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How to get better at basketball without a ball


A Complete Guide On How To Get Better At Basketball Fast

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Playing basketball is not a skill that you can master in an instant. Even professional basketball players have to spend a lot of time practicing every day.

However, if you are a novice or young basketball player and want to master the basic steps to improve your skills, Scott Fujita will guide you in the article below.

How to get better at basketball at home? Let’s read on to discover!

Detailed steps to get better at basketball

Contents

How To Get Better At Basketball

To be able to play basketball well, you need to know some basic basketball skills. The first step is always the most important to understand the movements often used in competition.

Related: 

  • Basic skills of basketball
  • How to become a basketball coach
  • How to shoot a basketball

1. Master Your Ball Handling Skills

To become a better player, the first thing you need to do is develop strong basketball dribbling skills. Start with simple dribbling drills and work your way up to mastery.

It would help if you started practicing with a centered athletic position. Keep your nose behind your toes and loaded hips, so you will not lean forward. Balance is the key to effective basketball handling.

Start moving the ball around your body in a static and athletic position. Don’t hesitate to dribble forcefully to the side of your foot when handling the ball.

You should maintain a bounce height between your knees and hips for the best control. Practice a few times in that sweet spot and then start dribbling. It ensures to keep the ball within your range to score better.

To gain more ball control, you need to put more force in after each dribble. We recommend practicing two-handed dribbling every day until your dribbling skills become proficient.

Also, pay attention to the three basic basketball skills: midfoot, back, and crossovers.

You will need to combine or create new dribbles based on these basic moves in a basketball game. It is vital to make sure you understand this step well before moving on to the other steps.

Check out this video to get an ultimate guide on how to get better at basketball dribbling.

2. Identify And Fix Your Weak Spots

Once you’ve played basketball for a while, you’ll have a clear understanding of your abilities. Set aside a certain amount of time each day to self-assess your performance. Usually, it will take you five to ten minutes to think about and list all of your strengths and weaknesses on paper.

Finding out your weaknesses will help you determine which basketball drills you should practice. For example, if you have trouble at the free-throw line, increase your free throws practice next time.

To become an elite basketball court player, you need to identify and eliminate your flaws to perfect every game aspect.

3. Practice At A Game-Time Pace

Most basketball players perform better in solo practice than they do in basketball games. The main reason for this drop in form is that the pressure of time and the game’s fast pace sometimes overwhelms you.

If you tend to shine in practice games but are poor at shooting and dribbling in real matches, chances are you haven’t kept up with game speed. When practicing or playing one on one, imagine defensive players covering you. It will help you a lot in keeping up with the actual game speed.

Opponent defenders won’t wait until you’ve completed a dribble or tried to find the best throw distance to the basketball hoop. If you want to practice shooting, let’s assume there are a lot of opponents around you. Those who hesitate to practice will not be able to perform well in actual conditions. It would be best if you remembered that.

4. Improve Your Physical Fitness

You will not be able to improve your basketball skills if you are not physically fit. Whether you’re a defense or offensive player, fitness is essential to keep a basketball player competitive.

To be able to run across the field, you need to build endurance. Even if you’ve mastered basic skills like dribbling and passing skills, you won’t be able to keep up with your teammates if you’re quickly exhausted after five minutes of running. The best exercises for building endurance include endurance running, sprinting, or weight training to build muscle.

Power dribble before each game to warm up is also an excellent way to get used to the tempo of practice. Do these routines daily to increase your stamina. As muscle mass increases, it will help you become more aggressive to elevate you.

You need to practice shooting basketball frequently

5. Improve Your Shooting Motion

You need to take some shooting drills to build the foundation for your shots. The lower body is the starting point for every shot that can score points. So, you need to focus on training and training your lower body.

Start by pointing your toes in the same direction, first placing them perpendicular to the rim. During practice, try to find the most natural position for your body. If you push the arch of your foot into the floor to load your lower body, it will give you strength and consistency.

Keep your knees behind your toes and focus on letting energy and power flow from your feet to your hips and buttocks. Finally, stroke your toes, knees, hips, and shoulders. Don’t forget to flex your legs after each shot.

You can also use the hand-eye coordination method to make your shooting arm stronger. If you want to practice at home, stand in front of a mirror without a ball in hand.

6. Work On Your Hand Alignment In Playing Time

For a consistent ball feel, optimize your hand positioning. It affects the proper spin, feel connection, and controllability through which you fire. To find the correct hand position is to place the index finger of your dominant hand on the air valve of the ball. You can practice a shooting drill to get used to the feel of the ball in your hand.

When facing a defensive player, choose a high release point to make it harder for them to block. Keep your wrists and elbows in line with the basket. Extend your arms entirely so that your elbows end above the eye at the point of the shot.

