How much do you know about basketball? Whether you’re just now getting into playing the game or you’re a seasoned veteran, you can always learn some new techniques. Maybe you’d like to learn fancy tricks, or perhaps you want to play better defense. This article is going to guide you with a few helpful tips during your quest.
Never pass the ball and stand still. This is a mistake most often made by those new to the game of basketball. Once you’ve passed the ball, you need to work to get into the best position possible to be passed to again or to grab a rebound from a shot.
Every shot should have an arc. The ball should arc at the highest point, then began descending toward the goal. This arc helps keep the ball on course. Learn how to consistently shoot using the same arc for best results. As you practice, you will learn what works best for you.
Don’t force your jumps in basketball. Try to jump as naturally as possible. When jumping and shooting, practice releasing the ball at the top of the jump. Your fingers should simply slide off of the ball and carry it to the basket. Make sure you do not release while going up or down in the jump. Only release at the top.
Learn the positions on a basketball court. Each position has different roles to fill on both offense and defense. There are guards, point guards, forwards, power forwards, and centers. If you want to really enjoy basketball, learn the needs of all of the positions, not just the one you are most interested in.
If you play organized basketball, keep track of your average fouls per minutes played. If you are not a starter who sees a lot of minutes, you want to know this just in case. You might get called on to put in a lot of minutes one game, or play repeated overtimes. The last thing you want to do is foul out because you aren’t used to playing so long.
When you’re working out, concentrate on core strength building and your footwork. Your body will maintain balance and move more quickly when your core muscles are strong. Exercise your abdominal muscles as well as those of the hips, buttocks and back. To help get even quicker and have better footwork you can jump rope.
If your shooting is in a slump, take a look at your shoulders. If your shoulders aren’t correct, you may not be able to make the shots. Your shoulders should always be square towards the basket. Your shooting arm’s shoulder also needs to be exactly lined up with the rim.
To be a great basketball player, you have to make the ball part of your body. It may seem silly but roll it in your hands, dribble in the driveway, go for walks with it and take it with you wherever you go. The more time that ball spends attached to your body, the harder it will be for defenders to take it from you on the court.
To develop an accurate shooting stroke, put your dominant hand under the ball and use your other hand on the side of the ball, as a guide. If you develop this consistency, you will be able to follow through with your shooting hand and get a high, looping arc that is more likely to go through the hoop.
Want to try a drill which will really work you out? Try dribbling with two balls at once! This will help you learn to master dribbling with both hands, plus it will build your arm muscles very quickly. You can’t use your eyes for this exercise, so you will learn to dribble without looking at your hands.
Even though dribbling movement should start with the feet and below the knees, finish or follow through the movements with your whole body. The right combination of eye and arm motions can actually throw your defender off for even a half of a second, giving you the daylight you need to make a play or pass.
A chest pass is the most effective method of getting the ball from one player to another. This type of pass gives you plenty of strength and allows you to fully control where the ball goes. Using a chest pass is also the quickest way to pass the ball but only use it when there is no defender between you and your teammate.
So are you ready to get out there and show people what you’ve got? If this article has motivated you, just remember there is always plenty more to learn about basketball. It’s a widely-popular sport, and is so much fun. As you continue learning, you might find out that you enjoy it even more!
