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How to put backspin on a basketball
How to put backspin on a basketball
Backspin is Important to Your Basketball Free Throw! A SOLIDWORKS Simulation Study
A free throw in basketball is a shot about precision and consistency. Error margins are tight, so players implement techniques to improve their chances. One vital technique is to put backspin on the ball. In this article, we will run a motion and aerodynamic analysis using SOLIDWORKS Motion and SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation to look at why backspin is important by comparing it to a shot without spin. We will look at two important factors along the way:
- Bounce mechanics
- Knuckleball mechanics
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Setup
Using SOLIDWORKS, we can accurately position the ball at the free-throw line (figure 1) and reliably shoot a free throw the same way every time, varying only one parameter at a time.![]()
This way, we can answer specific questions without too many confounding variables.
Figure 1 – SOLIDWORKS CAD setup at the free-throw line
In this test, we varied the speed of the basketball while holding the angle constant, and we tested with 3 RPS (revolutions per second) of spin (figure 2). Then we also did the same test without spin.
Figure 2 - Initial Velocity and Rotation are setup in SOLIDWORKS Motion
We included drag forces on the ball, which will affect its natural parabolic path and give us more accurate results. Figure 3 shows an example equation of the Y-component of the drag force.
Figure 3 - Drag force Y-component depends on velocities
Springs were included on the hoop (figure 4) to mimic the deflection that occurs when the basketball hits the front of the rim.
Figure 4 - Springs on the basketball hoop for more accurate bounce mechanics
With this setup in mind, we are now ready to run our tests.
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Bounce Mechanics One of the most telling results we got was when we shot the ball at around 7.78 m/s and it hit the front of the rim. See if you can spot the difference in performance between the exact same shot without spin (left) and with spin (right) in animation shown below.
Figure 5 - Shot at 7.78m/s to hit the front of the rim at the same spot. Left : No Spin; Right : 3RPS spin
The backspin slows the ball down when it contacts the hoop. We tested with many speeds and summarized the results in Figure 6.
Figure 6 - Summary of shots at varying speeds. Orange zones are missed shots.
As you can see in this figure, we can potentially make shots by undershooting with no spin, but there is an unreliable zone where the ball has too much energy and tends to bounce out.
If we look at the reliable region, our margin for error looks a lot bigger when the spin is added. See the comparison of these regions in Figure 7.
Figure 7 - Side-by-side comparison of shot margin. More than 20% larger when spin is added
According to this test, adding backspin will increase our margin of error by a little more than 20%.
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Knuckleball Mechanics Another factor that can make a big difference between a shot without spin versus one with spin is aerodynamics. Since basketball shots must be both consistent and precise, the knuckleball effect (as seen in baseball) can influence the error margins significantly on a shot with no spin. Figure 8 shows the same two shots going through the air with lift forces plotted beneath them.
Figure 8 - Shot aerodynamics and lift forces.
Left : No spin; Right : 3RPS spin
The lift force on the shot with spin (right) has a stable average lift force which swings up and down roughly in-sync with the rotation of the ball.
In contrast, the average lift force on the shot with no spin (left) shifts upward in this animation.
This upward shift is difficult to predict and could have shifted downward or even not at all if the initial conditions had been slightly different. The shift depends on a few factors, but primarily in this case, the position of the seams has the biggest impact.
The animation below shows how a slight change of angle can have a big impact on the lift force direction.
Figure 9 - Knuckleball effect: Slight change in initial angle can lead to big differences in lift
But what does this mean for our shot? If the lift force points up in the beginning of our shot and then switches in the middle, it pulls the shot off away from its average path (figure 10).
Figure 10 - Knuckleball effect on the flight path of the ball. Average path shown in blue.
Compare this to a shot with the average lift being relatively constant and where the fluctuations quickly cancel themselves out along the way (figure 11).
Figure 11 - Ball with 3RPS spin. Average path shown in blue.
If we zoom in and look at how far away from the average path these shots get, the difference is clear (figure 12).
