Basketball Shooting Training

Mental Game

• Basketball requires a player to be mentally focused. In no part of the game is this more true than with shooting. A player must know when to shoot and be able to executive his shot under pressure. Determination and a sharp mental game can take a mediocre player far beyond a highly talented player lacking in these areas. A characteristic of every great athlete is his ability to concentrate to the point of being oblivious to everything besides his shot or action. Confidence is the other part of a successful mental game. Every player has off shots or even a bad half of a game now and then. Having the confidence to recover from that and come back strong is the goal. With concentration and confidence, any athlete can develop a strong mental game.

Body Balance and Force

• With proper body balance a shooter can coordinate his muscles to create a force towards the basket. A shooter's ability to control his body is directly related to his ability to control the direction of his shot. Strengthening the core and using Pilates or yoga can help a player develop muscle awareness, strength and control. In their book, Basketball Concepts and Techniques, Bob Cousy and Frank G. Power, Jr., say, "From physics, we know that when several forces act upon an object, the effect is the same as that of a single force equal to the vectorial sum of the force components..." This means that it is easier to create a powerful, controlled shot when a player uses his legs, back and arms than if he just uses his arms alone. The best results happen when all muscles are brought into a smooth, coordinated effort.

Timing

• The timing of a shot begins with good foot placement before the shot and ends with follow through and recovery after the shot. A shooter must always be ready for a tip in or rebound should his shot not go in. Perfect timing can be defined as a smooth continuous thrust from the feet through the fingertips in release of the ball. The force must remain consistent in intensity from the beginning through the release.

Basic Shots

• All shots can be adapted once the six basic shots have been mastered. The basic shots are: lay-up, one handed underhand, two handed set, one handed set, jump shot and hooks. It is important for a player to know when it is best to use each type of shot. A lay-up is used when a player receives a pass while cutting for the basket or when a player dibbles past defenders and is under the basket. One handed underhand is similar to the uses of the lay-up. The two handed set shot is hardly used by today's professional players; however, it is the most accurate long range shot. The one handed set is the basic shot of every player. It has similar accuracy to the two handed shot but faster set up and release. Today the most used shot is the jump shot. Using a fake before the shot makes the jump shot virtually impossible to block. The hook shot is the most versatile and effective for close- to medium-range shots and should be mastered by centers and forwards.

Free Throw Shots

• A player must make at least 80 percent of his free throw shots in practice to be considered proficient. Free throw fundamentals should be practiced until they are second nature for a player. Dry hands and fingers: before stepping up to the line, dry hands on shorts and shake the arms, wrists and fingers to relieve tension. Look around: before accepting the ball, look around to note the positions of your teammates and opponents. Accept the ball: always accept the ball before taking position on the line. Take your place on the line. Spin the ball: spin the ball to get the feel of it, bounce it a set number of times to relax your arms and set your rhythm. Breathe: in and out, using this time to set your concentration and shut everything else out. Shoot. Hold the follow through and watch the basket--not the ball.