Why Shoot With An Arc?

By Don Kelbick

Is the hole in the rim the same size all the time?

Do you think that’s a strange question?

When I was in pilot training, I learned that the outer end of a propeller moves faster than the inner end. I could not figure out how that could be. They are all connected to the same hub and it only spins at one speed.

Well, when you look at the definition of speed, it is the time it takes to move a mass over a prescribed distance (e. g. miles per hour). Since the far end of a prop has to travel a longer distance than the part near the hub, but must complete its trip in the same amount of time, it must be moving faster.

So, I ask again, is the hole in the rim the same size all the time?

I would argue “No!”

Try this experiment. Get a round trash pail. Put it on the floor and look down on it. How big is the hole, how much do you see? Now, pick up the pail and put the rim of the pail at eye level. How big is the hole, how much do you see now?

Same pail, same hole, different situations. Looking at the hole with the pail on the ground you can see a big hole. Looking at it at eye level, the amount of the hole you can see is very small.

Now imagine your eyes are the ball when you are shooting a basketball. Which angle gives you the best chance to put the ball in the basket? The answer is obviously the angle in which it can see the most hole.

The ball has the best chance to go through the hole when it enters from above. We have all heard that 2 basketballs can go through the hole at the same time. But that is only true when the balls enter from directly above, when the hole is bigger. In fact, when putting balls in the hole from directly above, you can fit 5 balls in the hole at once (I said in the hole, not through).

When shooting a low trajectory shot, if the ball hits the rim, the forward momentum will overpower the downward momentum and probably skip forward off the rim. With a higher trajectory, a larger hole, more downward momentum, the ball hits the rim and rolls through the hole.

The optimum arc is different for everyone because there is a comfort level here. There is a point where too much arc also adds more distance to the shot and it could turn a 20 foot shot into a 25 foot shot and now you are out of your range, but I would say use as much arc as you can comfortably use.

So, is the hole the same size all the time?

For more information on Don Kelbick go to http://www.DonKelbickBasketball.com.

Beginner Shooting Progressions For All Ages

By Don Kelbick

QUESTION:

What is the best way to have a kid progress shooting from a low position around the stomach or chest (i.e. push shot) to a position in which the ball is set higher with the arms/hands?

ANSWER:

A lot depends on how old the kid is and whether he can comfortably reach the basket or not. The method I use is called “by the numbers.”

Start by sitting in a chair.

#1 - Hold the ball in front of you, by the seams, in the fingertips of the shooting hand.

#2 - Turn the ball and put it into a shooting tee. Hand under the ball, on the fingerpads, in the proper shooting position.

#3 - Shoot the ball as high in the air as possible while holding the follow through. The object is to have the ball return directly back into the shooting hand without having to move your hand to catch it. The only way to do that is to shoot it straight up.

Eventually, I will add a new #3, which is stand up (shooting the ball becomes # 4). Eventually, you will synchronize the body motion and the hand motion. After that happens, I will add the guide hand.

It is important to remember that it takes 3 times longer to break an old habit than to build a new habit. When frustrated or challenged, people invariably revert to what is comfortable to them, which is the old habit, so it will take a lot of repetitions. By removing the basket as an objective, players are more motivated to do the reps.

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Basketball Shooting Tips - What Part of The Rim To Focus On & The Guide Hand

By Don Kelbick

Question 1:

Do you focus on the front, middle, or back of the rim?

Response:

My teaching methods are a bit “out of the box” (non-traditional) and not everyone takes to it. I will answer you questions the best that i can, relating to the methods that have been successful more me but I don’t know if they are the answers you are looking for.

I do not teach target. I believe that shooting is a kinesthetic skill, not a visual one. I believe you shoot by feel, not by sight. I often teach players to shoot with their eyes closed. I want them to concentrate on form and feel, not whether it goes in or not. Given enough repetitions, they learn to adjust their feel for distance. I can routinely make 80% from the foul line with my eyes closed. That is based on that the monstrous amount of repetitions I have had in my life. I don’t expect young players to do that but it serves as a good illustration. Pro players routinely shoot for a higher percentage than I do. The direction of flight is determined by your follow through. Just follow through straight at the rim. To be more traditional, why not aim for the hole? Isn’t that where you want the ball to go?

Question 2:

Where is the guide hand placed exactly? Do the fingers and the thumb point up in the air or to the rim when holding the ball/releasing?

Response:

When I teach shooting early in the process, I teach it 1 handed with no guide hand. Once we add the guide hand, I usually stress comfort. As long as the ball is steady and and your guide hand doesn’t interfere with the ball and shooting mechanism, you can place it however it is comfortable for you, as long as it is the same every time.
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Should You Teach Youth Players To Shoot A Basketball With Both Hands Equally?

