Basketball is a sport that people of all ages can play. It is a professional sport, and it can also be a sport people do just to get a good workout in. If this is a sport you'd like to learn a little more about, then read through the following tips.
One of the first things you need to learn when it comes to basketball is how to guard the ball. To help develop the skills needed for this, ask your friends for a friendly game of basketball. Invite some players who are skilled to teach you how to guard the ball.
Footwork is an important skill to practice daily if you want to improve your basketball game. Players with exceptional foot work can move around their opponents at will. It is essential to include both slow paced running and fast sprints in your practice sessions. You can practice first without a ball and then add dribbling to your footwork sessions.
Successful free throwing requires as much mental skill as it does physical skill. Training your body is important, but you also have to be mentally ready for the shot. Relax and focus on your shot, and you can make it.
Before, during and after the season, play out games by yourself. Though basketball is surely a team sport, there may be times when you have nobody to play against. No problem! You can accomplish a lot by practicing alone. Work on your pivot moves or practice your free throws. You can always find things to work on.
Use hand signals to avoid errant passes. One of basketball's most frustrating elements is the concept of sending a quick pass onto a teammate who has just moved in a different direction. A simple hand gesture can let your teammate know you're ready for the pass. Without a signal, there shouldn't be a pass.
Try yoga to improve your basketball game. You might not want to tell your teammates about it, since some of them are going to likely laugh. However, the increased flexibility and agility you get helps prevent injuries or at least leaves able to get back up quicker when you get knocked down. Don't laugh; Kareem Abdul-Jabaar used it to extend his NBA career.
If you get hurt during a basketball game, don't try to play while in pain. Basketball is physically demanding, and it is easy to get hurt. By "playing through the pain" you take a huge risk that the injury will become much worse. If you have a very serious injury, talk to a doctor.
Keep your hands active. Use a deflective hand high to block shots and intercept passes. Use a ball hand low to block low passes and try to poke the ball away from your opponent. Always swipe your hand up when playing the ball. Swiping down at the ball could result in a foul.
Beware of picking up bad habits from street basketball games. Street games are often rougher and flashier than team basketball. It's a game to impress through individual showmanship, not from your work as part of a bigger group. Therefore, you can bring the wrong skills to the table if you base your team play on what you've learned from street games. Remember, you are part of something bigger than just you.
A player's free-throw percentage is generally much higher than their field goal percentage. While part of this has to do with being in action with defenders right on you when shooting field goals, the other part is the dedicated form and practice put into this "free" shot. Be sure you spend some time practicing your free throws during each practice.
Stick with the same routine every time that you do free throws. You have 10 seconds to shoot, so you can use that short period of time as you like. You can bounce the ball a couple times, spin it within your hands, talk to yourself, etc. Try to be creative and find a routine that works best for you. You will eventually get more comfortable with this shot by doing the same routine over and over.
A great way to practice the fast break is to get the ball up the court in less than five dribbles. It may seem impossible, but the more you practice this rule, the easier it becomes. During game time you will notice yourself using this to your advantage during the fast break.
To get an amazing arm workout, dribble the ball on a patch of dirt. This will take a lot of power as the dirt absorbs most of the energy you put into the ball when it hits. Do this for a few minutes, but don't over exert yourself or you could hurt your arm.
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.
Always share with your teammates. When someone begins to guard you, start looking for someone to pass to and stop dribbling. If you don't, your teammates won't bother trying to find an open spot as they will know that you are a ball hog who doesn't pass when the time is right.
To inbound a basketball, you need to be able to learn to fake defenders out. You can use the ball to fake in one direction and then pass in another. Defenders often will jump at your first fake, giving your teammate the chance to get wide open. Use this to beat those opponents who try to cheat the pass.
After all is said and done, it's not too hard to get into basketball. Once you take in what you've gone over above, it's all up to you how far you go with it. Just make sure you know the rules before you hit the court so you have a better chance to win!
Orignal From: The Tips In This Article About Basketball Are For You
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