The Best Basketball Advice You Will Read
Whether you have been watching and playing basketball for years or you have just started getting into it, you already know how fun the game is. However, do you feel like you know everything there is to know about basketball? If you think you could benefit from learning more, read on.
When you are in control of the ball, make sure you always pay attention to what is happening on the court. Know where the other players are. Don't stare at the ground. If you do, there is no way for you to have the type of court awareness that you need to be successful.
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.
Practicing with your team is important, but don't overlook the value of daily practice on your own. Set up a daily practice time for yourself and stick to your schedule. Practice footwork, shooting, and dribbling. It is also important to include strength training and endurance training in your practice schedule.
Find out more about the practice schedule.
Try playing basketball games alone before and during the season. It is possible to enjoy this team sport even in the absence of your team. No problem! You'll still be able to get a lot done when playing solo. Work on your pivot moves or practice your free throws. This will help improve the hard parts of your game.
Don't prepare more for a game than you do for practice. If you don't tape up for practice, don't do it for games. You will naturally take games more seriously than practice. However, you don't need to start panicking over a game by overpreparing. Have a consistent and calm routine.
When you play basketball, be sure that you remain properly hydrated. Drink plenty of water before, during, and after playing. Becoming dehydrated can negatively affect your game and your health. It is possible to lose up to 2% of your body weight through dehydration. That can also cause between a 10% and 20% decrease in your athletic performance.
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 are the parent of a young up and coming basketball player, make sure the coach you trust them with isn't too obsessed about winning. Although this may sound counterproductive, it's actually more important that your son or daughter be encouraged thoughtfully and with care, rather than screamed at and threatened. Check out the reputation of any coach first.
Don't play while injured or else your injury will worsen. Basketball is hard to play well even when you are healthy, so don't push it. Trying to play through the pain could just cause more damage. If the pain is bad, visit a doctor.
Remember that being good at basketball starts with being athletic. That means working on all of your skills, not just those which involve a ball. Run to build stamina and your cardiovascular health, and lift weights to build your strength. The harder you work on your overall condition, the better you will play.
To take care of your leather basketball, only use it in an indoor gym. If you take it outside, the cement and asphalt will tear up that leather. Instead, buy a rubber indoor/outdoor basketball to take to the cement court. They are cheaper and bounce just as well outside.
Know your place on the team and play it. You may be better as a support player than as the one who can dunk the basketball. That doesn't mean you will never make a winning shot, it just means that you don't neglect other players or interfere with them in pursuit of scoring points.
To increase your basketball playing abilities, consider strength training exercises. You need both strength and endurance if you are going to excel. Even young kids can improve if they exercise the right way and strengthen their core. As they become adolescents, let them start using weights for added benefits. Strength training is essential once you reach the adult years.
Increasing the strength of your hands is a great way to improve your ball handling skills for basketball. Finger pushups should be a regular part of your basketball practice routine. You can also increase hand strength by squeezing a tennis ball on and off throughout the day. Begin by doing this every other day and build up to 6 days per week.
The only thing you should ever pay attention to outside of the rectangle of the court is your coach yelling. Don't mind what the fans are cheering or booing, or even how many people are in attendance. Certainly never listen to your parents. Your coach let you on the team and decides your playing time, not mom and dad.
While you should always make your passes as simple as possible, some situations call for more complicated passes. If you have to make a behind-the-back pass, your power is coming from your arm and fingers. If you use the power from your shoulders, your opponent will realize what you're doing and may be quick enough to break up the pass.
Plant a pivot foot when you catch the ball. This frees your other foot to be a "rocker" foot. You can use this freedom of movement on the other leg to either fake out your defender or possibly set up a different play. Never start dribbling unless you have a reason to do so.
As the start of this article mentioned, you're probably aware of how exciting basketball is, no matter how long you have had an interest in it. But, the key to succeeding with this sport is doing your homework on it. The tips above are a great start for your goal of becoming a basketball expert.