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How to swish every shot in basketball
How to swish every shot in basketball
21 Easy Ways to Improve Your Basketball Shooting Percentage – The Breakthrough Basketball Blog
Tip #1 – Locate Your Target (the Rim) Earlier
Getting in the habit of locating your target (the rim) earlier will improve your shooting percentage. Why?
Locating the rim just a split second earlier gives your brain more time to subconsciously calculate distance and focus on your objective. Your eyes should be on the rim as early as possible. To make this little trick work, you need to develop this habit in practice, which carries over into games.
Tip #2 – Always Hold Your Follow Through
You’ve probably heard this a hundred times but there’s good reason for it. Holding your follow through solves a multitude of shooting problems. This simple movement helps you maintain good basketball shooting technique without even thinking about it.
Tip #3 – Finish with a Relaxed Wrist
A common mistake is for players to follow-through with a tense wrist.![]()
Your wrist should be as relaxed as possible. Your hand should finish on line and even bounce a little during the follow-through.
Tip #4 – Use a Colored Ball to Improve Rotation
To improve the straightness of your shot, try a colored basketball during practice. This makes it easy to see the rotation and direction of the ball. The immediate feedback makes it quick and easy for you to adjust and improve your shot.
Tip #5 – Don’t Shoot like Kobe (By Hanging In The Air)
TOO many kids try to copy Kobe and end up with bad shots for the REST OF THEIR LIVES!
Youngsters have no business trying to hang like Kobe and shoot. Kobe is a freak of nature! You should shoot as you’re going up (at least 1 inch before you reach the top of your jump). Trying to mimic Kobe’s shot will just earn you a place on the bench and lots of frustration.
Tip #6 – Stop Thinking about Your Shot During Games
One of the worst things you can do is think about your shooting mechanics during a game.
Thinking about your shot is for practice, NOT for games! In fact, you should only think during certain parts of your practice. It’s ok to think during a form shooting session or when learning a new skill, but once you start developing rhythm and get further into practice, don’t think!
During games, train yourself to think about other things or nothing at all.
You’re going to miss a few. So what! Don’t think, just shoot the damn ball!!!
If you adopt this mentality, your shooting percentage will go UP.
Tip # 7 – Eliminate Negative Thoughts with this Simple Trick
Eliminating negative thoughts can dramatically improve your basketball shooting percentage.
To stop thinking and eliminate bad thoughts, you can try this little trick…
Before each game, practice, and shooting session, tell yourself that you don’t care if you make any baskets. Say it out loud or in your head several times.
THEN, when you go to shoot (right as you’re catching the ball), say something to yourself like, “Nice shot.
I can do better.” In other words, try not to care if it goes in or not.
This simple little trick helps you to relax into the process and not think about the result. Using this technique will be enough to break you out of mini slumps and restore your confidence.
Tip #8 – Develop Optimal Arc
DID YOU KNOW that a shot with a flat 35 degree arc only has .6 inches of margin for the ball to clear without hitting the rim? The shot has to be almost perfect to get a swish.
BUT a shot with a 45 degree medium height arc has a 3 inch margin of error!
That’s right. Just by increasing the arc of your shot, your margin of error could increase as much as 500%!
How many shots bounce OUT of the basket because you missed by just a fraction?
As a general rule of thumb, finish your follow through with the rim clearly visible beneath the fingers of your shooting hand. That way you will ensure that you have a decent arc on the shot. Shots with proper arch have a much better chance of going in.
Just don’t go too high. Because if your arc gets too high, you’ll loose your distance control.
Tip #9 – Watch DVDs
Simply by watching great shooters groove their shots over and over, you can improve your confidence and form.
The good habits and examples can be contagious. As you watch, the good form becomes ingrained in your mind.
Not to mention, you should never stop learning. There are lots of good shooting DVDs and books for you to learn from.
Tip #10 – Use a Partner to Tune your Shot Alignment
Spend a little time during each practice lined up along a court line about 20 feet from a partner, shooting back and forth and trying to have the ball bounce as close to the line as possible. This simple practice technique will help you to fine tune your control of the precision of your shot.
