People around the globe love basketball. Basketball can be enjoyed by all ages and skill levels. Playing the game well requires good teamwork and good sportsmanship. You have to read this article if you want to become better at basketball.
Dribble the ball the right way. You need to use the tips of your fingers rather than your hand’s palm when you are dribbling. This way you’ll have a lot more control over the ball. Avoid dribbling in front of you and only dribble to the sides of your body. Look up, not down.
It’s natural to be drawn towards offense as a novice, but the pros know defense is where the game is won or lost. Defense is what keep the other team from scoring. Offense may score points but defense keeps the other team from scoring points that your team will have to match.
Learn to crossover if you get the ball often. This technique passes the ball back and forth from the right hand to the left hand. The move must be done quickly if it is going to work. Once you master the art of the crossover dribble, you will be able to change directions quicker.
Practice hitting your free throws. This is one of those shots that seem easy but in real life are difficult. The following technique should be practiced often. Start with the ball ahead of your face. Look at the basket and imagine the ball going in it. Shoot on the same path you saw in your mind’s eye.
Balance is vital to good shooting. You have seen how pros shoot a basket from thirty feet away and fall out of bounds, which is not the right technique. They are improvising. If you are able to improve your sense of balance, then you will find that your percentage of successful shots improves.
Learn what a crossover is and how to do it. A crossover means moving the ball between your hands. This should be something you do quickly. After doing so correctly, a crossover gives you greater control over the court’s flow.
Make sure that your regular practice includes catching of passes. Don’t just work on waist-level, perfect passes, though, work on receiving tougher passes as well. During a real game, many of the passes that come your way will be off-target and tougher to handle. So you should do the team a favor by knowing how to take in any kind of a pass that comes from someone.
It is important that you practice layups. During any game, layups make up about 75 percent of the game. Run full tilt to the basket, then smoothly jump and shoot. Jump to the net and concentrate on shooting the ball in a specific location on the backboard.
Prior to basketball season, and even during it, you can play solo games. There are times you may not find anyone to play with you. That should not matter. There are many ways that you can improve your game alone. Practice pivoting or you can practice doing free throws. There are many things you can work on.
Every great player understands how to properly perform a bounce pass. Bounce passes should not go above or below the receiving players waist. A useful tip is to have the ball bounce roughly 3/4 of the distance to the recipient. There are other variables to consider though.
Videotape your games to see what you do right and wrong. You may see things differently as you observe the game and notice things you missed in the game. Be honest in your assessment but not overly critical. Sometimes, it helps a lot to see yourself as you really are and not as just you imagine yourself to be.
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. There have been instances where great shooters bulk up so much that it adversely affects their shooting percentage.
Make layups count by taking off with the foot that is opposite to your shooting hand. Thus, if you use your right hand for shooting, you need to push off using your left foot. This will keep your body properly balanced with forward momentum.
Want to make the other team not know what’s going on? Make use of the back pass. You want to grip the basketball with your strongest hand. Next, pull the ball behind your back. Lastly, flick the wrist in the direction you want the ball to go. This is a very useful trick to confuse the opposing team.
If you see a chance to gain control of the ball, take it. This helps get the ball for the team and allows another foul on the opponent. Perfecting this play can really give you an advantage on the court.
When it is not basketball season, keep in practice by shooting baskets and practicing your skills. Sometimes during off season, or when practicing, you can’t play as a team or find even a single opponent. That is not a problem. Playing on your own can give you the chance to work on isolated areas of your game. Work on free throws and pivot moves. You don’t need other players to work on your skills.
In order to improve your game, make sure you do plenty of strength training. In addition to strength, stamina is key in basketball. Even young children can benefit from strength training. As the teenage years approach, weights can be used for even greater impact. Then they will be ready to really learn the skills that really make an excellent player.
Talk to your teammates and find out what they like about your game. Can you get better at something? Maybe you are nimble or you are reliably there to support them. Discover what other people feel are your strongest skills and then set about perfecting them.
Keep your knees bent while dribbling. You will have a hard time controlling the ball if you always stand straight and opponents will be able to steal the ball. You will have better ball control with bent knees.
Don’t let the ball go behind your back. This provides court awareness and prevents you from unexpected turnovers or quick passes. Scan the court looking for openings to make a basket.
Try practicing three pointers from the NBA range in order to be a more effective three point shooter. The international line is much closer. Learning how to shoot from the NBA three point line can help you get better looks at the basket.
It’s great to be quick in basketball. If you want the advantage, you’ve got more quickly. You have to be steady as you play quickly. Avoid playing faster than your abilities allow. It’s easy to lose control when you play fast.
Do exercises that will assist you in becoming a better player. Running sprints can make you faster on individual plays, while long-distance running helps you make it through a game with good stamina. Build up your core muscles and the strength in your forearms. The aggression and confidence you get from this can also assist you more than most things if you’re shooting.
Free Throw
Practice various shots from various places on the court. Begin with practicing your grip and balance. You can shoot off balance, but it’s not very accurate. Perfect your grip by using the basketball valve. Cover the basketball valve with your palm and spread your fingers. This will center your hand on the ball.
To become a better free throw shooter, use the same routine prior to every shot. This could mean dribbling twice, shaking out your head to loosen your neck or whatever else makes you comfortable. Following the same routine gives your body will maintain muscle memory for more consistent free throw shooting.
If you’re determined to do good at basketball, then you have to watch your diet. When playing regularly, you are going to need lots of carbs for serious energy, along with some fats and protein. The best additions are whole wheats, grains, poultry and nuts. Limit your consumption of salt and sugar.
Practice passing while looking the opposite direction. This is a great technique in order to help confuse the opponents. Not only will they not see the pass coming, they may think a pass is going in the opposite direction. When executed properly, this is a powerful play.
Avoid double dribbling. When you stop dribbling and then begin again is double dribbling. When you stop dribbling, the only two choices you have are to shoot or pass. Resuming your dribble is not allowed. This will cause your team to lose the ball.
Develop and use a consistent routine for shooting free throws. A routine that is constantly in flux will only open up more opportunities for failure. To better perfect free throw techniques, try using repetition via practicing one routine repeatedly. Failing to stick with your routine can adversely affect your shooting accuracy.
Having good positioning on the court when trying to grab a rebound will help you keep the ball. Improve your balance and power by jumping using both feet. Be sure to use both hands to secure the ball. Following a rebound, land with feet spread wider apart than shoulder width. In this way, you can stay balanced and hold the ball close.
Your forearms and hands should be strengthened if you wish to handle the ball better. Wrist curls can work good if you wish to start handling the ball like you’re able to dribble in any situation. You will not be able to stand in one place and shoot. The best way to get into the flow of the game is to be in motion.
Always know where the basketball is headed when it leaves a players hands. Rebounds are essential to the game. No matter how hard you work to perfect your defensive technique, if you can’t retrieve the ball then you can’t score.
How come so many people enjoy basketball? Basketball is fun and easy to play. Read these tips for pointers on how to advance your skills on the court. Follow this advice to enhance your skills and your enjoyment of the game.
Once you start gaining some skill, you will start having greater control over your dribble. Dribbling involves more than just bouncing the ball against the court. Varying your speed and direction can help to throw your opponent off.
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