3 Things You Can Do Right Now To Transform Yourself Into A Better Shooter Monday, February 26, 2007
Let's Get Started
There's a ton of stuff you need to do to improve your basketball shooting skills. Today, though, we're going to pick out just three aspects of shooting to have you concentrate on.
If you're struggling right now or working with players who are, let's go back to basics a bit and improve your shooting technique. Many times, just changing one small part of your fundamentals can improve your shooting percentage drastically.
Basketball Shooting Technique #1
Practice the "1-inch shot" drill
OBJECTIVE - Square up to the basket properly. By positioning yourself directly under the basket, you must completely extend your arms and body. Improve over-all basketball shooting technique.
ACTION - Stand in the middle of the lane so your face is positioned right under the rim of the basket. To square up to the hoop properly, put your arms straight out in front of you as if you were pushing someone away (fingers pointing forward). Your arms should be at a 90 degree angle to your shoulders.
Use your wrist and legs to shoot the ball up and over the rim. Don't use the backboard in this drill and don't step backwards. This isn't as easy as it may sound. Many players struggle with it at first. Don't get frustrated. Keep working at it. After each shot, grab the rebound and continue until you've taken 15-25 shots. Try not to let the ball hit the ground and don't dribble the ball.
For variation, square up to the left of the basket and then on the right side.
COACHING DETAILS - Your players will feel uncomfortable with this basketball shooting drill at first and will try to back away a bit for the easier shot. Don't allow this. Pay special attention to your players squaring up well and don't let them dribble. Shoot, rebound, shoot, rebound, etc.
Basketball Shooting Technique #2
Practice the "1-foot shot" drill
OBJECTIVE - Advance the technique learned in the "1-inch shot" drill. Unlike the first basketball shooting drill, you'll use the backboard on each shot here.
ACTION - Stand one foot away from the rim on the left side. You want to square up to a "spot" on the backboard, not the basket. Position the ball high over your head, then shoot.
Just like the "1-inch shot" drill, don't let the ball hit the ground and don't dribble. Shoot 10 shots from the left, then move to the center, then to the right of the basket. Then reverse and end up back on the left side.
COACHING DETAILS - Again, be sure your players square up, this time to the backboard. Don't let your players get to this technique drill until they have mastered the "1-inch shot" drill. Otherwise, it's a waste of time and they won't improve. Don't let them back up to two feet or more - keep them at one foot away from the basket.
Basketball Shooting Technique #3
Shoot Higher
Now we're going to talk "fundamentals" instead of giving you a specific basketball shooting drill. According to Tom Nordland, developer of the power-packed "Swish Video" and "Swish 2" dvd's, too many players don't get the ball high enough.
Specifically, Tom Nordland says, "Most shots get only 1-2 feet above the basket at the highest point. The shots are coming in 'hot' and flat, around 20-30° above horizontal. How often do you see one that rises higher than the top of the backboard? If you do, it's probably coming from the best shooter on the court. Shooting high does two major things:
- Creates a larger landing area for the ball
- Softens the shot, as gravity has more time to slow it down as it rises.
From my research, a shot coming into the basket at a medium high angle of about 45° above horizontal has an effective landing area about 60% larger than for a shot coming in at 30°. A 60° angle shot (the angle considered most effective by coaches) has a landing area more than twice as large as a 30° angle shot."
Tom Nordland has just enlightened you on one major aspect of successful basketball shooting. His Swish videos expand on this greatly, including his discussion and instruction on "UpForce", your release, timing and many other important aspects to basketball shooting.
There you have it!
- Now don't read this Lesson, delete it and forget about it. Get out on the court and practice basketball shooting Techniques 1 & 2. Concentrate on the 60° angle of your shot.
- And take our advice, check out Tom Nordland and his "Swish Videos" here and here.
You'll be glad you did :-)
And so will your basketball shooting skills :-)
posted by Brandon Schenz @ 5:52 AM,
