Basketball is something tons of people enjoy. There is nothing like the thrill of rooting for your favorite team in the championship, scoring your own goal, or discussing basketball. Anyone who plays basketball wants to improve their game. The tips below can better your game dramatically and help you score many winning points.
Get good at making free throws. It seems easy to do but surely isn’t. When practicing your free throw, concentrate on where you want the ball to go when it leaves your hands. Start out by holding the basketball right in front of you. Focus on the ball and visualize it going toward the goal. Shoot the basketball exactly as you saw in your mind.
Make sure you are looking forward and looking up as you’re dribbling. If you are looking at the ball for any reason while dribbling, you have not put in enough practice. Take the basketball around off-court wherever you are. Dribble the ball as you go about your day doing errands like walking the dog. If you are staring at the ball, there is no way you can know what else is happening on the court.
To improve your game, concentrate on your strong points. You might not become a big basketball star based on your strengths, but you will be an asset to your team. Know your strengths and practice them until you have perfected them.
You should practice pass catching regularly. Be sure to be able to catch off-target throws on top of good ones. During a hectic game, every throw is not going to be perfect. Help your teammates by learning what you need to haul in those imperfect passes.
You need to practice more than defeating 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 are unprepared, you may lose the match fast.
Don’t pump too much iron if you plan on being a jump shooter. Although it’s true that strong muscles are beneficial, additional bulk can impede your ability to play effectively along the perimeter. You will notice that most basketball players have well-defined muscles that are not overdeveloped.
Core Muscles
If you have a child who has expressed interest in becoming a basketball player in high school, make sure he trains his core muscles. Core muscles are comprised of the hips, lower back, and abdominal muscles. The core links both the lower and upper extremities. Without a strong core, they will have limited athletic performance. Building a solid core helps maintain the leg strength that lies at the core of a strong game.
Pay attention closely to the shoulders if you’re starting to slump when you shoot. When your shoulders are not properly positioned, then it is almost impossible to perform at your best. Shoulders should be towards the hoop. Then, make sure that your shooting side is lined up directly to the rim.
As you’ve learned, there are various ways to better your game. Some techniques are easy to learn through practice. Practice is really the secret to becoming a master of anything, so be sure you have a hoop, ball and free time available regularly. Take what you have learned here to make the most out of your next basketball game.