Basketball is for everyone, whether they be man or woman. Basketball is fun to play regardless of your skill level. Bring your loved ones together and show off what you’ve learned. Maybe you are wondering, what moves? Read on to find some great tips that will help you get in the game.

Practice your free throw shot. This kind of shot seems easy, but it really is not. The following technique should be practiced often. Start out by holding the basketball right in front of you. There may be a number of distractions so you need to focus on your goal. Once you’ve visualized this, take your shot as you just saw it in your head.

Looking Forward

Make sure you are looking forward and looking up as you’re dribbling. If you are looking at the ball for any reason while dribbling, you have not put in enough practice. Bring the ball no matter where you go. Practice in your home and wherever you walk. By looking forward instead of at the basketball, you are able to see the happenings on the court.

Playing basketball does not require excessive muscle development. Although it’s true that strong muscles are beneficial, additional bulk can impede your ability to play effectively along the perimeter. Some professional shooting guards made their arms so big that it started decreasing their field goal percentage.

TIP! Put the emphasis on your strengths can help you to be a better basketball player. Your skills might not make you an all-start every time out, but playing up your strengths makes you a great contributor.

Do you want to fool the other team? Try a pass back! Use the dominant hand whenever trying a behind the back pass. The next step is to draw the ball behind you. Pass the ball from behind your back by flicking your wrist in the direction you want the ball to go. This should make it easy to trick the other team.

Try playing basketball games alone before and during the season. Basketball is usually a team sport, but just because you can’t find others, doesn’t mean you have to just stop thinking about it. No problem. You can still accomplish a lot when playing solo. Work on free throws or three pointers. You can always do something.

Try using hand signals to prevent passes in error. It can be frustrating making a pass when a player moves away towards the basket. Avoid this with hand signals that let you know if the player is open to receiving the pass. If the signal is absent, do not pass to that player.

TIP! Practice playing a man-to-man defense and zone defense. The majority of game play might take place in the zone, but that doesn’t mean that the opposing team will not try to catch you off guard.

Never try to push through pain after an injury. It’s a challenging sport that’s very physical, and you have the ability to get injured. Being tough is one thing, but playing through injury can only harm you even further and make the problem much worse. If you are seriously injured, obtain medical care.

Don’t let the ball go behind your back. This provides court awareness and prevents you from unexpected turnovers or quick passes. Pay attention to open areas for passes, too.

Spread your fingers out to handle the ball properly. You are more likely to hold onto the ball this way. Try to keep your palm off of the ball as well. Your fingers should be all that is holding the ball when you pass it or shoot it.

TIP! If you want to be a master of the jump shot, do not make weight lifting a priority. You do need muscle conditioning and strength, but you can have too much when it comes to shooting field goals.

Passing the ball through your legs is a useful maneuver if the opposing team is right on top of you. You can practice this technique by stepping forward or backward and bouncing the ball with force between your legs. When you’ve mastered this step, you will be at a great advantage.

Practice passing while looking another way. This can go a long way toward confusing the opposition. When it’s done properly, it will cause the opponents to go to the wrong area so that you can pass to someone that has a good look at a basket before shooting. Practicing this pass can really help to give your team the winning edge.

Shoot from NBA distances to see your three-point skills improve. The international line is much closer. If you’re able to get the shot from where the NBA shoots, then you can start working from a range further than the defense expects.

TIP! Practice playing by yourself. These skills all help with muscle memory so you know just what to do when you’re playing in a game.

The only way to gain skill in outside shooting is to make over 100 practice shots every day from various spots on the court. Become better and better by practicing your fast dribble then stopping abruptly to make a shot. Hone in on your target while you are jumping, but not before you leave the ground. This is a good way to simulate real game-time conditions and increase accuracy.

Work on dribbling the ball while switching the momentum of the body from side to side. In the middle of a game, lots of dribbling situations will arise. You might have a truly open court, but you might also be dealing with an onslaught of opposition. You must dribble while you make your body lean in various directions. It can help you get out of a jam.

Now you can cruise to the court in confidence with the backing of your new-found skills. You should know more about basketball than your friends do. Don’t forget, the game should always be fun or it’s not worth playing. Apply the knowledge you have learned here and you will be winning games and having fun in no time!