Basketball is something that tons of people worldwide enjoy. You can just shoot some baskets at the park, or try to make a career out of playing. Use this article to learn more about basketball fundamentals.

Try learning how to hit free throw shots. There are usually a lot of distractions when you are shooting free throws so you need to concentrate. Use this technique to better your game. Begin by bringing the ball up to eye level. Keep looking at the goal while visualizing the basketball going through the hoop. When you shoot, keep the visualized trajectory in mind.

TIP! It is important that you perfect dribbling the ball. You want to dribble with the tips of your fingers, not your whole hand.

If you handle the ball often, you need to learn how to do a crossover. This move entails transferring the basketball from your left hand to your right hand and back again. This action most be quick to work out. When done properly, crossover dribbling is a great way to quickly switch direction or move around the court in an efficient manner.

Practice your layup shot as frequently as possible. A huge percentage of successful shots are layups. When you practice, be sure to run at the goal with full speed, jumping and shooting in a smooth series of motions. Running and jumping well in practice means better jump shooting in actual games.

Bounce Passes

TIP! Make sure you learn how to shoot free throws. As easy as these shots may seem, they are rather hard.

Teach yourself to throw bounce passes correctly. Bounce passes need to be at waist level when received. A good estimation is to target the ball to bounce at about 3/4 of the distance that the receiving player is. But, a series of other considerations can require you to make adjustments.

Don’t spend all your time practicing how to confront a zone defense. While much of the game is played in zone, the opponent can flip to man-to-man coverage, changing everything and surprising you. If you haven’t prepared yourself for that, you might lose your game very quickly.

If you have student that wants to play basketball for their high school team, they will need to spend some time training their core muscles. The core is the following areas: abdominal muscles, lower back muscles and hip muscles. A core that is not strong enough limits the linkage between arms and legs. Having a strong base allows the player a solid position from which to jump and accelerate during the game to help speed up their movements.

TIP! You should practice your crossovers a lot. This technique passes the ball back and forth from the right hand to the left hand.

It is best to take a break if you sustain an injury while playing. Basketball is physically demanding and you can easily get hurt. Trying to continue playing even if you’ve got discomfort can make the injury worse. Serious injuries may require medical attention.

Make sure, no matter what else happens, you can see where the ball is. This keeps you aware of what is going on so you aren’t surprised. Pay attention to open areas for passes, too.

Videotape your games to see what you do right and wrong. You’ll likely see ways that you can improve. Be honest with yourself, but avoid being too critical. This gives you an unfettered view of how you actually performed on the court, rather than relying solely on your memory of the game.

TIP! If you wish to do better with basketball, you have to focus on what you’re good at. If you can rely on your strengths, you will become a better player.

Workout to increase flexibility and strength in your hands and forearms. Exercises that involve strengthening the wrist are especially helpful for dribbling. Don’t ever believe you’re going to be able to stand still, receive a pass and take a shot. It is essential to move the ball around in order to succeed.

It should be clear to you now what you can do to get more into basketball. It’s no cake walk, but basketball isn’t rocket science, either. You can succeed with information and dedication. Once you begin playing basketball, you will probably want to play often. It’s time to shoot some hoops!