7. Learn From Game Tapes And Realistic Matches

For beginners, watching other basketball players play is also an excellent way to learn. Not only with basketball but also other sports. You can see how people play defense as well as set up attack tactics accordingly.

Professional games like the NBA are often thrilling but not suitable for learning. They usually pay attention to individual skills or highlights of the players. In contrast, high school and college tournaments use longer shot clocks. It is more suitable for the way teenagers play.

Observe and save skills that can be useful to bolster your offensive and defensive game. You won’t be able to practice defensive drills without help from other players. So this would be a good way to learn.

Don’t forget to play one on one with a defender

8. Try To Create Space From A Defender

Playing defense is difficult if you practice alone. Most of our exercises will revolve around attacking and scoring. So how can you master the shooting and scoring?

A helpful tip is to observe defensive players’ feet, hands, and noses. They will help you roughly determine their standing position to predict their next move. Make quick judgments and create space with jabs or jumps.

When creating space from a tight defender, you need to achieve three goals. These include breaking balance, keeping the ball close, and creating a lane to the basket.

We recommend that you combine watching the video tutorials below to get the best results.

Final Thoughts

For you to become a better basketball player, talent is not the deciding factor. Famous stars like Michael Jordan or LeBron James also have a hard time practicing to master skills and apply them flexibly during competition. Take time to practice every day, and you will quickly realize your progress.

Thank you for reading!

Effective Moves without the Basketball Skills

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Moving without the ball is one of the most important aspects of basketball—and an area often overlooked by players. Practicing effective moves without the basketball develops great offensive skills. The overall goal of these moves is to get in position for the best shot possible.

Below are examples from Kansas Basketball Academy Foundation to help you develop into a complete offense player.

This diagram shows the various moved players can make in different areas of the court.

Key: CC=Curl Cut; BH=Button Hook Cut; VC= V-Cut; LC= L-Cut

Backdoor Cut

The Backdoor Cut is effective when the defense overplays the passing lane. The offensive player starts toward his or her teammate with the ball, planting the foot farthest from the basket, pushing off, and cutting hard toward the basket. Players must provide a target for the passer.

V-Cut

The player on the perimeter cuts toward the lane, plants hard on the outside foot and cuts hard back to the perimeter to receive the pass.

If you’re guarded and standing still, you won’t get open to receive a pass. Change speed or direction to get open.

Learn about moves after the V-Cut.

 L-Cut

This move can be made up the lane or down the lane (from the wing position.) Use footwork similar to the V-Cut.

 Button Hook Cut 

Cut with a quick stop, pivot toward the ball, seal the defender on your back side and receive the pass from your teammate. A post player or a strong tall guard who has a size advantage over the defender can cut inside, but instead of cutting back out to the perimeter, he or she can quickly pivot and explode to the ball for a post-up move and a pass inside.

Curl Cut

The Curl Cut is running a circular cut around a teammate’s screen. It is an effective move without the basketball for  shooters to get open for a pass and shot. Shooting guards can go inside and curl-cut around a post player to get open.

The cutter must learn how to use the screen and read the defender. If the defender chases around the screen, the offensive player should curl. If the defender goes under the screen, the offensive player should fade or flare out to the perimeter for a jump shot.

Learn more about the basketball motion offense.

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Moving without the ball is one of the most important aspects of basketball—and an area often overlooked by players. Practicing effective moves without the basketball develops great offensive skills. The overall goal of these moves is to get in position for the best shot possible.

Below are examples from Kansas Basketball Academy Foundation to help you develop into a complete offense player.

This diagram shows the various moved players can make in different areas of the court.

Key: CC=Curl Cut; BH=Button Hook Cut; VC= V-Cut; LC= L-Cut

Backdoor Cut

The Backdoor Cut is effective when the defense overplays the passing lane. The offensive player starts toward his or her teammate with the ball, planting the foot farthest from the basket, pushing off, and cutting hard toward the basket. Players must provide a target for the passer.

V-Cut

The player on the perimeter cuts toward the lane, plants hard on the outside foot and cuts hard back to the perimeter to receive the pass.

If you’re guarded and standing still, you won’t get open to receive a pass. Change speed or direction to get open.

Learn about moves after the V-Cut.

 L-Cut

This move can be made up the lane or down the lane (from the wing position.) Use footwork similar to the V-Cut.

 Button Hook Cut 

Cut with a quick stop, pivot toward the ball, seal the defender on your back side and receive the pass from your teammate. A post player or a strong tall guard who has a size advantage over the defender can cut inside, but instead of cutting back out to the perimeter, he or she can quickly pivot and explode to the ball for a post-up move and a pass inside.