Tip #11 – Land In Front
Balance is a very important aspect of shooting. You achieve balance primarily through a proper stance and footwork.
After your shot, you should land in front of where you started. You can do this by making sure that your momentum is going towards the basket on every catch. You should also establish good balance from your stance.
Tip #12 – Film Your Shot
You’d be amazed at how filming your shot in both games and practices can help you.
The most common response from players is… “That’s how I shoot!!??”
That’s right. Most players haven’t seen their own shot before. Seeing your shot on film can help you to detect poor mechanics and motivate you to make commitments for improvement. Bottom line– it’s a great way to refine your shot.
Tip #13 – Get a Partner
When possible, try to shoot with a partner. Because when you’re alone, you end up chasing the rebound before following through properly.
This is important. Think about how you practice…
You shoot and then you start following the shot immediately so you can get lots of reps.
Guess what? This can mess up your follow-through. You need to FINISH each shot and hold your follow-through. That’s why we recommend getting a partner to rebound for you. Now just because you can’t find a partner you can (and should) still practice by yourself. Just be aware of holding your follow through.
Tip #14 – Fix Bad Habits by Immediately Correcting Your Shot
This is one of the easiest ways to break bad shooting habits. For example, let’s say you forgot to hold your follow-through. Well, immediately after you shoot, raise your hand back up and put your hand in the correct follow-through position. This simple technique will help you quickly correct the bad habit
Tip #15 – Use a Return Device
Using basketball rebounding and return devices can literally double the number of shots you can take in practice. Just think how much time you spend chasing the ball when you practice. A return device solves that problem and lets you take more shots in less time.
Tip #16 – Get To Set
When you catch the ball, you should get the ball to your set position as quickly as possible. This will speed up your shot. Your set point can be anywhere between your hip and your shoulder.
Tip #17 – Don’t Fall for Gimmicks
Too many players spend their hard earned money on shooting gloves and gimmicks, thinking this will make them great shooters.
You can’t use these devices during a game so it really doesn’t do you much good. You need to learn how to shoot effectively without these devices. There is NO magic pill.
Tip # 18 – Keep Your Shot Motion Balanced, Fluid, and Consistent
A fluid motion means that there are no jerky movements or stopping points, just one constant flow from start to finish.
Consistency can’t be stressed enough. Your feet, arms, set point, and jump height should use a consistent motion every time you shoot. All the greatest shooters in the world have amazingly consistent movements.
Tip #19 – Groove 50 Shots Before Every Game
Before every practice and game, face the basket and shoot 50 EASY shots about four to ten feet from the basket.
Not only does this improve your shooting form, but it helps to develop phenomenal confidence.
You’ll quickly become very good at grooving these shots over and over. You’ll see the ball going in the basket over and over. You’ll swish the ball repeatedly and probably shoot 60%, 70%, 80%, or more, which is great for your psyche.
Why do you think that NBA players do this before games? Why do you think that Tiger Woods starts all of his practice sessions by making 100 three-foot putts?
Because it works! Don’t overlook this powerful strategy.
Tip #20 – Quickly Chart Your Shot to Determine Tendencies
Head to the gym and shoot a bare minimum of 50 shots. Ask your partner to chart your shots. The KEY is to chart the detailed results of each shot. You will track how many shots fell short, too long, to the left, and to the right.
This information will help you to determine what you need to work on.
For example, if you consistently miss short (like many players do), you’ll need to work on your power and distance control. If you consistently miss to the right and the left, you need to fix the mechanics of your foot and/or arm alignment.
Tip #21 – Work Game-Like Movement into Your Practice
To make game shots, you need to practice game shots. You should use good shooting drills and practice movement off screens, cuts, chairs, and pivoting in both directions.
Get to the Gym and Apply What You’ve Learned
There ya go… 21 simple ways for you to improve your basketball shooting percentage. Now get to the gym, apply what you’ve learned, and knock down more shots!!
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Basketball Shooting Instruction Nobody Gave You — Swish International
Suggestions for improving your basketball shot. Not the usual kind of coaching, but you'll find it's the way of the great shooters.
