Playing basketball requires natural skills, but you can still become a good player with training, physical and technical, and by learning to master the mental aspects of the game. Good players work hard to improve on the pitch and demonstrate the character traits that coaches appreciate.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Improve Attack
Step 1. Improve your dribble
Some experts believe ball control is the most important skill in the game. You shouldn't think too much about dribbling if you've trained enough. Improve this fundamental with specific exercises.
- Practice dribbling in circles. For this exercise, you will need to use one hand to dribble in circles around the right foot. Then switch to the other hand and the other leg. Dribble between cones or chairs.
- Try dribbling at 8. Bounce the ball in and out of the legs, using an 8-handed motion. Bounce the ball with one hand, then catch it with the other. Practice dribbling with both hands to make it easier for you to change direction on the court.
- Dribble "suicide" exercises improve your physical condition as well as your ability to dribble. Start at the bottom line. Dribble by sprinting to the nearest free throw line and back out. Then sprint to halfway and go back. Again, sprint to the farthest free throw line and go back. To finish, dribble sprint to the other end line, then go back.
- Start on a bottom line. Dribble all over the field, then shoot suspended or in the third half. Take your bounce, repeat the same process, running to the other side of the court. Repeat three times at maximum speed.
Step 2. Enhance the passage
Passing is a fundamental that basketball players must master. There are two basic methods of passing the ball. The first is the pass with two hands to the chest, in which you pass the ball to your teammates without making it bounce. The second is the ground pass, where you bounce the ball on the court before making it to your teammates. This is a more difficult pass for defenders to intercept.
- If you want to improve in passing, you can play a practice match where dribbling is prohibited. Practice passing with two hands. This will give you more control over the ball.
- Put your body weight in the passage by stepping towards the receiver. This will improve ball control and speed. Aim for your partner's hands when you pass the ball to him and choose a specific partner rather than throwing the ball in the direction of his voice.
- Your thumbs should be pointing down at the end of a step and you should complete the movement. If you don't, the ball will be harder to receive, because it won't have the right back spin.
- You don't have to pass the ball too quickly. Don't overlook the easy steps. If you pass lightly, you could cause turnovers.
- Don't jump when you pass. If you do, you will not be able to land with the ball in hand and you will put yourself in a difficult situation. Move towards the ball when it is passed to you. This can make an interception by the defender more difficult. Try to grab it with two hands.
Step 3. Improve your shot
Shooters receive a lot of glory and, of course, are key to winning matches. Because of this, you shouldn't find yourself in the situation of being blocked often or missing many shots. Otherwise you will end up on the bench.
- Use your fingertips. They will help you maintain good ball control while shooting.
- Bend your legs and lower your center of gravity when you start the shot. Then, sprint up and finish the shot fully stretched out, with your hand up in the air. Pulling to a standing position may reduce your success rate. The legs are very important for a good shot. In fact, you should play the whole game with your knees bent.
- Choose the highest percentage shots. Don't always try the hardest shots. Try to figure out which executions you have the most difficulty with and focus on the ones you do best. This tip will make you look like a better shooter overnight.
- Point your elbow towards the center of the iron and hold it in place, do the same with your middle finger in the final part of the movement. Finish the shot as if you were dipping your hand into the iron. The final part of the correct movement also involves the fingers hanging down, not together or pointing forward.
- Fully extend your arm at the end of the shot, snapping your elbow back. Keep your elbow above your eyes as you release the ball.
Step 4. Take care of your fitness
You will need to do workouts that improve your fitness specifically for basketball and not exercise just because you enjoy it. Coaches want players in good shape, with an explosive first step or great jumping ability.
- Follow a training program. There are many basketball training programs that will help you get fit and improve stamina. Even 45 minute sessions three times a week can make a big difference.
- Some programs suggest exercises such as jumping rope, sprinting from the free throw line to the net and touching the net with your hands, shooting for one minute from different points on the court and performing defensive slides.