Curl Cut

The Curl Cut is running a circular cut around a teammate’s screen. It is an effective move without the basketball for  shooters to get open for a pass and shot. Shooting guards can go inside and curl-cut around a post player to get open.

The cutter must learn how to use the screen and read the defender. If the defender chases around the screen, the offensive player should curl. If the defender goes under the screen, the offensive player should fade or flare out to the perimeter for a jump shot.

Learn more about the basketball motion offense.

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Tips from experienced masters: how to become the best basketball player

Basketball is gaining more and more popularity every year. Today you will learn a few simple guidelines that will help beginners build a path to a real professional. The development and improvement of mastery depends on how much a person can master the skills of independent development in this area.

Physical training is the basis of a good basketball player

All professional athletes, including basketball players, have a good and comprehensive physical development. In order to have an advantage over your opponents in this game, you must develop the following qualities: strength, speed, endurance, agility and coordination.

By training in the basketball section, you are most likely mastering general physical fitness. However, if you train only with the ball, then you will not be able to comprehensively develop your fitness. In order to achieve it, you need to take up other sports. For example, athletics - it will help develop endurance and speed. Other qualities can be developed with the help of specialized exercises.

Each sport is unique and has a priority of development of one criterion, others, of course, are also developing, but to a lesser extent.

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7 Important Rules Every Basketball Player Should Know

  • There is no limit to perfection. Any, even the simplest technique, can be perfected over the years. Which one to focus on? Pay attention to your own body.
  • Athletes must master many techniques with high quality and then try to use them during training games.
  • If a basketball player constantly develops his technical skills, then in time he will become a virtuoso.
  • You must master your strengths and over time work on getting rid of your weaknesses.
  • Do not try to go too far at once, gradually master new movements.
  • Beginners should learn the whole arsenal at once and understand where to focus.
  • The player can choose his specialization after he has already mastered many techniques. And then choose your style of play.

Master yourself

You must remember that every workout allows you to master your movements more clearly. Do not be lazy, and if there are no valid circumstances, then do not skip classes. The main thing is regularity. Over time, you will develop a habit, and you will not be able to imagine your life without basketball. Get rid of your weaknesses and focus on your strengths.

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Practical tips to improve your game

  • Remember that every sport favors muscle elasticity. Do your best to be flexible. Eliminate the possibility of injury due to lack of flexibility.
  • Carefully study all the rules of the game. Find out what you can get a foul for, what is dribbling, rebounding, etc. Also, if you have a friend who can pass on some knowledge to you, be sure to chat with him.
  • Practice basic movements. Become your own coach, choose a sports ground that you like and train hard on it. Move at different paces, throw the ball into the air and catch it as you move. Practice throws into the ring from different angles.
  • Practice with other basketball players. Learn all the terms and definitions and start using them regularly. They should fit tightly into your vocabulary.
  • You must be a good friend. Pass often, occupy an open area in order to help another team member who is blocked.
  • Come up with new tricks. Start with simple ones and gradually complicate them. Be patient and keep practicing until you succeed. Don't give up, be determined.
  • Play at least once every two days, preferably every day. If you have the opportunity to go to the basketball court - by all means use it. Develop tolerance and a sense of devotion to basketball, and then you will definitely achieve certain heights.
  • Play with peers. As a player, you need to know how your opponents handle the ball. If you can't beat them, then work harder. After solo workouts that focus on boosting ancillary qualities like speed and stamina, be sure to be the best on the court.
  • Focus on dribbling. The only possible way to achieve great success is to be good at dribbling. You may be the most accurate basketball player on the planet, but you won't be a good player if you can't break through the opposing team's defense.

How to become a good basketball player?

  • The main thing to remember is that hard work is the key to becoming a great basketball player. A cheerful spirit and self-confidence will definitely contribute to this.
  • Remember that clever attacks are key.
  • Eat healthy food. During the game you lose a lot of calories, recover well. Eat more protein and plant foods.
  • When you play defense, always stand face to face with your opponent.
  • Get used to constant interaction with teammates. Develop your signals.
  • Remember that basketball is a team game where the team wins, not just one player. If you want to win, then be as united as possible.
  • Be friendly and never scold other team members. If you think that you are better than them, then know that arrogance is a terrible character trait.
  • You will win favor with the judges if you play fair.
  • Earn the respect of your new teammates with a good game.

