It cannot be said enough that so many people get joy from basketball. The truth is, however, that lots of people still have much to learn when it comes to extracting all of the possible benefits from the sport. Keep reading to learn what you can do to improve your basketball game.

Practice shooting free throws. The execution of a free throw is not as simple as it may appear. Put this technique into practice as often as you can. Start out by holding the basketball right in front of you. Look at the basket and imagine the ball going in it. Then repeat that when you take the shot.

TIP! Dribble while keeping your head upward and looking ahead. Lack of practice will manifest itself in looking down towards the ball when dribbling.

When you dribble, look forward, keeping your head up. If you have to look at the ball while dribbling, that means you need to practice more. Take the basketball to all the places that you go. Try dribbling even when walking to a store. Maintaining unbroken visual contact with the ball makes it difficult to be aware of your surroundings.

If you are good at shooting the ball then the last thing you want to do is lift weights. Muscle is good, but you can have too much. Some shooting guards that play professionally have such big arms that their field goal rate went down.

If you have a kid that wants to play basketball in high school, be sure they’re working on their core muscles. The concept encompasses the abdominal muscles, the hips and the lower back. The core links together all of the extremities and if it isn’t strong, they will be dealing with a limited athletic ability. A strong, sturdy core allows force from the legs to fuel movements like running and jumping.

TIP! If you typically handle the ball a lot, it pays to learn the crossover. A crossover happens when you switch hands the ball is in.

Good footwork remains a vital part of basketball. Being physical under the rim is crucial, but having good positioning on the court is even better. Once you have a location, it is important that your feet are firmly planted there. Good solid footwork will help you develop the skills you need for success.

Practice passing while looking the opposite direction. This trick can be used successfully to confuse defenders. When done right, the look draws your opponents to the wrong locale so that the person you passed to has a good long look at the basket before shooting. It’s quite a play when done properly.

Free Throws

TIP! Always work on your layups. Layups sometimes wind up being 4 out of every 5 shots in basketball.

Your routines must be consistent for free throws. Inconsistency does not make a better shot. You can shoot better free throws by making sure you use the same exact routine every time, and of course practice. If you have a glitch in the routine, you are likely to miss your shot.

If you want to dribble the basketball better, you need to practice dribbling with your weaker hand. If you’re using both hands to dribble the ball well then you can get by an opponent easily. Immobilize your dominant hand by tying it behind your back, then practice using your other hand for everything. You will get new dribbling skills with your weak hand.

Dribble hard if you don’t want the ball taken from you. The harder you dribble, the faster the ball will return to the cup of you hand. Stop dribbling when people guard you too closely.

TIP! Watch the pro’s play if you want to improve your game. Watch professionals play or go check out talented local teams to see who has the moves that you want to learn.

In order to ensure that you are always ready to defend, keep your stance at all times. You need to learn how to slide your feet instead of crossing one foot in front of the other. Keep your body constantly facing toward your opponent in order to ensure the best possible defense.

Always stay low when playing defensively. You will be able to react more quickly and jump higher because of this. Stay in your defensive stance. When you have to break out of stance to block a shot, get back into form as quickly as possible.

Be sure your exercise off the court is going to help you on the court. For example, you can improve individual plays with sprinting. You can improve overall game performance and endurance with long distance running. Lift weights to build your power. The confidence and aggression that result also help you more than anything when shooting.

TIP! Don’t bulk up if you want to be good as a jump shooter. Being weighed down by too much bulky muscle can have a negative impact on your jump shot.

Communicating with your teammates is a vital part of being a good basketball player. It takes the efforts of an entire team to succeed. This means you can’t plan your strategy without taking your teammates into account. Players on the same team help each one another out. Constantly let your teammates know when you are open or in need of some assistance.

Where you are standing on the court can make a difference as to whether you get a rebound. Jump using both feet for increased power and stability and grab the ball using both hands. Once you have the basketball, land with wide feet that will help you keep your balance.

If you’re sure that the person in possession of the ball isn’t good with one hand, try getting them to use it. Step toward their strong side with your foot to force them to react by switching sides. Keep your head on a parallel with the player’s chest. This will make your stance low and enable you to snatch the ball away.

TIP! Don’t play while injured or else your injury will worsen. It’s easy to be hurt when playing basketball.

Basketball is something you can get benefits from by playing it, or just by watching it. The more you know about basketball, the more you can enjoy playing and watching. Hopefully this article has provided the sort of guidance you needed.