketball against yourself even during the off-season. While basketball is a team sport, sometimes you just can’t find others to play with. Don’t worry! You can still get a lot accomplished with solo games. Whether focusing on foul shots or how to pivot with the ball, you can look for ways to improve. You can always hone your skills when practicing alone.

TIP! Learn the best way to make your free throws. This is something that seems simple, but in reality it can be hard.

When avoiding errant passes, use hand signals. Often in basketball, a player makes a pass at the exact same time the receiving player heads to another part of the court. Hand signals help ensure that the player is ready to take the ball. If you don’t see a signal, you shouldn’t pass the ball.

Should you receive an injury during the course of the game, never try to continue playing despite the pain. Basketball is physically demanding and you can easily get hurt. You may injure yourself more if you continue to play with an injury. If you are seriously injured, obtain medical care.

Focus on your footwork and core strength when working out. When your core is strengthened, you will have more balance and be able to move more swiftly. Give your hips, buttocks, back and stomach a workout. Jumping rope is great for improving your footwork and also helping you to gain speed.

TIP! If you typically handle the ball a lot, it pays to learn the crossover. Switch from one side to the other while dribbling.

Try to strengthen your forearms and hands to better handle the ball. Exercises that involve strengthening the wrist are especially helpful for dribbling. Don’t just think you’re able to stand around, catch the ball and then shoot it. You have to get the ball around, too.

If an opponent charges at you, let him run into you. When you do that, you can earn defensive stops, get the ball back, and set up foul shots against the other team. This can make for good psychological warfare.

In order to help develop your non-dominant hand, you should use that hand only when trying to open things, and also when brushing your teeth. If you’re able to become more ambidextrous, you are going to be able to better control it on the court. This is bound to carry over to the court.

TIP! Making a free throw takes mental concentration as well as physical prowess. Making the right physical motions is easier than having the right mind set.

Always set your three-point shooting practice goal at the official NBA distance. The international line is much closer. Learning how to shoot from the NBA three point line can help you get better looks at the basket.

Switch the weight of your body while you are dribbling. Dribbling during game play requires you to adopt a variety of dribbling skills. You need to feel as comfortable with defense closing in on you, as you do in the open court. It helps to master control of your body as you dribble in a variety of positions. This will help you maneuver around trouble.

There are many things you can do to improve your moves. You can improve your game by learning new techniques and practicing them often. If you want to master basketball, practice often. Any kind of playing will be beneficial to your skill. Play for your love of the game. Don’t hesitate to go for a casual game with your friends or join in with the neighborhood kids.