Basketball is more than just something you play in intramural sports or in your P.E. class. You can play this game in your driveway or at a local park. Learn more about the game to enjoy it as much as possible.
Know how to dribble the ball in the correct way. Use fingertips to dribble. Using your fingertips provides you with more control. Dribble off to the side waist high. You should always look upwards instead of at the ground.
You need good balance when you shoot. You have seen how pros shoot a basket from thirty feet away and fall out of bounds, which is not the right technique. These shots are improvisational and usually desperate attempts. By learning how to stay properly balanced, you can improve your game.
Free Throw
Your mind plays as big a part in making a free throw as your actual body does. You may know how to make a free throw but if your focus is off, then you will miss. Take a deep breathe, relax and block out all outside distractions before taking the shot.
If you have a kid that wants to play basketball in high school, ensure they’re training core muscles in the right way. The core muscles are the hips, lower back muscles and the abdominal muscles. Your performance is going to be sub-par if you don’t have strengthened core muscles. Building strong core muscles will allow your to jump higher, run faster and maintain your balance.
Hand signals can help stop you from turning the ball over. You can become easily frustrated when a teammate does a poor job of anticipating your next passing move. You can get around that when you use hand signals, if a player can receive a pass. If you don’t receive a signal then realize your teammate is not able to get the pass.
Ask a friend to record your games so that you can see how yourself in action. You’ll likely see ways that you can improve. Don’t be too critical, but do be honest. Seeing yourself realistically can be a great way to make changes in a positive direction.
Make layups count by taking off with the foot that is opposite to your shooting hand. This means that when you’re shooting from your right hand you have to use your left foot to take off. This keeps your body balanced and moving toward the basket and keeps your body between yourself and your defender.
You must disrupt and upset the play of your opponent if you want to be successful as a defensive player. Force them to leave their comfort zone. The more aggressive you are the better. Keep them from deciding what moves to make. If you let them control the game, you will lose. Try making the initial move and interrupt their rhythm.
When you are on defense, make sure to keep yourself low. This helps your jumps become quicker and betters your reaction to the person before you simpler. Stay in your defensive stance all the time. If you find you have to abandon your stance to do some blocking, get back into formation as fast as you can.
To enhance your skills at shooting the ball from the outside, run drills every day from different locations on the court. To improve further, work on fast dribbling just before shooting. Avoid looking at the basketball goal while dribbling the ball. That helps you boost your accuracy.
Make sure you don’t double dribble. This occurs when you halt the dribble once, only to begin dribbling immediately thereafter. Remember that if you do stop dribbling, your options are limited to shooting or passing to a teammate. You cannot simply dribble again. Doing so results in a turnover, and your opponent will be given control of the ball.
To help maintain your balance when catching a rebound, try to land with your feet shoulder width apart. Clasp your hands around the sides of the ball, and clutch it tightly to your chest. Keep your elbows in so that you do not hit an opponent and get a foul.
When you are in control of the ball, you should know when to attempt a shot and when you should pass it to someone with a better shot. When you assist, you are still winning the game.
Know where the ball goes when it is in the air. Rebounds are an essential component of basketball. If you are unable to rebound, it doesn’t matter how good you are at defense.
A penetrating dribble is the key to beating a team that’s playing a zone defense. Getting past a defender while getting into a land will make the whole defense shift or collapse towards the ball. If you think you can make the shot, then go for it. With a team mate open, you can throw out the ball so the player can make an easy shot.
Whether you play competitively or for fun, learning to be a better ball player is paramount. If you are going to invest the time into reading this article, you surely want to put your new knowledge into action. Knowledge is strength in every venue, including basketball.