Basketball Is a game of mental and physical fitness. If you want to outperform others in the game of basketball, you have to remember you use your brain just as much as you use your body. Thus, You should not just workout your body, but your brain as well. This will give you an edge on a lot of players who simply workout their bodies. Now you may ask, " how exactly am I supposed to work out my brain"? We'll it's simple, study your mistakes and improve on them. Watch game film over and over and study yourself. Then compare what you know are mistakes to similar situations of NBA players and work to improve upon that.

Basketball Tips(continued)


Run Hard
TRY TO OUT RUN YOUR OPPONENT EVERY TIME
You will usually break their will with your first three steps. It will help you get easy shots on offense with your fast break. Getting back on defense will help stop their fast break.


Two Hands
GAIN POSSESSION WITH TWO HANDS
Catch the ball with 2 hands-concentrate on the catch before you do anything else. Rebound with 2 hands-and try for every one. Pick up a loose ball with 2 hands-pick it up don´t dribble it


Finish Strong
Great post players can finish in traffic with at least two different go-to moves against virtually any type of defender. Tall or small, big or quick, this player simply has automated their scoring skills to the point they "know" they can score when given the ball at a "moment of opportunity".

More Basketball Tips


Be a Good Passer
Great post players can pass off the dribble. By this I mean once they have put the ball on the floor during a post move, they have the skills to immediately pick up the ball, center it and pass it back out to an open perimeter player, teammate cutting freely toward the basket, or with ease back to the person who entered the post pass. I have coached against some excellent post players who could score, but once the ball was on the floor, it was Johnny in a barrel over Niagara Falls with no chance of a return pass. These skilled post players are relatively easy to defend. Just force the dribble, trap the dribble and look for the loose ball.

Everyone is a guard
Young players should always practice "guard skills", even if they are tall for their age. Some people grow early and may be big compared to their peers, but in a few years those peers may pass you up. A 12 year old "big man" may need to be someone´s point guard 4 or 5 years later.

Heads Up
Great post players keep their heads up and have great court vision even as they begin to initiate a post move. Many teams will send a second defender to double team late (such as when the post player puts the ball on the floor with the dribble). A head up will produce an alert pass and score by an open teammate instead of a forced shot against a collapsing or double teaming defense.
Develop an outside shot
Great post players can step outside and knock down the 15-18 foot jumper with ease. The best can even step behind the 3 point line and make defenses pay that try to double team a low post teammate with a second post defender.

Be Active
Great post player stay active to force their defender to respect and defend each position on the court as a possible scoring threat position following each pass whether they are at the strong side low post, weak side, or high post.
Conditioner and Stamina Builder
The purpose of this drill is to build the stamina and improve the coordination of the big men. The player stands on the free throw line facing away from the basket with the ball on the floor in front of him. The player should pick up the ball, pivot, and lay the ball in the basket. Retrieve the ball, dribble back to the free throw line, then return the ball to its original position. The player then pivots toward the basket again, without the ball, jumps and touches the rim, then returns to the free throw line. He repeats this sequence until he has made five consecutive baskets.
Communicate

Great post players keep their hands up when they are moving to a position and "moment of opportunity". The greatest problem for the average post player is their hands are down as they are moving to receive a ball. This occurs in transition, off the secondary break, and in set offense. Hands up as you move is a signal to any teammate "I am ready, willing and able to score." Hands down, says look some other time. What signal do you give?
#1 - Stay in Stance

PLAY WITH YOUR KNEES BENT.
Always stay in stance. It is your point of maximum explosion. Just Like a track sprinter coming out of the blocks. Be ready to move. The lowest person wins.
Chairmen of the Boards
Great post players are extremely active on the offensive backboards. They are relentless, with the scent of a bloodhound for the loose offensive rebound, and an insatiable desire to get points from loose ball situations at the offensive end of the court.

Mikan Drill
This drill was named after the first great big man in the game--George Mikan and may be the most basic of all big men drills. Start under the basket with the ball. Shoot a short hook shot off the glass going to the right. Turn, retrieve the ball from the net, and shoot a short hook going to the left. This will improve your agility and coordination, and help you use either hand when around the basket.

PASS TO THE FIRST OPEN PERSON
Passing the ball is faster than dribbling it.If you move the ball, you make the defense adjust and they might make a mistake and leave someone(maybe you!) open. Don´t wait for a better pass. Remember - "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush"

Basketball Fast Break


Court Vision
Every time players get the ball they should square up and look up the court before initiating transition. Poor court vision results in forced passes, offensive fouls against an unseen defender, and inability to see open teammates who might more easily advance the ball up the court with more effective results.

