Many people share a love for basketball. In order to keep fans happy, give them a reason to cheer. Every teammate contributes, so taking time to figure out your skills can help you better your game. Start practicing today. These tips can help you become part of a team that wins.

To get better in your basketball game, focus on your strengths. You may not be the star player, but by contributing the best way you can you will win more games. Understand where you excel, and work on those talents until they are perfected.

TIP! You can easily focus on offense when learning to play basketball, however, you must really focus how playing defense. Defense ultimately determines the winner of a game of basketball.

Playing basketball does not require excessive muscle development. Strong muscles are certainly useful for basketball, but you can overdo it if you plan to play on the perimeter. Many guards in the pros have developed their arm muscles too big, which has really harmed their shooting percentage.

Basketball players of all ages benefit from exercises that strengthen their core. The core muscles include the lower back, hips and abdonimals. The core connects the lower and upper extremities, and if a person has a weak core, they will fail to excel in athletic pursuits. A strong core helps you jump higher and run faster.

Ask your fellow team members which of your skills that they admire. Is there something that you excel at? Perhaps you have good dribbling skills or maybe your footwork is enviable. Honest feedback can really help you to narrow in on areas where you might need a little extra help practicing.

TIP! When dribbling, focus on what’s in front of you by keeping your head up. If you have to look at the ball while dribbling, that means you need to practice more.

Never turn away from the ball so that you can always be prepared for what’s coming. You have to be aware of what is going on with the ball at all times. Also, you need to stay aware of areas which might open up and give you an easy basket.

Work on passing through your legs to add another skill to your arsenal. Go forwards and backwards with the ball to practice bouncing it. When you’ve mastered this step, you will be at a great advantage.

If you want to make the most of your layup, push up from the foot that is opposite the hand you will shoot from. Thus, if you use your right hand for shooting, you need to push off using your left foot. That way, the body stays balanced while it moves toward the hoop.

TIP! If you hold the ball a lot, you have to learn crossovers. This is when you switch hands while dribbling.

You need to mess with your opponent’s head. Don’t let your opponent get comfortable out there on the court. Use aggression with your moves. This will keep them from being able to choose which plays they will make. If you let them control the game, you will lose. Force them to act and their rhythm will get disrupted.

Sly feet will help you get the rebound of your team mates free throw. The more quickly you get under the basket, the better you chance of grabbing the rebound. This allows you to secure the rebound without finding yourself penalized.

Clearly, many things exist that can help bolster your game. When each individual plays well, the team has a better chance at success. The whole team is part of the games experience, even the supporters. The player’s role is to give the team his all. Use these tips to be the kind of good, all-around player everyone wants on their team.