Top warnings to help you avoid big mistakes

  • Never be afraid to throw the ball or attack if you think you're not ready. Also, never show off, let your partners know that you have your place and that you are a useful team member.
  • Warm up well before playing. Do a light jog, then joint exercises and stretching. Flexibility while playing is a must. If you get hurt, you will blame yourself for it. So be smart.
  • Get rid of stereotypes. You don't have to be tall to play basketball. Everyone can enjoy exercising.
  • Do not show aggression towards other players, otherwise you will simply be escorted off the field. Treat your opponents with respect. It is clear that the release of adrenaline makes itself felt, but try to control yourself.
  • Do not play basketball in enclosed spaces such as an apartment. The clatter of the ball can annoy your cohabitants. Moreover, you risk breaking something.

Keep your body in good physical shape

Sport involves the development of all physical abilities to one degree or another. To be a good basketball player, you need to keep fit, learn new tricks and learn new things.

Good athletes never miss a workout and constantly develop their skills. For many sports players, the ball is the meaning of life. Are you ready to sacrifice a lot in order to master it professionally?

Found a violation? Complain about content Even if you are a novice basketball player, we will not give you a training plan, but we will tell you why the ball flies anywhere but into the ring and into your hands. It's all about technique: even with regular training and perseverance, novice adults and children often make simple mistakes. It's a shame, let's fix it. Below are 11 life hacks on how to hone your technique to increase the likelihood of a goal for your team.

Basketball Shot Rules for Beginners

1. Hands up

In pursuit of the attacker, raise your hands, even if you are standing with your back to the pass, and even more so if the ring is in front of you. Your raised hands will increase the chance of intercepting the ball from the opponent by 2 times. Don't overlook this little thing!

2. Make shield rolls

Even Tim Duncan did not neglect them! A square is drawn on the basketball backboard. If you are standing opposite the ring, then aim at the middle of the upper part of the square, if you are standing on the side, then at the corner. If you hit this square, then the ball is at 90% of cases will fall into the ring. The law of physics and no cheating!

3. Look at the ring, not at the ball

Practice driving the ball with your hand, not your eyes, develop tactile control. Your eyes should be on the hoop while dribbling and be aware of the position of your body in relation to the hoop. Then you will be able to take the correct posture, and the throw will be effective.

4. Dribble with the balls of your fingers only

The palm should not touch the ball, only the pads of the fingers. Dribbling should become familiar to you, like an extension of your hand. Then you can change its trajectory at any time and you will have more chances to score goals. Practice with the ball constantly.

5. Throw with one hand

If you throw the ball with two hands, you reduce the chance of hitting the basket. All the efforts of the throw are in one hand (in the right for right-handers, in the left for left-handers). The other hand only holds the ball, the leading one holds it with the fingers, not the palm.

6. Do not jump when protecting the ring

Jumping is the main mistake of rookie defenders. To intercept the ball and block the shot, simply stick out your hands. When you are in a jump, the attacker will easily bypass you.

7. Don't look back

When you dribble, don't look back, but dribble and aim for the ring, focus on shooting (or passing to another player on your team).

8. Bring the throw to automatism

Incorporate the most basic basketball techniques into your training plan and bring the shot to automatism. Throw first from a distance of half a meter from the ring, gradually increasing it. Learn to throw the ball so that it hits the hoop without touching the edge.

Throw the ball with all fives and jump

Throwing Rules:

  • Head in the center of the body - if tilted, accuracy is lost.
  • Look at the ring: mentally build a trajectory. If you are standing far away, then the ball flies in a curved curve with a maximum height of 2 meters above the ring.
  • A strong hand is in front and throws, a weak hand is on the side and directs, only holding the ball. The elbow of the throwing hand must be in line with the ring.
  • The ball must rest on the fingers without touching the palm. The fingers are as far apart as possible and grab the ball.
  • Throwing arm bent 90 degrees, forearm perpendicular to the floor. If you bend less, then you get not a throw, but a throwing of the ball horizontally.

The main thing in the throw is the position of the body and its balance. Place your feet apart and parallel to each other: it is important to orient them in the middle of the basket. Then the direction of the body during the jump will coincide with the direction of the throw, and the ball will fly straight into the ring. When the feet are uneven, the ball flies in the wrong direction or does not reach (although the throw was normal).

Take a deep breath and release as you exhale.

How to hold the ball and shoot in basketball

How to throw correctly: straighten your arm, point your wrist up, and with your hand set the ball to rotate in the opposite direction from the flight. The ball should seem to "roll" off your fingers.

9. Copy masters and play as a team

Watch professional basketball games and try to copy the movements of your favorite players in training. And be sure to conduct game sparring - this will allow you to develop more techniques.

10. Do not throw in a straight line

The higher the arc of the ball, the greater the chance of a goal and the less chance of blocking by the opponent.

11. Do not throw the ball from a full height stand

This is the biggest newbie mistake!

Before the throw, bend your knees slightly and at the moment of the throw, straighten your body, making a jump.


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