Dribbling
Only after the player looks ahead should they put the ball on the floor - and then only to advance the ball up the floor, drive to the basket, or improve a passing angle. Then when advancing the ball with a dribble, you must be able to dribble without thinking about dribbling or about the opponent who is guarding you. This will free you to see the court, ready to pass to a teammate who is open.

Basketball Conditioning

Keep it simple
Use basic drills to improve your basketball performance. Running stairs, suicide runs, and interval training are time-tested and great ways to get in "basketball shape". In fact, playing and practicing basketball is the BEST way to get in "game shape". If you participating in weight training to develop your strength, use simple exercises like lunges, step-ups, push-ups, pull-ups and sit-ups.

Wall Passing
A good way to increase both hand quickness and hand-eye coordination is with wall passes. Stand in front of a wall and pass the ball hard against the wall, catching it upon its return. As you improve your hand coordination, decrease the distance you stand from the wall so that the ball will come back more quickly and you have to react more quickly.

Jump Rope
One of the most important pieces of equipment a basketball player can possess is a jump rope. Daily use of a jump rope will develop stamina, leg strength, agilty and coordination, timing, quickness, and hand-eye coordination. All of these are extremely important to becoming a good ball player.


Enhance Movement Efficiency
The ability to change direction quickly and move laterally or backwards with minimal loss of speed is contingent upon two factors: (1) an athlete´s ability to send a message from brain to the body about how and when to react; and (2) how well an athlete can coordinate upper and lower extremities while maintaining balance and speed of movement. Incorporating agility drills that focus on coordination and reaction time will help in enhancing movement efficiency.


Four Squares
Find a place on the floor where two line intersect. These create four areas that are numbered one through four. Jump 1-2-3-4, then 4-3-2-1. Count the number of times you return to square #1 in thirty seconds. Try to better yourself every day.


Keep it safe
Always wear cross-trainers or basketball shoes when conditioning, as this supports your ankles during cutting drills. If you´re participating in jumping drills (called plyometrics), then always perform them on grass or thick exercise pads and mats. Weight training exercises should be performed using slow and controlled movements. Try to use mostly machines to ensure maximum safety.


Catching a Medicine Ball
Prior to a catch, make sure that you:
keep your arms extended, keep your hands together, keep eyes on the ball, reach out to meet the ball prior to making contact, and do not attempt to catch balls thrown wildly.

17´s
A 17 is a very common conditioning practice . You start behind one of the sidelines. You run to the other sideline counting as 1 then you run back to count as 2. You do this until you reach 17. (Always ending on the opposite side from which you started). To be in very good basketball shape you should be able to do this in under 1 minute.


Build Your Jumping
In order to better your jumping, you need to increase your leg strength and stamina. A great way to do this is by doing a consecutive jumping drill. Begin by jumping as high as you can off both feet. Your hands should be above your head and rotating to help you jump high. As soon as you land, go right back up. Repeat this twenty-five times. Next, jump twenty-five times off your right foot, then twenty-five times off your left. Keep your hands up and go up as quickly as you can after landing. Next, jump twenty-five times bringing your knees to your chest. You can now bring your arms down in order to maintain balance, but continue jumping as quickly as possible. Then jump twenty-five times trying to kick your heals into your rear end. Finally, perform twenty-five Jerry Wests. A Jerry West is a jump in which you bend forward at the waist extending your arms at forty-five degree angles. Try to touch your fingertips to your toes.

Basketball Training Help:


If you want to improve your basketball skills, there are a number of low-tech basketball training aids that will give you a real boost without breaking your budget. Some of the simple ones include ball handling gloves which will improve your dribbling skills. These gloves also have a button in the palm to make it impossible for you to control the ball unless you are holding it properly.

A defensive reach control will restrict the use of your arms, improving your habits so your are more inclined to keep your arms up in defense. This gadget also encourages you to shuffles and slide your feet for better defense position. This and the gloves are both very inexpensive, but effective basketball training aids.

Weighted Balls
Using heavy trainer basketballs can improve your game in several ways. To begin with, they are an effective weight training device, and can significantly improve your strength. Then, they will raise your speed so that when you play with regular basketballs during a game, you'll be that much faster and a good bit more agile.

