Posts Tagged ‘Basics’
It is certainly fun watching basketball. But for players, the game isn’t just fun. It is challenging. There are lots of pressure that players undergo whenever they hit it to the court every game. They are of course committed to make the team win by accumulating more scores than the opponent. Aside from that, almost all players want to stand up to impress the viewing public. In the tradition of Michael Jordan, Shacquille O’Neal, Dennis Rodman and the likes, every basketball player dreams of being an icon in sports. That is why almost all basketball secrets have been revealed. There are also more coaches, trainers and centers that offer to help players develop proper attitude and skills in playing basketball. Almost all mental and physical aspects of basketball playing have also been discussed and openly assimilated by players. The footwork A strong footwork is considered one of the basic skills and characteristics a basketball player must possess to be able to become a good player. That is because everything else depends on the strength of the feet when playing. Solid footwork is very necessary in executing basic basketball tasks and techniques like defense, rebounding, ball-handling, and many more. Basketball is a very physical game so without the solid foundation of the foot strength, you would easily end up being tripped at or knocked at the floor. Because you basically run, jump, bend and walk during the basketball game, your footwork must be well built and planned. Further, during, before and after games, you are advised to take some flexing, relaxing and warming activities to condition your feet to become stronger for each game. Footwork tips in basketball Because footwork is such an important aspect of playing basketball, here are some tips that will truly help you attain good footing while playing the arduous game of basketball. Attain good body balance during the game. It is recommended that you keep the base support of your feet wide. How do you do this? Simply keep each of your feet at least a shoulder apart from each other. Bend your knees a little and keep your head just above the midpoint between the area covered by the feet. This position is said to provide your body with good overall balance. While standing inside the basketball court, practice having this physical balanced position. Take a good pivoting point. A solid pivot is attained when the ball of the foot is planted firmly and solidly on the floor of the court. If you have a good pivoting position, you can easily turn and run to the left to right, or forward or backward. Good pivoting is essential for the best defensive strategies in the game. Take quick pivots by planting the balls of your feet on the ground. Then, attain proper body balance. This way, you are sure to be ready for quick and abrupt pivot turns. Footwork exercises Aside from the usual footwork drills, there are also several exercises that are simple enough and will surely help improve your footwork for both defensive and offensive tasks in playing basketball. Here are some of them. As a form of exercise, bend the knees, take proper balance standing position by spreading the feet at shoulder width. Then, step sideways. Eventually, make the little steps either to the left or to the right turn into short runs. The sideway movements will help you attain good and firm footwork sideways. Hop with just one leg forward from tone side of the basketball court until you reach half of the court. Bring down the foot and use the other one as you hop forward to the other end of the court. This exercise targets the muscles of the thighs and knees, making up for firmer and stronger footwork. Regular jogging and running exercises are proven to be effective in improving the footwork of basketball players. In the morning, or whenever there is time, jog around or run. It would also be advisable if you use a thread mill. It would be impossible to play basketball if the strength of the feet isn’t established. Because basketball is a very physical game, you should make sure your footwork is well practiced before the games.
If you are playing basketball, you want to play it excellently. Who wouldn’t want to be recognized as an outstanding basketball player? It is just not very fortunate that basketball superstars and the best players are never born; they are created. So how can you create a basketball star out of yourself? The answer is simple: Play it right. To be able to play basketball really well, it is important that you spend considerable time and effort in game practices. Just like any other form of sports, rehearsals, along with strict discipline and proper attitude, are necessary to make you an excellent basketball player. However, when attending basketball practices, experts notice and warn that there are so many players who aren’t practicing their shooting skills correctly. Be informed that there are proper forms and moves in shooting. That is why it would be helpful to you to spend time in practicing your shooting skills. There are several popular drills that would be helpful in attaining proper forms and moves when shooting the basketball to the bucket. Some shooting drills Proper attitude, determination and physical agility will be rendered futile if the basketball player doesn’t practice some drills. Here are some of the well-known and widely adapted shooting drills that will help you attain the proper form and skills in shooting the basketball. Bull’s eye drill This shooting drill is aimed at helping the player further sharpen his focus and concentration when playing. It is said that players lack focus when they fail to shoot the ball during the game. This is the practice drill for such players. To be able to execute this drill, you will be required to use white athletic tape. Of course, the drill is executable in an actual basketball court. To do the drill, first, stick a piece of the white athletic tape on the front side, the side facing you, of the rim of the hoop. You see that white tape? That will be your target. Now start throwing the ball into the bucket by targeting the white athletic tape. You are