Method 2 of 3: Improving the Game in Defense
Step 1. Move your feet continuously
A good defender needs to be quick on their feet and always on the move. If you stay on the pitch for too long, you won't be a good defender.
- Imagine that you have walked in the paint. How many footprints would you leave on the field? "Paint the field", moving a lot and occupying all positions. Increase defensive activity and you will be more effective.
- Try to recover every single ball.
- Do not keep your eyes on, but on the opponent. If you don't, you could be fooled by the feints. Maintain eye contact with the player you are marking. Keep him away from the baseline and force him to approach the basket from the front.
Step 2. Stay low
The best defenders bend their knees. They spend most of the game moving and crouching. They also keep their heads lower than that of the player they are marking.
- Keep your feet apart and your legs bent in defense. Always move your feet. It will be easier for an attacker to overtake you if you keep your legs together or feet crossed.
- Keep your nose lower than that of the player you are marking. This way you can quickly react to his movements.
- Staying straight with your back can cause you to lose your balance. You should keep your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
Step 3. Put your hand on the ball
If you are careful, you can use this technique to defend better without fouling the player you are marking.
- If the opponent is holding the ball in the shooting position, put your hand on the ball. It will be more difficult for him to shoot.
- If the opponent is holding the ball under the pelvis, put your hand over the ball. It will be more difficult for him to shoot.
Step 4. Improve your rebound
Rebounds can decide the outcome of a match, because your team can't score if they don't have possession of the ball.
- Get inside stance with respect to the opponent you are marking to have a better chance of catching the rebound.
- Don't stand straight with your back. If you lower yourself, your jump will be more powerful and you will have a better chance of catching the ball. When jumping for the rebound, extend both arms as far as possible.
Step 5. Improve your fitness
Defenders have to run a lot and stay low to effectively mark opponents. Stamina training will allow you to defend better.
- Wall seating is a great way to improve your defense. Just find a wall and sit against it, as if you were sitting in a chair (without having it). Keep your back against the wall. Slide down until your knees are 90 degrees to the floor. Hold for 60 seconds to start.
- Try to jump rope with two legs at the maximum speed possible. Time yourself and count your jumps to check your progress. It sounds simple, but jumping rope is a great way to improve fitness for basketball because it is an exercise that increases stamina and agility.
- Try agility exercises. Start at the baseline from the right side of the court. Sprint to the right corner of the free throw line, slide sideways to the left corner, run backwards to the baseline and slide back to the starting point. Then, run to the left corner and repeat. Boys should be able to complete the exercise in 10-14 seconds and girls in 11-15 seconds.
Step 6. Try workouts to strengthen your lower body
Weightlifting improves overall body strength, which is useful for defense, especially when you need to take rebounds and place blocks. Vary the exercises though.
- Do squats. Grab a dumbbell, keep your feet flat on the ground and lower yourself as low as possible, keeping your thighs parallel to the ground and not going over your toes with your knees.
- Try lunges and steps. Using a barbell or dumbbell, keep your front foot flat on the ground and your back straight. Step up one step and then step down again, or sink forward one leg at a time.
Step 7. Try exercises to strengthen the upper body
These exercises are divided into pushes and pulls. You can use bands to support your feet or knees if the pull-ups are too difficult for you at first.
- Use a barbell or dumbbell to perform bench or shoulder lifts. For bench presses, lie down on a bench with your feet on the ground. Lift the bar with your arms outstretched. Lower it to the center of your chest, then push it up, locking your elbows. Don't take your glutes off the bench. Do sets of five reps.
- Use a barbell or dumbbell to do bicep curls. When performing a bicep curl, stand with a dumbbell in each hand. Keep your elbows close to your body. Make sure your palms are facing forward. Then bend the dumbbells until your biceps are fully contracted and stop them at your shoulders. Now, lower the dumbbells to the starting position and repeat..
Method 3 of 3: Improve Your Basketball IQ
Step 1. Learn the rules perfectly
In some cases, younger basketball players forget the rules of the game. If you don't know the rules perfectly, you could cause problems for your team. A good way to learn them is to join a team from an early age.