Basketball training aids you can use when you're training by yourself include rebounding aids. These contraptions fit around the top of the basket, and make it impossible for you to predict which way the ball will bounce. This will give you a much better workout than you would otherwise get playing by yourself.

If you want to improve shooting accuracy, you could try using smaller sized practice rings. You can get them in 17 inch sizes and 10 inch sizes. Smaller practice rings are effective and can really focus your shooting attention for you.

Basketball Tips:

Perhaps the most important of all basketball tips is that while good offense can win you a game, great defense will get you the championship. Every member of the team must be a defense expert, never letting their guard down for a second. You need to keep searching for baseball tips so that you keep improving your game. There's a lot of competition out there, so let's see what basketball tips we can glean from the pros!

Remember to keep your weight on the balls of your feet. Never let it transfer to your heels, as this will destroy the necessary balance that a great basketball player needs. To block your opponent, us short sliding side-steps, and never get your legs crossed! Remember to look and see whether your opposing team's leading players are right or left-handed, and block them on their leading side.

The Best Basketball Tips
It's probably pretty obvious, but the best basketball tips you're likely to find are those that come from the great basketball stars themselves. Take the time to find out what made them great, and you'll have a great basis on which to build your own basketball career. Take Michael Jordan, for instance. He's arguably the greatest basketball player of all time. According to Michael himself, his greatest basketball strength was taking the time to learn the basics really well. This has to be one of the most important basketball tips.

Most players in any sport today are so busy trying to make it to the top, that they're prepared to cut corners. Take Michael's great advice and spend as long as it takes mastering your basic basketball skills. Then you can build on that, and you'll be pleased with the results. Another of Michael Jordan's basketball tips is to develop game speed.

This is not the same as running speed. Game speed is all about agility and developing an awareness of your body so that you always know instinctively what your arms and legs are doing.

How to Dunk!!!

Have big hands, or stick to the two-handed dunk - dunking is much easier if you can palm the ball.

Be a good jumper. Even if you're 6-foot-6, you need to be able to jump.

Dribble toward the basket with speed.

Pick up the ball from your dribble 10 to 12 feet from the basket.

Take your allowed two steps.

Palm the ball with your dunking hand, or grasp it firmly with both hands.

Push up from your second step, toward the rim, jumping as high as you can.

Extend your arm with the ball toward the rim, or if you're using two hands, bring the ball back behind your head for additional style points.

Slam the ball through the basket. Do not hang from the rim unless there's a danger of landing on somebody.

Celebrate your dunk in a cool way as you run back to play defense - make it clear that this wasn't your first or, certainly, your last dunk.

Hints:

Approach the basket in a manner similar to a layup.

You need to be able to touch the rim easily before having any realistic expectation of dunking the ball.

Many baskets are now installed with a device that allows you to adjust the height. Lower the rim temporarily to get an idea of how it feels to dunk.

You may get up pretty high and can injure yourself if you lose control.

Increase Jump! The best way to get up is from lots of running (especially stairs) and from weighted exercises like leg extensions, leg curls, heavy squats, and calve raises. Be sure not to neglect your upper body because a lot of your vert comes from there.

Basketball Defense

On The Ball Defense:
One of the most important defensive concepts is the theory of keeping your body between your man and the basket. Your defensive positioning should always be between the ball and the man you are guarding. Be within an arms reach of your man, so you can put pressure on the ball. Focus on his belly button...where it goes, he will go. You can be faked out by his eyes, head and shoulder fakes. Try to make him go where he doesn´t want to go. From the middle of the court... force him to the sideline. From a wing position, force him baseline 12-15 feet away from the basket.

Defensive Slide:
The proper way to move when guarding the dribbler is to step and push off. This is accomplished by stepping sideways with the lead foot (the foot closest to the direction in which you wish to go), then pushing off with your trail foot to catch up. Always keep your feet in contact with the floor. Stay low and keep your feet wide. Make quick slides.

Stance:
The proper defensive stance is necessary in order to play good defense. On the ball, feet should be shoulder width apart, with the knees bent, and your butt down and your back straight. Your hands should be outside your knees with the palms up. You should be low(your nose to your man´s chest) in "nose-chest" position. When you are low, you can change directions more quickly, which is a key for playing great defense.

Quick Help and Early Recovery:
There is no such thing as helping too quickly. When your teammate steers the ball into the next gap, be ready to provide quick help with your rear to the ball. When you help, you must recover on line to your man as the ball is picked up.In all screening situations you must talk, provide quick help and then recover early.