hitting the bull’s eye when you are successfully hitting the target. This will train your eyesight and senses in shooting the ball. The free throw drill This shooting drill is aimed at establishing your concentration and consistency in shooting the ball during a free throw. The process may seem too easy and less complicated, but during actual games, players complain that their focus is disrupted because of too much noise and other distractions coming from the audience and from the excitement of the game itself. To perform the free throw drill, you must get be on a basketball court. Stand on the free throw line and start shooting free throws. Dribble the basketball three times. As you dribble, say the word ‘dribble’. After that, it is time to throw the ball into the hoop. Say ‘throw’ or ‘set’ or whatever word you want to use to associate with the activity. Before actually throwing the basketball, envision yourself all set to shoot the ball. Then, slowly raise your arms carrying the basketball, target the range and the rim and shoot. If the goal isn’t attained, do the drill several times. The aim of the drill is to instill the proper mental set and condition that will be associated to successful basketball throws. The Westhead drill The Westhead drill is actually a mental drill in basketball shooting. This drill is aimed at enhancing muscle memory, or the muscle reflexes set on specific occasions and moves. The drill is simple and challenging to execute. The first move will be to throw the basketball into the basket five times. Then, concentrate and envision five successful basketball throws in your mind. Shoot the ball five times again, before pausing to close the eyes and picturing a good basketball throw in your mind. Throw the ball five times while the eyes are closed. Then throw the basketball successfully for five times after the closed-eyes drill. Take note that your muscles are becoming more and more conditioned to successfully throwing the basketball. After some time, you can modify the drill and do it while walking or running on the basketball court.
Basketball is a very exciting sport. There are numerous basketball stars and icons that have swept the basketball viewing public throughout the years. Each basketball team is also equally popular because they are the cradle of the basketball superstars. The game of basketball is definitely a team effort. Basketball isn’t played individually, but rather collectively. Each game is a team effort. In fact, in every game of basketball, no individual is declared the winner of the game. It is always the team. Basketball players play the game excellently because they want to accrue scores not for themselves but for the team. However, there are awards and recognition given to players who have contributed greatly and accumulated points or scores throughout the game. When fans rush to the basketball courts to flock basketball stars, they come to flock the team as well. A basketball superstar not only carries his name but also that of the team. How are superstar basketball teams born? Well, a good track record is the key. And how is it attained? Simple: just by winning the most games. The sweep There are many basketball tournaments and conferences in every country. There are those events that are held annually for a regular interval. During these games, often, there are mainstay teams that regularly play at the basketball event. When a team wins for two or more consecutive years, it is termed in sports and basketball lingo as a ‘sweep’. Thus, be it in the NBA or in whatever basketball tournament all over the world, the word ‘sweep’ is one of the sweetest and most sought-after terms in the ever-growing and exciting basketball vocabulary. For a team to complete a sweep, it should consistently hold its excellence. Consistency is one of the hardest concepts in basketball because it is hard to assure that a team will win every game. For sure, there are hundreds or thousands of potential basketball superstars that are given big breaks every season. The competition is really tough. That is why teams also often modify its lineup so it can get the best and possibly the greatest players around. Team effort is also hard to keep. It entails that all the team’s members be cooperative enough to execute a good play strategy. That isn’t easy to accomplish considering the humongous egos and attitudes of basketball players. For a team to make a sweep, it should strive harder to keep the good working and cooperative relationships between the team players. Failing to do so would result otherwise. How a team could make a sweep When you come to think of it, it would be easy to make a team run into a sweep in basketball tournaments. However, considering the individual efforts needed from each of the team players, it would be a truly big challenge to the coach and to the players as well. Remember, good working and personal relationships within the team shows in the play. For a team to ensure a sweep, regular practices and rehearsals should be scheduled. The team should all be present during practices because that is the time each of them gets to bond. Rapport between the players is established. Weaknesses and strengths of the players and team as a whole is also determined during practices. Thus, the training would be a good breeding ground to identify how each team player could greatly and significantly contribute to the welfare of the whole basketball team. Consistency is essential. After winning a basketball game, the main goal of the team would then be to keep the winnings coming. When a team fails to keep its winning status, it fails to make a sweep, therefore, coming face to face with a nightmare. The moral support from the fans and supporters also contribute well. Take note that most of the popular basketball teams do well in every game whenever they see the trooping fans cheer for them, as if the game is a popularity contest. Team players are motivated whenever they see cheerful fans support them. Basketball is a very exciting game indeed. It sure is hard for a team to make a sweep but the effort certainly makes up for added excitement.