How to shoot farther basketball

How to Develop Long Distance Basketball Shooting Range

By Jeff Haefner

Would you like to make MORE shots from farther back? Would you like to become a great 3-point shooter?

We have some very effective shooting tips for you...

When extending your range, you need to know about some surefire RIGHT and WRONG ways to get it done.

You need to be very careful because all too often players will try to extend their range and acquire some subtle, yet dead-serious shooting flaws!!

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The trick is to extend your range while maintaining the EXACT SAME FORM.
There are only TWO ways to increase your range:

1. INCREASE YOUR PHYSICAL STRENGTH AND POWER.
2. ADJUST YOUR SHOT MECHANICS FOR ADDITIONAL POWER.

With that said, we'll teach you exactly how to increase your range both ways. It's up to you to decide which method you choose.

Many times, it's best for players to make very small improvements in both areas.

How to increase your physical strength and power for increased range.

The most obvious answer is to start a weight training program. Increasing the strength of your entire body will help. You'll want stronger and more explosive legs, core, wrist, forearms, and triceps.

In addition, by simply practicing more, you will increase the strength of your wrists and forearms. Taking 500 shots a day will increase your strength.

Lastly, you can try using a heavy ball (twice the weight of a regulation ball) and then going back to the regulation size one. Players usually find it easy to shoot from farther out because of the contrast. Wait until at least junior high before working with an oversized or weighted ball.

If you use a weighted ball, be sure to practice away from the basket. Do form shooting with one hand. Put your guide hand in the normal position, but an inch off the ball so you're not touching it. Focus on shooting the ball high and far, but do not sacrifice good form in order to do so.

How to adjust your mechanics for additional power.

This can be tricky because changing your mechanics can throw off your shot. Big changes to your mechanics will require you to retrain your muscle memory and you'll need thousands of repetitions to retrain your muscle memory.

In most situations, it's best to make very minor adjustments to your shot delivery.

The safest way to increase shooting range

If you want to take the safest route, here's a surefire way to extend your range without sacrificing your accuracy.

Let's say you are proficient at mid-range but you want to become a great 3-point shooter...

The obvious answer is to practice. The question becomes what to practice. Shooting revolves around rhythm and form, so that is where the answer lies.

It might sound strange, but to become a better 3-point shooter, you have to practice a lot, close to the basket. Take 100's and 1000's of shots 12' from the basket. The purpose for this is to really ingrain your shooting form from an area that you can shoot comfortably and have some success. It doesn't make a difference what drills you do or how you practice it, as long as the primary thrust of the work is your form.

Once you have your form ingrained, gradually move back. If you get to a point where you feel the rhythm change or your form start to change, that is the limit of your range. Stay at that spot until your shot feels like it did at 12 feet. Once it feels comfortable again, shoot several hundred shots until it becomes automatic again.

Once it feels automatic again, start to move back until you reach the limit of your range and shoot continually from that spot. Once you feel comfortable from behind the 3-point line, you can start shooting drills that will make you more proficient.

Players struggle from behind the arc because they have to change their shot to get the ball to the basket. This not only makes the shooter inconsistent from the 3-point line, but it affects his shot from everywhere else. Remember, to be a good shooter, you have to take the same shot every time, no matter where you shoot the ball.

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5 Exercises to Shoot a Basketball Farther

April 13, 2021

Professional basketball player Elan Buller, who played point guard at Pepperdine University when they beat the Indiana Hoosiers in 2000, holds the current world record for the longest successful basketball shot. Scoring at a distance of 112 feet and six inches, this was the second time that Buller broke the world record for the farthest successful shooting distance.

You don’t need to be a world record-holder to appreciate the benefits of getting a basketball in the net from far away. By increasing your basketball shooting distance, you:

• Open up the floor not only for yourself, but for your teammates as well 

• You increase the spread of your team, which makes attacking the hoop easier for you and your colleagues 

• You overcome taller opponents, since distance decreases their ability to defend against your shots 

But there’s one problem: The further you are from the net, the higher your odds of missing the hoop. This holds true even for elite NBA athletes. 

According to statistical researchers at FiveThirtyEight, who analyzed the percentage of successful shots throughout five NBA seasons and an incredible 1+ million player attempts, the only time that NBA players managed to get more than 50 percent of their shots into the hoop was in the tiny swath of court right in front of the basket.

In fact, once players were more than six feet away from the hoop, their averages dropped as low as 35 percent. 

Do you want to increase your shooting distance and score more points at your next game? If you want to shoot a basketball farther, it’s key to understand the biomechanics of shooting a basketball. After explaining the biomechanics of shooting the ball, we will give you five specific exercises for shooting a basketball farther.