Figure 12 - Knuckleball can push the ball far away from its mean path (large red margin) compared to having spin
And the effect this has on our error margins creates a compelling argument for adding spin to your free throws (figure 13).
Figure 13 - Error margins updated to include these knuckleball zones. Consistent zone almost 80% larger
Looking at the consistent zones, this represents almost an 80% improvement.
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Conclusion Setting up virtual experiments in SOLIDWORKS Motion and SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation is often a lot easier, faster, and more consistent than setting up real physical experiments or prototypes.
Fortunately, in basketball, there are a lot of “experimenters” already out there on the field to test these theories and their overall conclusion is the same: backspin helps.
To learn more about how SOLIDWORKS Motion or SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation can help you on running your virtual experiments, please contact our support or schedule a session with one of our engineers.
Blooper Bonus Shots
Figure 14 - A couple funny shots that did not make it into the error margin chart
5 of the Biggest Basketball Shooting Mistakes (And How to Fix Them)
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By Joe Haefner
For most of these fixes, you are going to need to start away from the hoop and take hundreds and thousands of shots. You
can find a wall and do this by yourself or find a line and shoot it back and forth to a partner.
Once you begin to feel comfortable with your adjustment, take hundreds of shots really close to the basket
and gradually move out.
- Thumb on Shooting Hand
Players often have the ball sit on the tip of their thumb on their shooting hand. This position is awkward and forces the body to strain to hold the proper shooting form. In order to be a good shooter, you have to be comfortable.
It you don't strain, your elbow sticks too far out.
How do you fix it?
You need to have the ball rest on the side of the thumb rather than on the tip of the thumb on every shot. It may feel awkward at first, but it will help tremendously and more of your shots will travel to the dead-center of the rim. If you can not determine when you are doing this, you may need to have someone critique your shot or video tape it.
- Thumb on Guide Hand
Some players flick the ball with their thumb on the guide hand when shooting the basketball.
This will cause serious problems for the shooter and the ball will often spray left and right. It's tough enough to judge the distance, yet add another factor of left and right into the equation.
Most players develop this problem when they are too weak to get the ball to the rim, and the habit carries through their teenage and adult years.
How do you fix it?
You can squeeze your thumb against the index finger on your guide hand. This will not let you shoot the ball with the thumb. If the problem still continues, take your guide hand off of the ball by about a half-inch and shoot with one hand. Make sure your guide hand stays still.
You can also use a shooting strap to keep your guide hand and thumb still. This is a very effective way to break this habit and keep your guide hand from moving. We have found the j-strap is very effective and recommend it to solve this problem.
- Unnecessary Jerky Movements
These jerky movements can cause you to become an inconsistent shooter:
- Twisting the body.
- Fading backwards, and to the left or right.
How do you fix it?
You need to evaluate when this jerky movement is happening and what type of jerky movement is occurring. This may mean you need to video tape your shot if you have nobody to help.
Two major reasons players twist their body when they shoot is:
- Their feet are not aligned correctly.
- They bring their guide hand down too early.
Make sure your feet line up correctly before every shot. This means you may need to pivot more as you receive the pass or as you step into your shot off the dribble. If you use a hop, make sure that you are turning enough while in the air to align your feet properly as you land. If your feet are not set correctly, this will force your body to twist while shooting to try to compensate for it.
If you bring your guide hand down too early, it brings extra movement into your shot that causes you to twist your body.
If you don't believe me, sit in your chair and shoot with one hand and bring your guide hand down to your waist at the same time. What naturally happens? Your torso will twist.
That's why it is important to keep your guide hand extended in the correct position.
Pro players use this method to stop their upper-body from twisting when they take shots when they
are off-balance or their feet are not aligned appropriately. It helps keep their upper body
from twisting during the shot. I do NOT advise for players under the age of 18 to practice this shot, because it can mess up your mechanics.
A good way to stop leaning is to step towards the basket on the catch. This brings your momentum towards the basket rather than fading or leaning.
