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How to spin a basketball on your arms


How To Spin A Basketball: The Ultimate Guide

The spin on a basketball is what can make or break your game. Today, we will be talking about how to spin a basketball and some ways you can practice this skill. This blog post includes step-by-step instructions on how to spin the ball correctly. As well as tips for improving your technique.

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The Physics Behind The Spin

A basketball can spin on your finger because of the spin force. The spin force is caused by what’s called angular momentum, and it causes the basketball to spin on your finger.

Use Your Dominant Hand

Spin with your dominant hand only while keeping another arm still. It will help to spin a basketball on its side or at least flat against palm. You can also use this spin technique by spinning it very fast without moving your body much. So the ball rolls around in a circle instead of trying to move elbow point. Which might not be possible for some people.

Throw, Don’t Push

Spin from throwing the ball instead of pushing it with fingers. But remember that rolling is easier than flicking when learning new techniques! Once you are used to this throw/spin motion then increase speed until spin comes out naturally. If you tried this before but never got any result. Then there was probably a problem with starting position, spin grip, spin timing, or spin speed.

Another spin trick is to try spinning the ball on its side (or at least flat against palm). Instead of just your fingertips. This will spin it faster because you don’t have to move through as much air before rotating around our elbow point. But be sure not to let go.

Stay Efficient

If you are having trouble with any technique then make sure there isn’t another step involved where energy has to transfer from one body part to another like rolling vs flicking.

If you find yourself doing an extra motion when trying a spin trick for instance (rolling hand under basketball and releasing over top) then that might mean positioning is wrong or perhaps rotation velocity needs improving! Also, avoid holding onto the ball after each spin attempt (and while spin is happening) – this will make spin feel very unnatural and might not work at all!

Spin The Basketball On Its Side or Flat

Spin basketball on its side or flat against your palm for maximum spin potential. If you are trying to increase the speed of spin then move your hand through less air before rotating around elbow point because there’s less distance covered by the ball so it rotates faster, but be sure to start with enough energy in throw/push motion so rotation happens after release.

Quality Over Quantity

Finally, remember that quality over quantity when it comes time to take spinning a little seriously – being able to do one great spin trick well is better than being just barely capable of performing two different moves without messing up badly.

How to Spin a Basketball | Step-by-Step

  • Find a Basketball

First, find a basketball that’s the right size for your hand – if it feels too light then spin speed might be improved but the ball loses spin accuracy.

  • Stretch your fingers and arms

Stretch your fingers and arms before starting a spin practice, take a few seconds to get ready.

  • Find the grooves in the ball

Try to find the grooves in the ball, spin it by rotating your hand around its center.

Aim for spin vs speed! Don’t rush into spin practice just yet – you need to get used to this motion before increasing either rotation velocity or spin difficulty level.

  • Hold the ball up with your elbow a little above your hip

Throw the ball up with your elbow a little above your hip, spin it on its side, or flat against your palm.

  • Flick your hand and thumb to spin the ball

Flick your hand and thumb to spin the ball, try not to spin it with just one or two fingers.

  • Catch the ball on the tip of your dominant index finger

Once the basketball drops from spin, catch it on the tip of your dominant index finger.

  • Keep your finger directly in the center of the ball where the grooves meet

Your spin will be most powerful when the ball is spinning on its grooves and your finger stays in the center of that spin.

  • Bring your arm back down to a comfortable position

Bring your arm back down to a comfortable position, spin the ball slowly in one hand for practice.

  • Continue practicing until you can balance the ball perfectly

Don’t stop practicing! Continue spin practices on basketballs when you’re done reading this blog post.

How Long Does It Take To Learn How To Spin a Basketball?

It takes an average of about two months to spin a basketball correctly.

Don’t let this discourage you! Everyone starts not being able to spin the ball much but it will get better with time and practice, just keep practicing day-by-day until spinning becomes easier for you.

With consistent effort over time, even goals that seem impossible can be achieved – if your goal is to learn how to spin a basketball then stick with it! You’ll eventually see results as long as you are dedicated enough throughout the entire process. Keep at it always!! Don’t give up because once the motion comes naturally spinnin’ on a basketball can be an unstoppable habit.

Record For The Longest Basketball Spin

According to The Guinness World Records, the longest time to spin a basketball on one finger using one hand is 11 min 22. 22 sec, achieved by Narayan Bhattarai (Nepal) in Kathmandu, Nepal on 8 May 2018.

Don’t spin a basketball for that long just yet! Try to spin it on your finger or flat against the palm of your hand for about 30 seconds at first and then build up from there.

Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed reading our blog post on spin a basketball. It’s possible to spin a basketball and practice every day for it! Try not to over-complicate the process or give up too easily – just keep practicing, improving bit by bit with each spin session you do.

Remember to have fun with this spin practice by keeping an open mind and finding new ways to improve spinning techniques every day you spend practicing – don’t be afraid to try something different if what you’ve been doing lately isn’t working out so well anymore!