1 How to Increase Your Basketball Shooting Range

1. 1 The Biomechanics of Shooting a Basketball

1.2 Summation of Force 101

1.3 Muscles Involved in Long-Distancing Shooting

3 Conclusion

How to Increase Your Basketball Shooting Range 

There are a few factors that significantly influence your ability to get your basketball in the hoop from a longer distance:

• Your technique (e.g., the angle of your arc, your shot’s depth in the rim, the so-called Magnus effect, etc.)

• Your height, which impacts everything from your release angle to the effects of gravity

• Your strength and flexibility, and specifically your ability to generate a lot of force and speed when shooting

In the sections below, we will:

• Break down the biomechanics of shooting a basketball

• Discuss the specific muscles involved in shooting the basketball from a greater distance

• Explain specific exercises that will target the muscles you need to strengthen to increase your shooting distance

The Biomechanics of Shooting a Basketball 

In a study published in the Journal of Physical Education Recreation & Dance, researchers analyzed the specific biomechanics involved in shooting a basketball. Regardless of where you’re shooting from, all shots require six general stages of movement:

• The set-up, squaring your shoulders and positioning yourself so you’re facing the basket

• The right stance, with your dominant foot positioned a few inches in front of your non-dominant foot

• The build-up, where your knees bend and your muscles contract, coiling up kinetic energy in your lower body

• The explosive release of the kinetic energy as you relax your contracted muscles, jump up, and bring the basketball up to your face

• The arm and shoulder flexion and extension, where you raise your arm and release the ball

• The follow-through, letting the momentum and kinetic energy complete its movement

When it comes to increasing your shooting distance, the most important principle to remember is summation of force.

Summation of Force 101 

You cannot shoot the basketball without generating a large amount of kinetic force, and you cannot increase your shooting distance without increasing the amount of force behind your throw.

Contrary to what you might assume, the force you need doesn’t come from your arms and hands. 

Within the context of basketball, generating the necessary force starts in your lower body as you bend your knees. This knee flexion and muscle contraction activate and recruit the fast-twitch, type II muscle fibers in your feet, legs and glutes. 

When released, the kinetic energy travels rapidly up your body (known as the kinetic chain) and through your arms and hands, projecting the basketball with force. 

The more muscles and body parts you involve in this process, the more force you can generate and the greater the distance you can throw the basketball. This is known as force summation, and it’s the key to effectively increasing your shooting distance while also minimizing fatigue and exhaustion that would otherwise compromise your shooting abilities later in the game.

With that understanding of force summation, you may choose to adjust some of your shooting techniques and strategies by:

• Bending your knees deeper in your set-up, which helps distribute force generation across more muscle groups.

• Jumping higher, which accelerates the kinetic chain (and also increases your release angle, which is linked with improved scoring percentages)

• Straightening your body to maintain momentum and balance (this requires a stable, strong core)

And all of this necessitates recruiting the right muscle groups, and strengthening these muscle groups appropriately.

Muscles Involved in Long-Distancing Shooting 

Jumping and shooting is basically a full-body movement, but there are a few specific muscle groups that are especially important:

• Your legs, specifically the explosive strength of your quads, calves, and glutes that are the foundation for generating force.

• Your core, which helps maintain the kinetic chain between your lower and upper body. 

• Your chest and shoulder girdle, which help to move your shoulders and arms with accuracy and power.

• Your arms, especially your biceps (key for elbow flexion and for smooth movement as you throw), triceps (they raise your arms and assist with shoulder rotation), and forearm muscles (critical for the final stage of throwing when the ball is raised in front of your face).

Any traditional strength-training program can help build the flexibility and strength of these muscle groups. However, five specific exercises tie these muscle groups together in a way that trains for ballistic (i.e., explosive) movements, which is necessary for precise projection of the basketball.

5 Exercises to Increase Serving Speed 

There are a few technique adjustments that you can employ to increase your shooting range. For instance, try: 

• Decreasing the time it takes to smoothly transition between each stage of the shot. 

• Dropping your elbow more when shooting, which ensures a cleaner kinetic path through your shoulders, arms and forearms.

• Practicing exaggerated shooting, where you aim to get the basketball up and over the backboard. This helps you get a feel for greater force generation and force summation in your legs and glutes.

Beyond technique adjustments, the following exercises strengthen the specific muscle groups necessary for generating force and increasing your shooting range.   

1. Goblet Squat 

The goblet squat is a plyometric move that activates your fast-twitch muscle fibers, which helps generate high-velocity force in your lower body. It specifically strengthens your legs and glutes for optimal force summation and a strong shot. 

The squatting motion also conditions the knees and hips, which are all fundamental for jump shots, as well as your core, back, shoulders and arms. Finally, the coordination necessary for this movement builds the neural networks you need for a proper kinetic chain. 

Instructions:

• Stand with your feet apart wider than your hips. 

• Hold a kettlebell or a dumbbell in both hands, positioned in front of your chest with your elbows pointed down.  

• Bend your knees, tighten your core, and squat as low as you can while keeping your chest up and your back straight.  