You may also have analyzed when the player starts to jerk their body or lean in a certain direction. The player may only do a jerky movement when dribbling to the left and pulling up for a jumper.
If this happens, they need to take hundreds and thousands of repetitions doing that same type of shot with great shooting form.
- No Arc - Flat Shot - Flinging the wrist.
If you are missing a lot of shots because you have a flat shot or you don't seem to get many shooter's bounces, it could be because you are flinging your wrist or have a flat shot.
You can check to see if you have this problem by bringing the ball to your set point and then bringing it straight down. If your shooting-hand lands on top of your head (or the back of your head) instead of grazing your forehead, then you've got a bad set point.
How do you fix it?
Move the ball forward so that when you bring it straight down, the back of your shooting hand grazes your forehead. Practice shooting to yourself from this position until it becomes your new set point.
You should reinforce your new set point by daily form shooting close to the basket. In fact, you should rebuild your shot slowly by stepping back one step at a time as you establish consistency from a given range, using the new set point.
- Shooting after the Top of your Jump.
Players who shoot past the top of their jump will often develop a hitch and jerky shot. The same with players who try to jump as high as they can on every shot.
A player should focus on shooting before the top of their jump for a few different reasons:
- Quicker release. If you shoot before the top of your release, it gives the defender less time to recover to defend the shot.
- Make more shots. The shot is fluid which results in a smoother and softer shot because you don't stop the shot motion at any point in your shot.
- Longer range. If you shoot at or after the top of your shot, it takes a lot more upper body strength to get the ball to the rim. If you shoot as you are going up, the momentum from your legs help carry the ball a lot farther. Try shooting away from the hoop when doing this.
How do you fix it?
This one is pretty simple. You need thousands of repetitions shooting the basketball before the top of your jump.
In order to fix any of these problems, you are going to have be persistent and focused. "Sometimes, you have to take two steps backwards, to take three steps forwards." What that means is that your shot will most likely become worse before it gets better. Always keep the long-term in perspective. Who cares if you don't shoot the ball well during summer league, if you'll be able to shoot lights out once basketball season rolls around!
To learn more about improving your shot, we recommend...Basketball Shooting Guide
One Motion Shooting Video
Attack & Counter Shooting Workouts App
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How to learn how to spin a basketball on your finger
To skillfully spin a basketball on your finger, you need to learn a few simple techniques, find the ball and set aside 10 minutes of training per day.
After a week of practicing your skills, you will master the technique of this trick and show it to your friends. In the step-by-step instructions below, we will show you how to learn how to spin a basketball on your finger.
Tossing the ball correctly
You can train on the sports ground, near the house or even in the apartment, but in any place you need to take into account the environment. For example, when practicing a trick in a room, the ball can bounce and break fragile objects. When a place is found and inventory is prepared, you can begin training. Initially, you need to learn how to properly hold and throw the ball in the air:
- Hold the ball with the stripes vertical. Horizontal scrolling looks ineffective and it is very difficult to catch a projectile from this position.
- Select throw method:
- Two hands. You need to keep the ball not on the sides, but so that 1 hand “looks” at you, and the second from you.
Having fixed the object, sharply spread your arms and slightly “throw” the ball up. - With one hand. To throw with one hand, place your fingers along the lines of the ball. It is important that there is free space between the palm and the inventory. Lightly squeeze the ball. Turn the brush outward until it stops, and then gently turn it back. At the last moment, you need to give additional rotation to the ball with your fingertips. But we do not recommend using a large one, because. this will upset the balance and the ball will fly away.
- Throw the ball parallel to the floor, do not allow the ball to wobble. It is important that when thrown, the projectile rises above eye level. When its bottom surface is visible, the ball is easier to catch.
These steps must be repeated until fully automated. Usually it takes two days. When the throws are confident, you can move on to the second level.
Learning to catch the ball
Once you have learned how to throw correctly, try catching the ball with your finger.
To do this, remember the following nuances:
- You need to catch the projectile on the nail, not the finger itself. In this case, it is important that the brush is turned with the palm towards you.
