As you may already know, if you’ve wanted to become a basketball player before, you need to practice and be dedicated. But even if you’re just play basketball for the fun of it, you would like to be better at it, wouldn’t you? The following article can help you with your basketball aspirations, whatever they may be.

Dribble while your head is up and your eyes are forward. Anyone who watching the ball while they dribble surely needs to spend more time in the gym practicing. Always have a basketball handy. Keep dribbling the ball even while you’re doing your errands. Get used to looking up as you go so that you can focus your attention on the court and not on your hands and the ball.

TIP! Free throw practice is vitally important. This is one of those shots that seem easy but in real life are difficult.

If you want to be a jump shooter, avoid pumping iron excessively. It’s possible to have excessive muscles when you play the perimeter. Some guards increase their upper body to the point of harming their field goals.

Hand signals will help you avoid those errant passes. Often in basketball, a player makes a pass at the exact same time the receiving player heads to another part of the court. You can avoid this by using hand signals if a player is able to take a pass. If there is no signal, the player should not make the pass to them.

The key for controlling the ball well is to spread your fingers. That makes it less likely that you lose control of the ball. Keep your palm off the ball too. You should only use your fingers to touch the ball when passing or shooting.

TIP! When using the ball a lot, you must relearn a crossover. When you do a crossover, you move the basketball very fast from one hand over to the other hand.

During your workouts, concentrate on improving your footwork as well as your core strength. Your body will retain balance and move quicker when you have strong core muscles. Strengthen you back muscles along with abs, hips and buttocks. Jump rope can be used to speed up your feet.

If you find yourself unable to shoot well, consider your shoulders. When the shoulders are wrongly positioned, your shot is unlikely to succeed. Keep your shoulders square in line with the basket. Line up your shooting shoulder with the rim as well.

Have a friend or family member tape your games so you can view how you appear on the court. Can you see where you can improve your form? Are there things you might have done differently? Be honest with yourself, but avoid being too critical. Analyze your skills honestly so you can become the player you want to be.

TIP! If you wish to do better with basketball, you have to focus on what you’re good at. Your best skills may not be center-stage every game, but knowing how to play the best angles can help you give more to your team.

You need to prepare for action, using the strategies that have been discussed here. Keep these tips in mind and practice steadily to improve bit by bit. Use the three steps as detailed and you will be on the road to success.