No matter if you’re male or female, basketball can be played by anyone. Almost anyone can get in the game if they want to. Get everyone together so you can show them what you’ve learned. Which new moves can you learn? Read the tips in this article to find out how to improve your moves on the court.

Make sure you are dribbling the right way. Instead of using your palm to dribble focus on using your fingertips. This helps you to control the ball better. Keeping the ball to your side will help it from getting in the way. Do not look at the ground; look up at all times.

TIP! Always dribble with your head up and looking forward. You haven’t practiced enough if you keep looking at the basketball while you’re dribbling.

Learn the mechanics of a free throw. This is one of those shots that seem easy but in real life are difficult. This technique should be practiced often if possible. Start by holding your ball before your face. Focus on the basket and picture the ball slipping into the net. Then shoot! Shoot the ball in the trajectory you imagined.

Keep your head up when you dribble. Anyone who watching the ball while they dribble surely needs to spend more time in the gym practicing. Bring the ball no matter where you go. Dribble on your way to school. Staring at the ball doesn’t allow you to watch the other players.

Bounce Pass

TIP! It is important to keep your balance when you shoot. You have seen some crazy shots made by professionals, but these shots aren’t going to be based on fundamentals.

Every great player understands how to properly perform a bounce pass. Proper bounce passes ought to hit the recipient at the level of their waist. Aim for a firm bounce pass that hits the ground around 3/4 of the distance between you and the intended player. But, there are some factors that can change this.

Free throws are as much mental as they are physical. You can train your body to complete the motions of making a free throw, but if you are mentally prepared to fail, you will. Be relaxed and concentrate on the basket and you will help you make more free throws.

Want to become a better basketball player? Watch the pros! Watch as many games on TV as you can. By doing this, you will quickly find that players all have their unique subset of skills, allowing you the best chance to see what areas are the best fit for your personal game.

TIP! Making a free throw takes mental concentration as well as physical prowess. Training your body is important, but you also have to be mentally ready for the shot.

Frequently practice passing and catching the passes of others. When you practice, mix it up so that you can catch perfect passes and errant throws. Some passes may be too high, too low or off target, so you should practice receiving passes often. Therefore, learn how to catch any type of pass so that you can help lead your team to victory.

Want to make the other team not know what’s going on? Consider the back pass. Perform this pass by holding the ball using your dominant hand. Then you will want to pull the ball into position behind your back. The last step is to flick your wrist in the direction you want the ball to land. This is a very useful trick to confuse the opposing team.

When injuries occur on the court, it is unwise to keep on playing. You can easily tear a muscle or even break a finger while playing. You can quickly turn a strain into a debilitating medical issue if you do not take a break from the action. If you are seriously injured, obtain medical care.

TIP! You can improve your skills by paying attention to how the pros play. Go to games, watch them on TV and you can also watch videos.

Quickness is a key skill in basketball. If you can play quicker than the opposing team can, then you will be at an advantage. To increase your quickness, you must practice playing fast while running drills. Do not try playing faster than you can. If you push too hard, your performance may be haphazard, and the game may get out of control.

Practice looking the other way when passing. Doing this is a great way to confuse your opponents. When you do it right, the opponents are going to think you’re moving in one direction. That way, the person you’ve given the ball to has a bit of time to look at the net to taking a shot. It can be quite powerful.

An excellent way to have proper defensive posture is to remain in the correct stance. Shuffle your feet in a side to side motion, then use your opposite foot to push off and give you good leverage. Keep in mind that your feet shouldn’t cross and this should make you good at defense.

Strength Training

To increase your basketball playing abilities, consider strength training exercises. You need both strength and endurance if you are going to excel. Young children that play can even benefit from strengthening arms and legs through proper exercise. Adding weights in stronger increments is effective as the child becomes a teenager. It’s important to continue strength training when you are an adult to maintain your performance.

Now you can show off your skills the next time you play. You may even know information now that your friends do not. Drill as much as you can but remember that playing basketball should be fun. Enjoy your playtime!