Defensive Triangle:
On Defense always be able to see your man and the ball (this is when your man doesn´t have the ball). When your man is 1 pass away, you can deny the player from getting the ball. You must be in a defensive triangle position with you, the ball and your man. Flatten out the triangle, with you at the center point of the triangle. Try to get a hand in the passing lane(straight line between the ball and your man). Position your head so that you can see both with your peripheral vision. Then slide up and back with your man, keeping that triangle position.

Close Down:
This is a strategy to use when you are coming to defend a player from a distance away, such as sprinting out to your man on a skip pass after help defense . What you do is sprint half way to your player and then in a low defensive position, use shuffle steps to assume good defensive position.

Transition and Communication:
Quick, organized transition with communication by all five players is a must for a great defensive team. You must STOP THE BALL. You must sprint to the level of the ball, eliminate all cheap baskets, and make opponents go against your set defense. NO LAYUPS, NO THREES, NO FOULS, NO SECOND SHOTS

Force Baseline:
On the defensive side, force baseline because the
baseline is an excellent defender. The baseline won´t move and will always get in the way of the offensive dribbler. The backboard is also a good
defender in that the dribbler can often times get behind it. With the on-ball defender, possible off-ball help as well as the baseline and backboard, that can make one heckuva trap if the ball-handler picks up his dribble.

Cover Down:
Whenever the ball penetrates on a pass or a dribble, all players should cover down to the level of the ball and force it back out. When the ball is dribbled toward the baseline, the nearest help side defender must quickly stop the ball before it reaches the lane. If the ball is passed to the post, we keep him from dribbling by quickly covering down. When we cover down to the baseline from on top. When the ball is passed back out, all players recover to their man. USE THE CLOSEST MAN TO THE BALL RULE ON RECOVERY.

Weakside Lane Closure:
You are in your weakside defensive stance in line with the basket, pointing to your man and the ball. Weakside lane closure to how you defend a player on the weakside who cuts to the ball.What you must do as your player cuts towards the ball is to slide up into deny position, make contact with the cutter, and make him cut behind you. As he cuts behind you, you then still deny the pass into your man.

Contest All Shots:
Never allow an opponent to shoot the ball uncontested. The problem, however, with players attempting to block shots is the tendency to commit fouls. Therefore, the proper way to contest a shot is to stay on your feet facing the shooter until the shooter leaves his or her feet, then attempt to get your hand on top of the basketball. At the very least, get a hand up so it limits his vision of the basket or he has to shoot over you. While you may not block the shot, you will put the shooter under a maximum amount of pressure.

Low Post Defense-ball above the Free throw line:
if the ball is above the free throw line extended(imaginary line extending from the free throw line to the sideline), then you should deny on the high side. You should be chest to chest with the post player with your arm closest to the ball in the passing lane.

Double Down:
This is a defensive strategy that is used when a very good low post player gets the ball. When the ball is passed to the post, the perimeter (outside) player quickly will double team the post player. This will make it difficult for a good post player to make their offensive move and force them to pass the ball back out.

Low post defense-ball is below the free throw line:
If the ball is below the free throw line try to get around the post player and "Full Front". Your teammates will need to help you on any lob pass. The post player probably is not going to want you in this position, so it is a constant fight for position between the post player and defender. Be active and try to AVOID contact. The post player will have more trouble "pinning" you in a position where they can receive the ball.

Low Post Defense-he´s pushed you out:
The low post player might try to push you out after you "full front". If you get out too far you can release and get behind so that your feet are OUTSIDE of the key. Now you are between him and the basket and have him 12´-15´ away. This makes it a tough shot for the offense and you have rebounding position.

Basketball Measurements

A Numbers Game:
Good question! A standard basketball court is 94 feet long, although many high school and college courts are 84 feet. In both cases, the court is 50 feet wide.


And, a few more measurements for your information include: a backboard is 6 feet wide and 3.5 feet tall. The rim is 18 inches in diameter, and the top of the rim should be exactly 10 feet off the ground.


The distance from the free throw line to the backboard is 15 feet, and the key is 19 feet from the baseline to the free throw line and 12 feet in width, across the lane.


The 3 point line varies - for the high school and college court the 3 point arc is 19.75 feet while on a NBA court the distance is 23.75 feet to the front edge of the rim.

Basketball Conditioning

Four Squares:
Find a place on the floor where two line intersect. These create four areas that are numbered one through four. Jump 1-2-3-4, then 4-3-2-1. Count the number of times you return to square #1 in thirty seconds. Try to better yourself every day.