Here are Some of our Favourite Basketball Sneakers

Here we will be giving more of an opinion, rather than facts. Are the sneakers worth the price that they are being sold at? Should you upgrade from your current sneakers, depending on what boots you own? What features stand out on these sneakers? If any. Does it do the job? Speed, control, stability etc. Depending on your needs/preferences. We can also mention its durability, if we have collected enough data on the specific sneakers.

What did we expect vs. what we got. Is it maybe overrated/underrated?

Elite

Here’s our pick from the very best of the bunch.

Pro

On your way to the pro leagues? Here’s our pick.

Beginner

Want something to start with? Have a look at our pick.

How to Spin a Basketball

Do you want to know how to spin a basketball on your fingers? If you are a basketball player or if you only watch other people play, then you would have either tried to or have seen other people spin the basketball on their fingers. Surely, it is agreeable that this is a very neat trick.

Ever since we can remember, we have been spinning the basketball on our fingers or have seen others do it. Today we want to help you to be able to do the same. We will be breaking down this trick into understandable parts, and we will be providing you with step by step guidance on how to do it yourself. 

This will be a comprehensive guide on everything you need to know about how to spin a basketball. We will help you to overcome some mistakes that you may be making that are preventing you from perfecting the trick.

Why is Spinning a Basketball Cool?

With all honesty, we will say that spinning the basketball on your fingers will not help you to become a better player. So why is it so cool to spin the basketball on your fingers? 

The answer to this question may vary depending on who you ask; however, some of them may be similar. Spinning the basketball on your finger is like a rite of passage. For you to consider yourself a basketball player, there are some tricks that you needed to know how to do. Spinning the basketball on your fingers just happens to be one of them.

Another reason why spinning the basketball on your finger may be considered cool is how it looks. It simply looks cool! I don’t have to describe how this looks to you in great detail because surely you would have seen it, and that’s why you are here trying to learn how to do it. Another reason why spinning the basketball on your fingers is cool is because it can be personalized, and many tricks can be added to the simple spin.  

The more advanced or skilled you get at spinning the basketball on your fingers, the more things you will be able to do.  There are tricks such as bouncing the ball of a wall while maintaining the spin then catching it back on your fingers, others such as passing it to a player while maintaining the spin and having them catch it on their fingers or spinning it on your forehead and many others. These are just a few reasons why this little trick is so cool.

How Long Does It Take to Learn to Spin a Basketball?

So how long does it take to learn to spin a basketball on your finger? The time that it will take to learn to spin a basketball on your finger will depend on the student and the teacher. There is no set amount of time for this trick to be learned; it all depends on those two factors.

Like most other tricks, spinning the basketball on your finger will require some amount of practice. If you are a dedicated person and you are willing to put in the practice necessary to learn a trick, then you will be able to learn it more quickly than someone who isn’t as indicated to learning. 

If you can learn from clear and correct instructions, this will also make it easier and faster for you to learn that if you weren’t able to receive those instructions. So there is no specific time. It could be one hour. It could be one week. It could be one month, it all depends.

How to Prepare to Spin a Basketball?

In terms of preparation, there isn’t much to do before you start to spin the basketball on your finger.  However, we recommend that you do two important things. The first thing that we recommend is that you cut your nails very low so that it’s easier for you to balance the ball on your fingertips or on top of your nails.  

The second thing that we recommend is that you wear loose-fitting clothing or clothing that allows you to move reasonably comfortably and quickly. The reason why we recommend this is that a lot of balance is required to spin the basketball and even more if you want to do additional tricks. So, it is essential that your clothing allows balance and flexibility. 

How to Spin a Basketball on Your Finger?

Here we are, at last, the meat of the matter. How to spin a basketball on your finger? As previously mentioned, some amount of practice is required for each of the steps before you become a professional ball spinner.  Let’s now take a look at the four steps that you need to master to spin the ball on your fingers. 

Step 1: Open your strong/dominant hand as wide as you can and raise it roughly to the height of your chest and the point your fingers outwards away from you. After you have done this, use your less dominant hand to place the ball into the palm of your strong hand.  

Step 2: Gently turn your wrist down so that the ball rolls onto your fingers from your palm. Use your fingers of your dominant hand to secure the ball in place so that it does not move. 

There should now be some space between your palm and the ball. You can use the pinky of your weaker hand to test if there is enough space there.

Step 3: The ball should now be firmly in place. Turn your wrist outwards to roughly 90 degrees. Your wrist is now cocked for the toss. Toss the ball up in the air and snap your wrist forward as fast and as far as you can.  

At the end of this action, immediately point the finger that you want to spin the ball on at the ball in the air. The upward snap action will propel the ball into the air while making it spin horizontally.

Step 4: Focus your eyes on the ball and then try to coordinate your pointed finger to be directly beneath the downward falling ball. The higher the toss is, from the previous step, the more time you will have to catch the ball; however, it may make it more difficult to catch it from a very high distance.

You can play around with different heights until you find one that works best for you. The ball landing on your finger will still be spinning, and it’s now up to you to maintain the balance necessary for the spin to continue. The faster the ball spins, the easier it is to be balanced. Over time you can practice accelerating the spin by gently smacking the ball on its side.

