Do you like basketball, but don’t understand all there is to know about it? You are not alone. Lots of people want to play like the pro’s. This article is packed with useful ideas and insights to help you become a better player.
When you dribble, look forward, keeping your head up. You should never be looking at the basketball while dribbling. Make the basketball an extension of your body, taking it wherever you are. Try dribbling even when walking to a store. If you look your ball, you can’t see the court.
Pay attention to what you are good at. Your talents might not make you a star, but when you make the most of your strengths, you might better contribute to your team. Know your strengths and practice them until you have perfected them.
You should practice against a variety of defense types, not just zone. Most of the game is played in zone, but your opponent may try to switch things up to do man-to-man coverage. If your practice did not include this, you can quickly lose control of the game.
When developing your jumping skills, limit your use of weight-training. It’s possible to have excessive muscles when you play the perimeter. Some pro shooting guards make their arms large enough to decrease their own field goal percentage.
Before, during and after the season, play out games by yourself. While it’s a team sport, you may not be able to find others that will play. No problem! There is much that can be accomplished when playing on your own. Work on your pivot moves or practice your free throws. There’s always some work to do.
Make sure your fingers are apart from one another when dribbling. That makes it less likely that you lose control of the ball. Don’t let your palms touch it. You should only use your fingers to touch the ball when passing or shooting.
Build your core strength and focus on your legwork when you train for basketball. By developing strong core muscles, you will be able to recover quickly and keep your balance. Exercise your abdominal muscles as well as those of the hips, buttocks and back. Jumping rope can also help you become lighter on your feet and quicker on the court.
Speed is everything in basketball. You will have the advantage over your opponents if you can really play fast. Playing fast takes practice, though, and steady drilling. Do not play beyond you capabilities, however. If you play beyond your speed, the game gets out of control, with errant passes and turnovers.
You should always be aware of the position of your feet and their actions. When you are in possession of the ball, touching the baseline will get you out of bounds. The ball will be turned over on a walking call if too many steps are taken with no dribble action. A foul will be called if your feet move while you attempt to screen other players.
Have someone record the games you play so that you can watch it to check out your form. You should be able to see what you missed or can do better. Be honest with yourself, but avoid being too critical. It can be an eye-opener to see how you’re playing the game really, not just what you picture it to be.
You likely didn’t know much about basketball previously. Now you are ready to stick a foot in and take on a game yourself. Go play a game, so you can start using these great tips?