Let me ask you some questions, and then I'll respond. First remember that shooting is at a low ebb in this country, and we need to question all the coaching out there, including mine!
STANCE
Do you Square Up? If you do and are not taking a two-handed shot, that's your first mistake! The best shooters do not Square their bodies to the target; they have an Open Stance! Check it out. An open stance is more natural and athletic, plus alignment with the eye and target is easier the more open you are, and it's more powerful because the body energy can drive the ball upward and forward, not just up. It's like a boxer stands to throw jabs, open, jab arm forward. Try it and see how such a stance is strong and stable.
SET POINT (where the Release starts from):
Is the center of the ball in line with your eye, your ear, your shoulder, nose, other eye? For greatest shooting it's best aligned with the shooting eye. Then you know where the target is and you can fire off your Release exactly on line. Direction is thus not as much a challenge.
THE SETTING ACTION
As you bring the ball up to the Set Point, is the center of the ball in line with eye and basket a long time, or is it so aligned only at the last moment, or not at all? If the latter, accuracy is compromised.
FLOW OF THE SHOT IN THE SETTING
Is there a flow (a one-piece action) from the setting to the release that helps you with accuracy, or are you hesitating before shooting (breaking the flow) or bringing the ball up off line?
RELEASE
How would you describe your release action: throw, flip, push, or catapult? Most people these days flip the ball, and I feel this is one of the main reasons no one can shoot any more.
I recommend an upward pushing action with relaxed wrist and hand with a solid, connected Follow Through. That's what our greatest shooters are doing. It defines them. Mediocre shooters throw or flip the ball, thus adding variables that are hard to control.
When you release the ball, is your arm action going to full extension at the same speed every time, or is the speed inconsistent or is the arm stopping short (called "short-arming") or moving around or pulling back quickly? Great shooters go to the "end of their arm" with full extension every time at the same approx. speed and thus have reliability and predictability.
SPIN
What kind of spin are you putting on the ball? Is it pure backspin, or is there some sidespin creeping in? Maybe it's a dead ball, or all sidespin. If it's not medium backspin, you will know you are messing things up with the wrist, hand or fingers. A "push and flop," as I recommend, will give you beautiful medium backspin every time.
HOW CONTROL DISTANCE?
What do you do to control distance? Do you vary the Release? Or change leg action or the timing of when you release the ball? Or do you vary the angle or arch? I recommend the latter, because with a release action that's the same speed and force every time, your only decision in the moment of Release is the angle, the trajectory.
That's an instinctive decision, not a thinking process. Shooting becomes less complicated.
SHOOTING CAN BE A LOT EASIER THAN YOU THINK!
I've been researching and writing about shooting for over 20 years. Almost every shooting coach I'm aware of (and regular coaches who attempt to teach shooting) teaches ~4-5 things that are not effective. Somehow in our history, coaches started teaching and demanding things that are not effective, not how our bodies are made. One of these is the first thing out of their mouths... SQUARE UP!
Squaring Up is appropriate... for two-handed shooting!!! It's not appropriate for the one-handed shot of today! But coaches still say it. (A few have told me they mean "Face Up," not "Square Up," and an open stance is implied.)
The only line (make it a plane) that matters is the one from your eye through the hand and ball to the basket. If that's achieved, direction is controlled and easy. If not, direction will always be a challenge.
Some of the other "Myths" of shooting I see include these:
o Flip your wrist
No, flipping puts control into small muscles.
Rather, use a pushing action with relaxed wrist and hand, and the benefit you get is a simple, effective and repeatable shot.
o Elbow under the ball
No, that prohibits the hand position from aligning on target.
Instead, focus on the hand, centering it on the eye-target line (and the elbow has to be out a bit to do that).
o Shoot at the top of the jump
Only if you are elevating over someone. It's a great weapon if you can do it, but it's extremely difficult, as all you have left for power are the smaller muscles of arm, wrist, hand & fingers. Much easier and more effective is shooting "on the way up!"
o Reach your hand in the Cookie Jar
No, if you have such an action, the wrist is engaged. Thus you would be flipping the wrist.