What’s the Key to the Toss?

The toss of the ball is one of the most critical steps to spinning the basketball on your fingers. The way you toss the ball will determine the speed at which the ball spins and the direction in which the ball spins. These two things are crucial to getting the ball to balance on your fingers properly. We can say that the key to the toss is all in the wrist. Make sure you snap your wrist as fast and as far back towards you as you can so that you get a good spin on the ball.

How Important is the Rotation of the Ball?

The rotation of the ball is quite important. Some would even say it is the most important thing to get right while learning to spin the ball on your fingers. The rotation of the ball should be as fast as possible and horizontal as possible. 

The speed of the rotation will make the ball easier to balance on a very small surface area, such as the tip of your fingers or your fingernails. The horizontal aspect of the rotation makes it easier for you to control the ball. If the ball is not being rotated horizontally, it will try to fall in the direction of the downward spin.

Helpful Videos to Teach You How to Spin a Basketball

Let’s now look at two useful videos that will aid in the learning process. All of these videos will demonstrate the ball being spun and useful tips to help you to do it.

This video demonstrates how to spin the ball on your fingers from start to finish. It also tells you how to support your fingers and how to build up strength to do it for a long time.

This next video is great for just starting spinners. It is really great because it provides clear correct instructions on how to spin the ball on your fingers.

What’s the World Record for Spinning a Basketball on a Finger?

According to the Guinness World Records, the record for spinning a basketball on a finger is 4 hours and 15 minutes. The record-holder is Joseph Odhiambo from the United States of America. Joseph was able to achieve this record in Houston, Texas, on the 19th of February 2006.

Wrapping Things Up: How to Spin a Basketball?

Sometimes we try to spin the basketball on our fingers, but we are unsuccessful. There are a few things that we could be doing wrong that would be attributed to our unsuccessful attempts. So, make sure that you follow the steps above carefully in order to get the trick done properly.

If you are unable to spin the ball on your finger, ensure that you are not doing a weak toss. A weak toss will prevent the ball from spinning quickly and horizontally. Make sure that you are not trying to spin the ball while your hand is not balanced. 

These are some common mistakes that prevent us from pulling off the spin. Follow the steps carefully, and you will learn how to spin a basketball on your finger in no time. Until next time ballers, remember, spinning won’t get you victory, but spin for 4 hours and 16 minutes, and you could go down in history.  

If you enjoyed this post, you’ll like our other basketball FAQ articles here.

Make sure to also read some of our basketball how-to guides here:

> How to Inflate a Basketball Without a Need or Pump?

> How to Install a Ground Basketball Hoop?

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. Tricks in Basketball

To become a good basketball player, you need to literally become related to the ball. It is important to feel the projectile, to control its every rotation. In this case, tricks with a basketball will help you. The most famous and common of them is the rotation of the ball on the finger. Having studied a few simple techniques, you can devote no more than 10 minutes a day to practicing the trick. And in a week you will masterfully spin a basketball on your finger.

How to learn to spin the ball on your finger?

Basketball tricks can be practiced anywhere, if convenient:

  • On the sports ground;
  • Near the house;
  • In an apartment.

The main thing is not to allow damage to property during the practice of the trick. How to learn how to spin the ball on your finger, we will tell further.


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Tossing the ball

The first step to spinning a basketball on your finger is to hold it correctly and toss it into the air. In this case, the stripes that are applied to the surface of the ball will help a lot. It is difficult to catch a sports equipment with horizontal scrolling. Plus, the rotation itself looks ineffective. Therefore, arrange the stripes of the ball vertically.

Now you need to decide on the method of throwing. It doesn't matter if you throw with one or two hands. The main thing is to follow the technique. If you want to use one hand, place your fingers along the lines of the ball, creating space between your palm and the basketball. Squeeze the sports equipment with a little effort. Make a gentle swirling motion with the brush, giving extra spin with your fingertips. In the process, the thumb is superfluous, as it upsets the balance, and the basketball will eventually fly off to the side.

When both hands are involved, the ball is not taken from the sides, but from the front and back (one palm is directed towards you, the other away from you). When ready, with a sharp movement, spread your arms and direct the projectile perpendicularly upwards in front of you. The toss line should run parallel to the floor and above eye level. The task of catching the ball is made easier when its bottom surface is visible.

Within two days, these movements can be brought to full automatism. You can move on to practicing the next action when the throws are confident.

Catching the ball

The main secret is to catch the ball on the nail. The brush is turned with the palm towards you. Contact with the ball is carried out only in the center where the vertical lines meet. When the ball is already spinning on your finger, gently and smoothly lower your hand down. This improves cushioning, reduces the likelihood of slipping, and protects against injury to the finger.

Basketball tricks require patience. Rotation on the finger including. It is difficult to keep balance and make the ball obey you. But after hard training, the result will not be long in coming. Over time, you can complicate the exercise. Spin the already spinning projectile further.


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