Motor Skills Needed to Shoot Free Throws

The free throw claims close to 20 percent of all the points scored in NCAA Division 1 basketball. Free throw shots comprise the highest percentage of the last five minutes of any basketball game; winning might well depend on the swoosh. Nailing this skill is vital to a player's game. "Successful free throw shooting requires good concentration, but most importantly good mechanics in the shot," according to experts Dr. Marion Alexander and Dana Way. The proper mechanics can be broken down into a sequence of motor skills.

  1. Preliminary Movements

    • Use preliminary movements to both picture the shot in your mind and relax, freeing the muscles of tension and tightness. Place your right toe on the free throw line and your left foot beside or slightly behind in a staggered stance. Feet are close to shoulder-width apart, or slightly wider. Take several dribbles with your shooting hand, keeping the wrist loose and fingers and hands relaxed.

      Pick up the ball in both hands, spread your fingers and place them directly behind the ball. Wrists are bent to the rear to support the ball and give the necessary force to propel the shot.

    Backswing

    • The backswing consists of movements during the crouch and preparation for the shot. Hold the ball still at waist level with your shooting hand behind the ball. The shoulder of the shooting arm is parallel to the body with the upper arm held along the trunk. The knees flex at close to a 90-degree angle and your trunk flexes at close to 50 degrees from vertical. Trunk flexion is preparation to give power to the shot.

      Raise the ball toward shoulder level using shoulder flexion as the trunk extends. The nonshooting hand is on the side of the ball and slightly behind center, allowing you to rotate the shooting shoulder forward to line up with the basket.

    Force-Producing Movements

    • The force-producing movements project the ball to the basket. Hold the ball in front of the body with the right shooting hand directly behind the ball and the left hand to the side and underneath. Spread your finders wide. The ball should sit on the base and pads of the fingers, not directly on the palm.

      The force-producing movements begin when the trunk reaches vertical and the ball is just above shoulder level. From this position the first force-producing movements are the extension of the knees and hips and the elevation of the ball by shoulder flexion.

    Critical Instant

    • The critical instant is the moment the ball is released. At this point, your trunk and legs fully extend and your feet may even leave the floor; if so, the landing spot should be the same as the jumping-off spot. Your trunk is vertical, and leans neither forward nor backward during release and follow through. The proper release point is in front of the shooting side of the body, in line with the right shoulder and hip.

    Arch of the Shot

    • The ball is a projectile from your hand after the critical point, and travels in a parabolic path toward the basket. The most effective arc for a successful shot is as high as possible; the closer to 90 degrees the ball is on the approach to the basket, the better.

    Follow Through

    • Follow through is the final phase, which permits the joints to continue moving through to the end of their full range of motion. Legs fully extend, ankles flex with toes pointing toward the floor, the trunk is vertical and the shooting hip lines up vertically with the knee and ankle, as well as with the joints of the shooting arm.