If wrist and hand are relaxed, they'll hang down a bit but not be in a forced, downward position. One sign of a great shooter is the hand flopping in the Follow Through.
o The arm should form an "L" at the Set Point
No, that applies only to those strong enough to have ball above the eyes, near top of the head.
Younger kids have to have the ball below the eyes, where the arm forms a "V," not an "L."
Stronger players who have the ball above the head a couple inches or more have an extended "L," not a true "L."
o Cock the wrist and hand back such that there's a reverse "C" formed
No, that encourages, even requires that you "un-cock" it as you release the ball, thus engaging those small muscles which are hard to control and repeat. Backspin is interfered with.
Instead, just let the hand fall back to approx. 50-75 degrees from vertical, from where you can push the ball upward and forward without engaging the "flippy" muscles.
Every one of the answers given above are what our greatest shooters do/did naturally: Chris Mullin, Steve Kerr, Diana Taurasi, Steve Nash, Sue Bird, even older "shooters" like George Gervin and Detlef Schrempf, and more recently, Stephen Curry, to name a few. My guess is that these players, as for me in my high school days, were self-taught.
We didn't have coaches harping on us to square up, flip the wrist, etc., etc., so we developed naturally to what works best. And we all found the same stuff, as will you with this simple coaching.
DON'T BELIEVE ANYTHING I SAY!
I say this in all my clinics. Don't believe me! But also don't dis-believe me! Check everything out with your own experience! That will tell you if it's true or not. Not many people check out the myths; they just keep thinking they're the truth and keep performing or teaching the same way... and the result is what you see: poor shooting everywhere!
The answers are very simple, and they lead to a way of shooting anyone can do well with Free Throws, Jumpers, Set Shots and 3's, even runners and floaters. The elevated, athletic shots we see the more gifted players perform take more strength and coordination, and the best they get to is streaky shooting.
Scour my website for the articles, testimonials, video clips, etc., that support what I say.
You CAN do this. Commit to it and keep things simple and you'll become the best shooter on your block/team!
Tom Nordland, shooting coach
Tom Nordland is a shooting expert and coach from California via Minnesota. His videos, coaching and writings are inspiring a Renaissance in shooting around the world as players and coaches are taught the things that really matter (and really "work") in shooting. His "Swish" and "Swish 2" are top-rated videos, and he's now working on "Swish 3," to be on Free Throws.
A great shooter as a youth, Tom was given a gift of seeing shooting like few have ever seen it. He sees the "essence" of great shooting and how to get there. The good news is that it's very simple. The few great shooters of today and yesterday mastered simple things, not complicated motions. Improved shooting is now possible for everybody in the game, and mastery is available to those who sincerely dedicate themselves to it. Visit Tom's website (http://www.swish32.com/) to read of his background and his articles and newsletters, and to view the remarkable endorsements and amazing testimonials for this approach to shooting.
His videos and video clips show students of all ages shooting "lights out" with this approach, not just the coach. The videos come with a full, unconditional money-back guarantee. Order them and great shooting CAN be yours!
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 at 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.
Basketball Rules
Basketball
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Rules
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Choosing a basketball
Basketball: team and substitutes.
Each team consists of 5 main and 5-7 (in major tournaments) regular substitutes who can only enter the game after the game has stopped and the referee whistles.
If the team in possession is entitled to a substitution at every stoppage of play, the team not in possession of the ball is only entitled to a substitution in the event of a bounce and time-out or when the team in possession makes a substitution.
Basketball: game time.
In all classes, basketball matches last 2 halves of 20 minutes of pure time. The break between halves is 10 minutes. If at the end of the match the teams scored the same number of points, then extra time (5 minutes) is given to determine the winner.
Basketball: time out.
Each team is entitled to 2 time-outs in each half and 1 time-out in extra time. Coaches usually use the timeout to give players tactical instructions and make substitutions.
Basketball: start of the game.
The game begins with the referee throwing the ball up in the center of the court between 2 players, each of whom tries to return the ball to his team. The rest of the team players are outside the center circle or in the front zone.
Basketball: movement rules.