- The finger must be placed strictly in the center, at the junction of the vertical lines, otherwise the ball will slide off.
- When your finger touches the ball, gently and smoothly lower your hand down. So you will improve the cushioning, the inventory will not bounce, and you will not damage your finger.
This stage is one of the most difficult and requires patience on the part of the freestyler, athlete and just wanting to master the skill. When you learn how to catch the ball, at first it can control you: jump off and make you “run” after it to keep your balance. Be patient and keep practicing.
Once you are comfortable with a spinning ball, try to keep it spinning and spin it further. To do this, with light flapping movements, move your free hand along a tangent.
But remember that strong twists can shift the center of gravity and the projectile will lose balance.
Tips
Here are some helpful tips from the pros:
- practice throwing a few times a day before moving on to other stages;
- workouts can be quite tiring, so take breaks between sets to give your hands a rest;
- use only a well-inflated ball;
- when accelerating the rotational movements, do not apply much force, otherwise the ball will slip off the finger;
- Trim your nails before practicing, this will increase rotation control;
- do not throw the ball very high: you can damage or break the phalanges;
- You can reduce the risk of wrist injury by warming up before practicing the exercise.
Knowing how to spin a basketball on your finger and approaching the matter responsibly, in a week you will be able to show a cool trick to friends or sports colleagues.
How to learn to spin a basketball on your finger
Home » Blog » How to learn to spin a basketball on your finger
Learning how to deftly spin a basketball on your finger is the dream of many! Such an original sports trick can truly surprise and delight friends, as well as demonstrate unusual talent.
There is an effective step-by-step method of training, following which will allow you to achieve your goal in a short time.
First of all, you should find the vertical stripes on the ball. We will twist it in the middle of the lower side, at the point where all the stripes intersect at right angles. In the event that you twist it in a horizontal position, such a visual effect cannot be achieved. In addition, the finger will be in an uncomfortable position.
Next, you need to decide whether one or both hands will be involved. Some prefer to toss the ball in the air with one hand and then catch it with the finger of the other.
For the rest, it is more convenient to sharply spin the ball with one hand directly at the tip of the finger.
The arm should be bent at an angle of approximately 110 degrees at the elbow. It is important that the elbow is in a comfortable position, usually slightly higher than the side, so that the ball in the process of rotation is at the level of the face.
A sports equipment is placed in the hand with which it will be twisted, on the fingertips. It is not recommended to place the ball in the palm of your hand, as there is a high chance that it will slip off. After placing the ball on the pads of your fingers, leave some free space between it and your palm.
Initially, the fingers should be directed towards you. After the rotational movements are completed, the hand will turn 180 degrees and the fingers will be directed in the opposite direction.
The other hand is placed on the side of the ball, closer to its back side. In this case, the thumb should be in the middle, between the upper and lower sides of the ball, since it will be applied the main force used in the process of tossing the ball.
Let's make a throw! We toss the ball with a rotational movement of the main hand, while twisting it forward with the other hand. It is important that both actions are synchronized to ensure that the same force is created on different parts of the sports equipment. The pads of the fingers of the main hand take an active part, which give the ball the right direction.
Be sure to practice throwing. The higher the speed of rotation of the ball, the better, regardless of whether one or both hands is used to throw. It should not be too high to be able to quickly substitute a finger under a spinning ball. Otherwise, catching it on your finger will be very difficult, and often even painful.
Experienced professionals give a number of recommendations to make the trick a success:
· In the process of trying to accelerate the speed of rotation of the ball, you should not do it too much, as the ball will lose balance and jump off the finger;
To successfully complete this technique, use a well-inflated ball;
During training, it is necessary to take breaks from time to time, since such a practice can be very tiring;
In order to easily and deftly spin the basketball on your finger, you should cut your nails short, which will greatly improve the feeling of ball control during rotation;
· Before proceeding directly to the rotation of the ball on the finger, you need to practice throwing for several days.