Intense practices:
During the season it is best to do a majority of your conditioning within the body of the practice. Practices should be intense and physical enough that they are actually more difficult than the games. It is a good idea to mix in some conditioning in between drills at various times throughout practice.


Mimic Basketball Skills:
A basketball player´s quickness and agility program would include drills which emphasize lateral movement, change of direction, and sudden starts and stops (with or without ball) because these movement patterns are specific to the sport of basketball. By implementing these drills, inevitably, a basketball player´s skill acquisition is enhanced.



Keep it simple:
Use basic drills to improve your basketball performance. Running stairs, suicide runs, and interval training are time-tested and great ways to get in "basketball shape". In fact, playing and practicing basketball is the BEST way to get in "game shape". If you participating in weight training to develop your strength, use simple exercises like lunges, step-ups, push-ups, pull-ups and sit-ups.

Basketball: Ball Handling

Figure 8 Dribbling:
This is a drill to practice your ballhandling. Dribble the ball as quickly as possible in a figure 8 through and around the legs. Use the fingers when you dribble, and dribble very low and quickly. Switch from the right to the left and back to the right. Example: start with the right hand dribbling the ball in front and then dribble through your legs with your right hand, switch to your left hand and dribble from the back, around your left side to the front and back through you legs... then switch to your right hand behind the body and around the right side. Try to go as fast as possible, and your dribbling skills will improve with daily practice.


Crab Walk:
This drill can go from baseline to half court. Step forward with your left leg and pass the ball from your right hand to your left under your left leg. As you take your next step with your right leg, pass the ball from your left hand to your right under your right leg. Continue this pattern all the way down the floor.


Figure Eight--Running in Place:
Move the ball around your legs as in the Figure Eight Drill, but in addition, run in place.


Figure Eight Drop:
The ball is moved around the outside of the left legfrom the back to the front. Then it is passed in front of your body and around the outside of your right leg from front to back. Now the ball is between your legs at the back of your body. Bounce the ball, and as it is bouncing, reverse your hands, bring your right from the back to the front and your left from the front to the back. Catch the ball before it bounces again. Continue to do figure eights


Squeeze the banana:
This is a drill that helps increase the strength in your fingers. Hold the ball in front of you at eye level with two hands. By squeezing your fingers and thumb together with one hand at a time, you move the ball from one hand to the other as quickly as you can.
More finger and arm strength will imrove your ball control.


Pass and Catch:
With 2 hands, make a bounce pass between your legs from front to back and catch the ball with 2 hands behind you. Then bounce the ball through your legs from the back to the front, and catch the ball in front of your body. This is a good drill for body awareness.


Around the World:
Around the World: Circling the basketball first around your head, than your waist, Finally, put your legs together and take the ball around both legs at the knees. Then spread your legs, bend at the waist, and take the ball around one leg. Then the other. This will give you a feel for the basketball and help you become more comfortable in your ball handling. A good hand speed and coordination drill, also great conditioner for your arms.


Between the Legs Scissors:
To start this basketball drill, place your left foot ahead of your right and bounce the ball between your legs from your right hand to your left. As the ball gets to your left hand shift your feet so that your right leg goes ahead of your left and bounce the ball back between your legs. This shifting of your feet will occur with every bounce.



Catch-catch-catch:
This is a drill to work on your ballhandling. Hold the ball between your legs, with both hands on the ball, right hand in front and left hand in back. Quickly switch your hands,(now left hand in front and right hand in the back), without letting the ball touch the ground. Do as quickly as possible...this drill is one of the hardest to master... but it just takes lots of practice.


Touch-Touch-Touch:
This is another ballhandling drill that seems very difficult at first, but with daily practice, will improve your handles. This drill is called touch-touch-touch because that is what you do... while keeping the ball between your legs, you touch the ball once with your right hand(fingers) in front, then with your left hand(fingers) in front, then with your right behind you, and then with your left behind you. Continue in this manner as fast as possible. Before long, you will master this skill.


Situp Dribble:
While doing bent-knee situps, dribble up with your right hand as you sit up, and around your feet, then switch hands to your left as you go back down, and then dribble with your left hand as you sit up, back around your feet, switching back to your right hand. Continue as quickly as possible.


Up the Ladder:
Hold the ball out in front of you and pass it back from hand to hand using only your finger tips. Go from out in front of your waist to above your head and back. This will help you develop the finger tip control that you will need to properly handle the ball.