According to this rule, the player who receives the ball is allowed to take only 2 steps (more precisely, 2 contacts with the floor). Touching the floor while receiving the ball (also catching the ball on the spot) counts as 1st contact. Jumping from a place with the ball in hand is a violation of the movement rule. Especially often this rule is violated during runs, at the beginning and at the end of dribbling.
Basketball: dribbling.
An athlete can only dribble once at a given time. As soon as the athlete touches the ball with both hands or takes it with one or the other hand, the dribbling ends. If the athlete again continues to dribble, then this is considered a violation of the rules (double-dribbling). The ball is passed to the opposing team who put it in play from behind the touchline.
Basketball stop ball.
A stopping ball is such a game situation in which 1 or 2 players of each team are in contact with the ball and the ball is taken out of the game.
In this case, the game continues with a controversial face-off.
Basketball: the ball is out of play.
If the ball or the ball carrier touches the boundary lines of the court or the floor, an object or a person is off the court, the referee gives the order “offside”.
In the event that the offside is difficult to determine, i.e. if both touch judges have different opinions or if the referees are unable to determine which team caused the offside, the game continues with a controversial throw-in.
Basketball: Throw-in.
After the game has been stopped in case of offside or technical errors (violation of the movement rule, double dribbling, violation of the 3 sec rule, etc.), the ball is put into play by a throw-in from the touchline. In case of a successful throw into the basket, a throw-in occurs from behind the end line.
Basketball: estimates.
Throwing the ball into the basket counts if the ball falls through the ring and the net from top to bottom.
For each successful shot made during the game, a shot from an average or close distance (closer than the three-point line), the team receives 2 points. For a successful shot from behind the three-point line (from a distance of more than 6 meters 75 cm (7.24 m in the NBA)), the team receives 3 points, for each successful free throw - 1 point.
Basketball: foul rule.
One of the most important rules of basketball is the foul rule (translated from English - "mistake"). There are personal and technical fouls.
Personal fouls include any intentional touching of an opponent (holding, pushing, hitting, blocking with hands and feet, etc.). In such cases, the ball is passed to the opponent for a throw-in. After the 11th foul in a half period, a foul on an opponent's missed shot is punishable by 2 free throws.
In addition, all personal comments are recorded in the athlete's personal card.
If at the same time 2 players of the team receive a warning, then the opponent is entitled to 2 free throws. In most cases, the free throw is taken by the player against whom the rules were violated.
Players receive a mutual warning in case of simultaneous violation of the rules in relation to each other. In this case, a controversial throw-in occurs. Each player who receives 5 personal or technical remarks must leave the court. In case of gross and intentional violations of the rules, the athlete may be disqualified. But in both cases, the team has the right to change. From 1976 fouls of the attackers when throwing the basket are especially severely penalized. If the ball misses the basket due to a foul, the attacker is entitled to 2 free throws. If the ball misses the basket on the 1st or 2nd free throw, the attacker is entitled to 1 more free throw (3 in total).
If, despite the foul, the player shoots the ball into the basket, then this shot is counted and the player receives an additional 1 free throw.
A technical foul is called for unsportsmanlike conduct by a player and is punishable by 2 free throws by any player on the opposing team.
A player who receives 5 personal and/or technical fouls (or 6 fouls in the NBA) or 2 unsportsmanlike fouls in a match must leave the playing court and may not take part in the match (but is allowed to remain on the bench). A player who receives 2 technical warnings or a disqualifying foul is ejected from the pitch and must leave the match venue (the player is not allowed to remain on the bench).
Basketball: the rules of the time.
Some of the rules of time are extremely important. 24 seconds after the throw-in, the attack must be completed with a throw into the opponent's basket (24 second rule). The 3 second rule states that an attacker cannot be in the opponent's free throw area for more than 3 seconds. For the throw-in and for the implementation of the free throw, the player is given 5 seconds. If the time rules are violated, the ball is given to the opponent for a throw-in.
The 8 second rule implies that the attacking team must, after a throw-in administered in its own half of the pitch, not more than 8 seconds later bring the ball to the opponent's half, after which the attacking team may not return the ball to their own half.
Basketball
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Historical development
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Rules
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Material support
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Judging
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Technology
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Tactics
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Education and training
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