By Joe Haefner

While listening to audio interview from Complete Athlete Development between Erin Perry (Physical Therapist) and Brian Grasso (Athletic Development Trainer), they discuss young athletes using both hands equally to perform athletic tasks and why it’s a good thing.

• Shooting a basketball equally with the left hand and right hand.
• Swinging the bat from each side of the plate.
• Kicking the soccer ball with both legs.
• Hitting a hockey puck from both sides.
• Throwing a football with both hands.

They mention that this is good for injury prevention. They go on to explain that if you continually throw or shoot with one hand, it can lead to muscle imbalances. If you constantly throw with one arm, you may get a shoulder that is stronger than the other. This can lead to injuries if the child is still growing and maturing.

Watch Eli Manning warm up before a game. There is a reason he throws the football left-handed and right-handed.

Along with preventing injuries, it should create a better athlete.

Can you imagine a basketball player that can:

• Shoot with both hands equally within 15 feet.
• Dribble up and down the court flawlessly with either hand.
• Pass with either hand.
• Finish around the hoop with either hand.

I recently read an article on ESPN about a pitcher named Pat Venditte in the Yankees organization that throws with both hands. Last year he had an ERA at 0.83 which is amazing for those of you who do not know very much about baseball. He can pick whatever arm he wants to throw with based on which side the opposing hitter chooses and he can throw twice as many pitches.

Would a player have similar benefits in basketball if he could shoot with both hands?

Most coaches try to teach passing, dribbling, and finishing with both hands. If we try to teach shooting with each hand equally in addition to the other skills at young age, would it make a player that much better?

You might be thinking, “That’s crazy. I can barely get my players to shoot well with one hand.” However, it’s still worth thinking about.

What are your thoughts?

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Shooting Tips - Finger Placement & Analysis Paralysis

By Don Kelbick

Question:

Position of the shooting hand before releasing: Is the middle and/or index finger in the middle of the basketball?

Response

To be honest with you, I don’t know where those fingers are. All I want is for your hand to be behind the ball (as opposed to on the side) and in the same place every time. Again, it is a feel thing.

I do not get into the really picky little things, such as what direction your fingers face or making everyone put there hand in the same place. It will be different for different people. I think that the most damaging aspect of any skill, which coaches seem to add to, is “analysis paralysis.” That is a saying where you worry so much about the little things, you examine what you are doing so much that you paralyze yourself and can’t perform the skill at all. I prefer to remain focused on the big picture.

If adjustments need to be made, make them generally. For example, I will say, “put your hand under the ball,” instead of “put your hand here.” I want players to shoot the basketball without thinking of anything. The more minute you get with technique, the more they think about and the less effective they become.

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This is the Time to Improve Basketball Shooting Percentage!

By Jeff Haefner

We believe that all coaches should proactively FIX and take time to IMPROVE their players shooting stroke after the season is over.

Why is this so important and why should you do this after the season?

For starters, I guarantee that you have at least a couple players on your team that have detrimental shooting flaws.  And if you don’t fix their shot, those players will NEVER reach their full potential!

These players NEED your help!

The perfect time to begin fixing those flaws is during the off-season.  It’s just way too difficult to change bad habits and fix shooting technique during the regular season.  It’s too frustrating for the player because when they make changes, their shot will get worse before it gets better.  And I’ve never met a player that wants to make their shot even worse during the season.  It’s demoralizing.

That’s why the changes MUST happen in the off season.

Not to mention, the off-season is when great shooters are born.

Shooters don’t become great during the season.  It happens in the off season.  If you as a coach want to raise your team’s shooting percentage, you can do it in the off season.  With some good off-season drills, workouts, and a logical plan, you can make significant improvements in your team’s shooting percentages during the off season.

Even for the not-so-serious players, you can make great strides in the summer and help them improve shooting with very little effort.

Have you thought about how shooters can completely transform your offense and help you win more games?

A team with just a couple of good shooters on the floor will make your offense infinitely more dangerous and actually give your team more lay ups. Good shooters stretch out the defense and can dramatically improve your team offense.

Good shooters open up driving lanes for everyone on the team, improve spacing, and make it easier to score.  However, if nobody on the floor can shoot, the defense will pack things in and make it more difficult to score.

Bottom line.  Good shooters help you win more games.  A small improvement in your team’s shooting percentage will allow you to win more games. Simple math tells us that teams with high shooting percentages tend to win a lot of games.

Yet, few coaches devote enough time to develop great shooters (especially in the off season).

In fact, many coaches don’t believe they have control over their players shooting abilities. That’s simply not true.

With some simple techniques, you’d be surprised how you can improve the shooting percentage of almost every player on your team.

The really great coaches know these secrets and know how to improve their players shooting percentages.

If You’re Season is Over, This is the Time to Implement Some Off Season Shooting Strategies

To help you improve your team’s shooting percentage, we highly recommend checking out our Basketball Shooting Guide.  This is the perfect time of year for many of you to get started.