- If the attacking team has possession of the ball and is behind the half way line, they have 10 seconds to cross the half way before losing possession due to an infraction. Knowing this rule can help you avoid turnovers.
- The attacking team cannot return the ball to the defensive half after crossing the half way line. Good basketball players know these rules.
Step 2. Study the game
You need to understand everything you can about your position and strategy on the pitch. You'll play a lot more if you're skilled strategically as well as technically.
- You can find many training videos on YouTube.
- Study previous games and those of your opponents. What worked? What were the mistakes? Talk to the coach after the game. Together, try to find the aspects of the game that you can improve. Then, work on it during your workout.
- Find a mentor. You can ask a manager for help or find a good player willing to teach you.
- The different coaches follow different philosophies and systems. Try to understand your own so that you can adapt. Maybe he doesn't want point guard who lose more than three balls per game. Whatever his personal rules are, it will be helpful for you to learn them.
- Watch high-level competitive match videos to see how the best players perform during the game. Use what you learn to improve your style.
Step 3. Understand your role
Don't just focus on the points. A mistake made by younger players is that they only think about scoring points. Focus on being more useful to the team. Maybe you are a very good passer, for example.
- If you're not a good three-point shooter, don't take too many shots from that distance. You should pass the ball to teammates who are better than you at that fundamental.
- Maybe you are a very good shooter out of the blocks. Focus on that aspect of the game. If you play in the middle position, you should devote your time to rebounding and post training, not dribbling. Knowing your role will help you choose the most suitable workouts.
Step 4. Improve mental stamina
Basketball is a mental game as well as a physical one. Some experts believe the game is 70% mental. For this reason, coaches are always looking for mentally strong players.
- 100% committed. Basketball is a sport that requires dedication and perseverance. Don't be afraid of being criticized. They allow you to improve.
- Coaches want players who are passionate, determined, willing to improve and work hard to do it, who have the desire to train to win and don't expect it to be all downhill.
- Be aggressive. Coaches are looking for aggressive and focused players, on and off the pitch. They want people who dive all over the balls and always put pressure on their opponents when defending.
Step 5. Remember this is a team sport
Basketball is played by two teams, each consisting of five players, who try to score by throwing a ball towards a basket that is 3 meters off the ground on each side of the court.
- Great players improve the performance of their teammates on the pitch.
- To be a good team player pass the ball more often, run to occupy the free spaces to help teammates who have doubled, help block, help rebound, etc. Companions will appreciate you and return the favor!
Advice
- When you train to improve in basketball, remember that it is a sport made up of many shots. Therefore, joining the track team and running long distances will not be useful to you and may, in fact, have a negative effect on your performance.
- Hard work is key to becoming a good basketball player. The right mentality and positivity on the pitch will also help you.
- Eat healthy and eat more. When you play basketball you burn a lot of calories; stay healthy by replenishing lost energy or you will end up feeling sick and very tired.
- Be civil - don't scream never to your companions. Arrogance is never pleasant. Don't cross the line.
- Learn how to interact with teammates, understand their signals, etc.
- Be friendly with all players, even with opponents! You will demonstrate dignity. People will notice this sooner or later, you can be sure. If you are rude and insult others, treating them badly, people will not like playing games with you.
- Attack wins games, defense wins championships.
- Take care of your hygiene! There is nothing worse than playing with a partner who smells like a sewer.
- Get enough sleep to refresh your body. For almost all people, this means sleeping around 8 and a half hours a night. Your body will function much better if you get enough sleep. If you don't know how many hours of sleep you need, read this article.
- Buy good quality shoes, even if you don't need to spend a lot. They must be comfortable, not too stiff, otherwise they will prevent you from moving quickly. In the shop, ask a clerk for advice, then try on your shoes and walk a little, jump, turn left and right. If you only like them aesthetically, but they are too tight, don't buy them! Find another model. The right shoes are essential for playing well.
