When you first stepped onto a basketball court, it was a brand new experience. You probably learned how to dribble the ball and make a shot. You find that you’re probably an expert on the game right about now. The following article will offer some great advice, for even the most seasoned player.

When dribbling, make sure that you look forward and keep your head up. If you have to look at the ball while dribbling, that means you need to practice more. Carry your basketball everywhere. Dribble as you walk down the street. If you have to watch the ball, you will be unable to see whatever is going on at court level.

TIP! Watch the pro’s play if you want to improve your game. Watch professionals play or go check out talented local teams to see who has the moves that you want to learn.

Balance is essential to shooting. Falling when you make a shot is not the right way to shoot. Taking a shot when you are off balance will probably lead to a turnover. Good balance while shooting will lead to landing more baskets.

Make layups a part of your daily practice regimen. This will make up about eighty percent of shots during any basketball game. The best practice strategy is to go full tilt toward the hoop, then do a smooth jump shot. Practicing this technique helps you learn to make layups during a game.

Successful free throws require you to be mentally and physically strong. You must train both your body and your mind. Relax yourself and focus on the hoop.

TIP! You should practice against a variety of defense types, not just zone. Usually, a big part of the game is probably going to be in zone; however, the opposing team can suddenly switch to man-to-man to catch you off guard.

You need to practice more than defeating a zone defense. Zone play will be important, but man-to-man will pop up from time to time, too. If your practice did not include this, you can quickly lose control of the game.

If you want to take jump shots, don’t spend time pumping iron. While muscle mass is good for any basketball position, perimeter play requires less than other positions. Overdeveloped muscles could actually interfere with your score percentage.

If you have student that wants to play basketball for their high school team, they will need to spend some time training their core muscles. That means their hips, lower back and abs. These muscles form a bridge across the lower and upper parts of your body. When the core is weak, it is difficult to coordinate the movements of both halves. The stronger your core, the higher you will jump.

TIP! Try using hand signals to prevent passes in error. Basketball passes can be really frustrating when shot wrong.

Whenever you work out, practice footwork and work on your core strength. Your body will be able to move quicker and be more balanced when you have srong core muscles. Focus on the back, buttocks, and hip muscle groups. Jumping rope can also help you become lighter on your feet and quicker on the court.

If the other team has a good defense, passing the ball between your legs is a good option. Practice dribbling the ball between your legs. Perfecting this technique will help thwart the opposing team while you’re trying to advance the ball.

To gain greater dribbling skill, always practice with the weaker hand as well as the more dominant one. Dribbling with both hands helps you gain the upper one. Practice with your weak hand by tying your dominant hand behind your back. Your dribbling skills will improve with your weaker hand.

TIP! Don’t play when you are injured! This sport is physically demanding and you can become injured. You may injure yourself more if you continue to play with an injury.

Be sure your vision is unobstructed. This is not just to make reading the scoreboard easier, but also to facilitate the making of shots and catching of passes. Your peripheral vision should be up to par. You need to know the location of other players on the court in order to make good passes and avoid turnovers.

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 do more with your other hand daily, you can start controlling it better. You will soon see a difference on the court if you are consistent with these simple exercises.

Nba Distance

TIP! Understanding your opponent is a good way to shut him down on defense. 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.

To improve three-point shooting, do it from NBA distance at the very least. That is the furthest distance that you would ever have to shoot from to score a three. Putting in the shot from the NBA distance will give you an advantage over defenders who are not expecting it.

Grabbing and keeping a rebound depends on how well you’re positioned before and after the ball comes off the rim. Use both feet to jump with power and balance, and use both hands to grab the ball. Once you get the rebound, come down with both feet wider apart than your shoulders in order to secure good balance, and make sure the ball is held close to the chest.

If you are aware that the player with the ball has a weak hand, force the use of that hand. For instance, you could step toward a player on their right side to force them to switch to their left hand. Keep your head on a parallel with the player’s chest. This will make your stance low and enable you to snatch the ball away.

TIP! To make your layups count the most, take off from the foot opposite your shooting hand. If you normally shoot using your right hand, jump with your left.

Have an idea as to when is the best time to shoot the ball and when is the ideal time to pass if your teammate has an open shot. It’s better to assist a goal, than the team to lose a play.

When you’re playing defense, one of the best things you can do is force your opponent to the sideline. If you let someone shoot down the middle, you lose control. If you can get them pushed off to the sideline, then their options aren’t as open.

Now that you learned a great deal about basketball, you should take your game to another level. Practice, run drills and play often. Using these tips will allow you to become an amazing player.