You might not realize this but our Shooting Guide is our HIGHEST rated product.  This even surprises us but 28 out of 29 customer reviews gave a rating of 5, the highest possible rating.  All but one customer gave the Shooting Guide the highest possible rating!  It’s a little hard to believe but true.

We believe the ratings are so high because, out of all the products we offer, we spent the MOST time and put the MOST effort into developing the Shooting Guide.  It includes more information than any of our other products and it’s the most complete instructional shooting product on the market.

Here’s what you get in the Shooting Guide:

• A step by step guide showing you exactly how to improve your team’s shooting percentage all year round. (By the way, Step 1 begins at the end of your regular season.  That’s why we’re promoting the guide now.)
• How to develop a great shooting stroke for both youth and experienced players (there are important differences in your approach, depending on the age and experience level).
• Scripted shooting workouts and suggested routines.
• Printable shooting charts and logs.
• 55 shooting drills for individual and team situations.
• Tricks that will quickly break your players bad shooting habits.
• Detailed shooting fundamentals and techniques you need to teach your players.
• How to develop good shooting form and a shooters touch.
• How to practice smart and get MORE done in less time.
• Little known tricks to improve your entire teams shooting confidence.
• The mental aspects of shooting and how to give your players the mental edge on your competition (it’s easier than you think).
• And much more.

To order the Shooting Guide, go to:
http://www.breakthroughbasketball.com/pr/btshooting.html

As you all know, we only give recommendations and reminders that we truly believe in.  And even though this email is self serving, we truly believe this is an important reminder for you.  Not enough coaches proactively help their players improve shooting and break habits in the off season.  It’s the right thing to do and really the only good way to do it.

We wish you all the best of success and please let us know if there is any way we can help you.

My Personal Experience With Tom Nordland’s Swish Method

By Joe Haefner

When I was in 9th grade, I developed into a pretty good shooter. Every shooting session, I would hit a hot streak and bury 10 to 15 three’s in a row. I think I made as many as 25 during one session.

My shot was quick, but I had a very low release. My varsity coach then asked me if I wanted to play college basketball and I said, “Yes!” From that point forward, he worked with me to develop a higher release point. For some reason, things didn’t click, and I developed a hitch in my shot. I lacked the coordination between my lower body and upper body that was required to shoot a jump shot. Looking back, I wasn’t using my legs to get my shot there, I was straining too much with my upper body, and I tried to shoot at the peak of my jump rather than shooting as I was going up.

I lost my shooting touch..

By senior year, I was a total head case. I was always thinking about my shot mechanics instead of letting the shot fly. I shot 33% from the field which had dropped from 42% the previous year and 50% my sophomore year.

Now, let’s fast forward to this last year. As I was reviewing and watching some great shooting DVDs, I came across Swish 2.

I started toying with the shooting methods Tom Nordland uses in Swish 2. I hadn’t practiced or played with any consistency for about 2 years, so I was quite rusty. My girlfriend also took some interest in shooting with me and I tested out the shooting methods on her.

Here is a quick summary of what I did:

1. I developed my “Pure” shooting stroke. I practiced shooting to a partner, not at the hoop.

Swish 2 goes into great detail about the “Pure” shooting stroke and how to develop it.

2. Next, I started to incorporate my legs into the shot. I still did not shoot at a hoop.

3. I started to toy with adjusting my shooting distance with my legs while using the same stroke. Still did not shoot at a hoop. All I was trying to do is get a feel for the shot.

4. I started shooting very close (about 5 feet away) to the hoop. I gradually moved out.

Instantly, I noticed I was shooting with TOUCH! It felt good. Granted, I was shooting from 5 feet away, but it still felt great. Gradually, I started moving out. The same thing happened. I was consistently hitting nothing, but net. The shot felt good. It looked good.

After a few months of shooting with the Swish Method, I really started stroking the basketball with a nice touch. Not to mention, my girlfriend (who never played high school basketball) was becoming a pretty good shooter.

Want to know the crazy thing about it? We were only shooting once a week.

Now, remember when teaching or making shooting adjustments, it isn’t all gravy. I struggled and still struggle at times when practicing as will anybody else when first changing a shot. Most players will often miss more before they start making more. This applies to the whole “Take 2 steps backwards to take 3 steps forward” analogy meaning that you may miss more at first with your new shooting technique (2 steps backwards), but you will make more in the long-run (3 steps forward).

I’m still working on my 3-point shot after 5 to 6 months. If I had time to practice like I did in high school, this could’ve been done in a few weeks. This is just to put in perspective that you do not want to learn a new shooting method and jump straight out to 3-point land. Things just won’t work and you’ll get frustrated.

