Basketball is a unique sport that requires both physical skills and mental toughness. This guide will give you essential shooting methods and tips.

    Shooting a basket correctly starts with the proper stance. Ensure your feet are shoulder-width apart and your shooting elbow is pointed towards the basket.

    Mechanics

    Basketball is a game where the ability to shoot the ball consistently is paramount. If you are a good shooter, reaching the pro or collegiate level is more accessible.

    In basketball skills training, honing shooting abilities demands acceleration, deceleration, and movement coordination proficiency. Various drills and workouts can aid in the development of these essential skills. For example, a great way to develop these skills is by utilizing HICT training.

    HICT involves performing high-intensity repetitions of simple medicine ball exercises. This is done for 8-20 minutes, allowing athletes to practice and perfect their movements while developing fatigue resistance. This is a great way to train basketball players and improve their shooting.

    Range

    Getting to the basket consistently with high shooting percentages is essential to helping your team score points. Long-distance shooting requires balance, footwork, and the ability to shoot off a screen.

    Performing shadow form shooting allows players to practice the correct position of their hands when shooting. The guide hand should be below the ball with its fingers spread to hold it evenly. To produce the correct backspin on the shot, this helps maintain balance and ensures the shooting arm wrist is bent back.

    Shot Selection

    Shot selection is a critical component of an athlete’s offensive success. Even if the athlete has excellent shooting mechanics and range, their talent will be useless if they consistently launch foul shots.

    Coaches can help their players improve their shot selection by assessing their ability to evaluate different shooting opportunities and make intelligent decisions in real-time. This can be accomplished through skill assessment, shot testing, and putting the player into offense-specific scenarios in practice.

    To help players understand the importance of high-value shot selection, coaches can also use a “bad process/good result” video (e.g., a floater that ends up in the basket) to help their athletes develop awareness of the shot spectrum.

    Off the Dribble

    Players must train to be comfortable handling the ball stationary. Stationary drills such as pounding, v-dribbles, in & outs, and between the legs help athletes develop solid and quick hands.

    This allows them to react to the defense and create opportunities for themselves. Another critical the-dribble skill is dribbling with one hand behind your back.

    This enables you to take fadeaway and step-back shots, everyday shooting moves in the game. Players should also practice stationary shot preparation drills such as spot-up shooting and catch & shoot. These skills help improve overall shooting accuracy.

    Game Situations

    There are several game-like situations that players face when shooting a basketball. Shooting in these scenarios helps athletes better understand how to use their shots to help their team win games.

    Incorporate game-like drills into your practice to improve shot selection, location, and off-the-dribble shots. This will help your athletes develop the skills they need to perform well in all shooting situations.

    Have your athletes play competitive shooting games with a partner to improve their shooting ability in high-pressure conditions. This will also teach them to stay calm and make the best decisions under pressure.

    Mental Approach

    Basketball requires a high concentration level, and great shooters spend thousands of hours shooting focused repetitions in the gym. In addition, they learn to focus their attention on one particular target to improve accuracy.

    Likewise, they also train to control their emotions by identifying negative thoughts like fear or self-doubt and replacing them with positive ones. They practice stress management skills like deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation to stay calm under pressure. Moreover, they create routines and checklists to ensure consistency in their pre-game preparation. This enables them to get into ‘the zone’ faster once they step onto the court.

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