• Pause when your thighs are parallel to the ground, then push upward with explosive speed. 

• Aim for three sets of 10-12 reps.

2. Depth to Box Jump 

You get what you train for. Since so much of your driving force when shooting a basketball comes from bending your knees, exercises that condition for this movement will help your body to better recruit and activate the important muscles involved. 

In contrast to a traditional drop jump, a depth jump is characterized by maximal knee flexion and more ground contact time upon landing. This mimics the bending you need to do for lengthening your shooting range.

• Stand in front of a tall box that’s at least 18 inches off the ground (as your fitness improves, raise the level of this box to maintain the challenge of this exercise).

• Position your feet shoulder-width apart with your hands hanging at your side.

• Squat as low as possible and swing your arms back, which loads up the force in your lower body joints and muscles. 

• Explode off the ground with as much velocity as you can muster, swinging your arms in front of you and landing softly on top of the box.

• Step down and repeat for three sets of 12 reps.

3. Glute Bridge 

The glutes are the largest muscle group in your body, and the type II muscle fibers in your glutes are responsible for most of the power you need for explosive movements and high jumps.  

You’ll feel the burn in your glutes when doing this exercise. It will also help with stabilizing and conditioning your core, protecting your kinetic chain’s efficiency when shooting.

Instructions:

• Lie down on the ground on your back.

• Bend your knees so that your feet are flat on the ground.

• Keep your knees bent at a 90-degree angle.

• Hold a foam roll, a pillow or a rolled-up towel between your knees.

• Squeeze your glutes, tighten your core, and raise your hips into the air using your glute strength only.

• Pause when your abdomen, hips and the top of your thighs form a straight line when observed from the side. At this point, your entire body should be resting on your shoulders and your heels.

• Lower yourself down and repeat for 10-15 reps.

4. Romanian Deadlift 

Romanian deadlifts are one of the best movements to build strength in your posterior chain (the groups of muscles running from your lower back down to your feet), which is important for force summation and preventing fatigue while playing basketball.  

Romanian deadlifts also increase your hips’ ability to hinge with explosive strength instead of over-relying on using your knees to jump and propel yourself forward when shooting.

Instructions:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.

• Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms hanging in front of you with the weights resting against the front of your thighs (more advanced users can use a barbell instead).

• Shift your weight slightly so that your body weight is resting on your heels.

• Push your hips back and press your glutes behind you while simultaneously leaning forward at the hips, lowering the dumbbells down towards the floor in front of you.

• Keep your back arched and your movement slow and controlled.

• Pause when your dumbbells are as low as possible, then contract your glutes and hamstrings and stand back up in a straight position.

• Aim for three sets of eight to 12 reps.

5. Alternating Dumbbell Press 

Most of the above exercises recruit the larger muscle groups that your body recruits to generate force and power. But increasing your shooting range also requires shoulder stability, and full extension of your back and lats in the later stages of the throw.

The alternating dumbbell press focuses on your back and lats and mimics the movement you do when shooting. It also helps strengthen your arms and forearms for increased control and precision when playing basketball.

Instructions:

• Lie with your back on a weight bench.

• Hold a dumbbell in each hand.

• Position your hands just outside of your shoulders with your elbows flared outward (perpendicular to your torso) and your palms facing down towards your feet.

• Push both dumbbells up and above you so that they’re each stacked above your shoulders.

• Pause, and lower one dumbbell down to your shoulder while keeping the other arm straight.

• Push the lowered dumbbell back up, then repeat with the other arm.

• Aim for three sets of eight to 12 reps on each arm.

Conclusion 

“There is a huge difference between being fit and being in basketball shape,” reports USA Basketball. “Basketball is a game of starting and stopping and jumping with varying bouts of very high-intensity activity. Your conditioning workouts should mimic this.”

Use the above exercises to build the strength and power of the muscles you need to shoot the basketball farther. Then, pair this conditioning program with a cardiovascular/aerobic training program that involves similarly explosive movements, including sprints, bounding, hops, and side-to-side drills.

Combined, you’ll build the nervous system synchronization, endurance and strength you need not only to increase shooting distance, but also boost your overarching basketball performance.

About the author 

Josh

Basketball coaching hacks: how to score goals for beginners

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 far away, the ball flies in a curved curve with a maximum height of 2 meters above the hoop.
• 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. You need to straighten up and push off the ground at the same time. When squatting, keep the elbow of the throwing arm close to the body and towards the ring.

The jump will give momentum to the ball and will allow you not to make sudden movements with the brush.

***

And to be a long-term player, do not forget about your health: take care of your joints and muscles, use tapes, do a warm-up. And be sure to strengthen your arms, legs and shoulder girdle, develop coordination. Regular exercises on uneven bars and horizontal bars will help you with this.

3 tips for increasing throwing distance

Nikita Yamshchikov, founder of Ball In