An Lesson On Shooting

An Lesson On Shooting

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The skill of shooting is essential to success as a basketball player. When you see a player with a smooth shot...they weren't born with it. They put in a lot of hours to build a great shot.

If you have never been taught how to correctly shoot a basketball or you are new to basketball. It is best to build your shot from the ground up.
Square feet to the basket - Your feet should be about shoulder width apart. If you are right handed your right foot should be just slightly ahead of your left (opposite for lefties). Your feet should be squared (both pointing toward the basket) with the basket before initiating your shot.

Bend your knees When you start to initiate your shot you should bend your knees. The legs are going to provide most of the power in your shot, so getting a good knee bend in preparation for the shot is vital.
Get the body squared - In addition to your feet being square to the hoop you should also have your body square to the basket. You need to be completely balanced and feel comfortable before the shot. This is critical. Whether coming off of a screen, shooting off the dribble, or simply moving to an open spot, you must have balance and have your shoulders square with the hoop.

Focus - Your eyes should be on the rim and targeted on one spot (the back of the rim or the backboard if you are going to shoot a bank shot). You should not watch the flight of the ball.

Holding the ball The strong hand should be placed behind the basketball with your fingers spread comfortably (they should not be too close or too wide...your hand should still feel comfortable). Your thumb should be at about a 45 degree angle from the pointer finger. The ball should be gripped primarily by the) fingertips, and secondarily by your finger pads. The ball should not rest on your palm, (however it should be close. You should be able to barely slide a finger between the ball and your palm. Your weak hand is usually referred to as a "guide hand", however it really shouldn't guide the ball. It is used only to assist you in raising the ball up and getting into position. Just before you shoot you will actually gently let your assist hand fall away from the ball.

All this information gets you into the correct position to take your shot. We call this "shot ready"
Beginning the shot To initiate the shot you will bend your knees and begin to jump in the air. The ball should start off around chest height just to the right of the body with your shooting hand underneath/behind the ball. Begin raising the ball up towards the face (just slightly to the right of your body for right handed shooters), being sure to keep your elbow in (the elbow and wrist should be in a straight line ... do not let it slide out to the side). The ball should move just above the head, and should be resting in the "waiter's position" (this is similar to how a waiter carries a tray at a restaurant... the wrist is bent so that the hand is almost flat). The hands should hold the ball secure, but both the hand and the wrist should be relaxed. At this point if you were viewed from the side your arm would make a backwards "L".

Shot/Follow thru - As you get to the jump is approached, begin to release the ball. Just before the peak of the jump, the elbow should rise just above eye level, the arm should begin to straighten and as this happens, the wrist should begin to rotate forward to launch the ball toward the basket. Just before release your guide hand should let go of the ball and you should allow the ball to release off of your fingertips. Releasing the ball from your fingertips should impart a nice backspin on the ball (this back-spin is the reason many people get a "shooter's roll"). You wrist should continue falling forward after release. It is often called "reaching into the cookie jar" because it looks as if you were reaching into a jar on the top shelf. Hold the release until the ball gets to the hoop.

Ball Trajectory Shooting should feel easy because it is powered by the legs, not the armsand the legs are much stronger. The ball should travel with a good "arc" toward the basket A shot with a higher arc has a better chance of going in the hoop with a higher arc.

About the Author:
Check out The World of Hoops for great basketball training: videos, guides, videos, and basketball strength training.



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


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