Here is what I learned from the Swish Method:

1. At any age, you could develop a GREAT shot using the Swish method with some persistence and patience. And you truly develop that “Pure” shooting touch that all of the great shooters have. When I used to miss shots, I would MISS. The ball would clang off the rim and come flying back at me or somewhere else. Now, I get a lot of shots that go in with those “shooter’s touch” bounces.

2. Now, my girlfriend shoots better than me, so I’m never teaching her anything basketball-related again.

If you like to learn more about the Swish Method, check out our review on Swish 2 or visit their website here Swish 2.

Basketball Shooting Workouts and Practice Tips

By Jeff Haefner

To become a better shooter, you need to practice smart.  And just as important, you need some good basketball shooting workouts that actually make you better.  Too many players practice aimlessly without an intelligent plan.  You can get an edge on your competition by practicing smart and following a logical plan!

Here are a few important guidelines when you workout and practice shooting:

1 – Set goals based on number of shots (or makes), NOT time! 

Do you make this mistake? 

You could literally practice for an entire hour and only take 100 shots.  That’s not enough and you might be neglecting certain types of shots that are important.  If you just go to the gym with the idea that you’ll shoot for an hour, then you’ll discover that you waste a lot of time dribbling around.  You just don’t get in a good workout.

All the pros and great shooters set a goal for a certain number of shots, no matter how long it takes.  You can set your goals based on “makes” or “attempts”.  It’s really up to you.  It’s more challenging to base your workout on “makes”.  So if you’re looking for a challenge, that’s the way to go.

The key is to get to enough of shooting repetitions.  You should shoot at least a few hundred shots at each practice session.  Setting the right goal will help you get in the reps!

2 - Chart your progress. 

To improve your confidence, start charting all of the shots that you take in practice.  It’s easy to do and you’ll be absolutely amazed at how much it helps.

After every practice session, keep track of what kind of shots you took, the number of shots taken and the number of shots that you actually made.  Take the time to develop a basketball shooting chart, because it really helps.

3 - Work on each type of shot. 

When practicing, be sure to work on the following types of shots:

• Shooting off of the “catch”
• Shooting off of the “dribble”
• Stepping into your shot from both directions (right and left foot).
• Various ranges that are games like shots for you.
• Shooting from a “jump-stop” (only if you have mastered the step-in technique or if your coach directs you to use a jump-stop motion).

4 - Go at Game Speed. 

If you don’t go at game speed in practice, then your shooting percentage in games will be lower than it should be.  If you have ever played, you will understand the actual speed of a game.

5 - Shoot game-like shots. 

Shooting game-like shots may be completely different for two people on the same team.  One player may take the majority of his shots flashing to the ball from anywhere within 12 feet of the hoop.  Another player may take the majority of his shots from 15 to 20 feet.  That’s why it’s important to meet with your coach and ask what type of shots you’ll take within the offense, so you know what you should practice.

6 - Gradually move back, working on all ranges.

Don’t neglect mid-range shots.  Too many players have holes in their game because they don’t practice mid-range shots.  Michael Jordan made a living off mid-range jump shots.

7 - Incorporate free throws into your routine. 

If you get winded, catch your breath by shooting a few free throws.  This is a good way to manage your time effectively.  You’ll get more done, in less time!

8 - Use chairs to help you practice footwork and simulate game-like conditions.

You can easily simulate game like situations (dribbling around defenders, running around screens, etc) by using chairs. 

If you have a partner, you can still use chairs.  The player shooting the basketball gets his own rebound and passes it back to the partner standing by the chair.  The partner places the ball on the chair.  The shooter continues the same pattern on the opposite side.  If the shooter misses, rebound the shot and finish with a lay up.

For more chair drills, see the basketball shooting drills in our full blown shooting course.

Example of a Good Basketball Shooting Workout

Here’s an example of a good basketball shooting workout… 

Polish mechanics and shooting form

At the beginning of your workout, you should focus on shooting form for a little while.  This will help to keep your mechanics from slowly drifting in the wrong direction. 

Spend about 4-5 minutes practicing the following:

• Shoot the ball one-handed away from the basket (this can be to a partner, line on the floor, or spot on the wall).
• Shoot the ball one-handed at the basket (up close, just two or three feet away)

Groove your shot to build confidence and positive mental images.

Of key importance is starting each and every workout with at least 50 shots close to the basket to groove your shot.  No matter what else you include in your routine, don’t leave these easy shots out! 

So, at this point, you should shoot using your normal two-handed grip (shot and balance hand) up close to the basket.  These are supposed to be easy shots.

Practice catching and shooting by stepping into the shot (pivoting)

Now you can gradually move back and work on various shooting situations.

Spin-flip the ball to yourself, as if you’re catching a pass and shooting.  Mix up shots from different angles and distances — top of key, right elbow, left baseline, etc.

• Shoot 25, 8-foot jump shots, stepping in with left foot pivot.
• Shoot 25, 8-foot jump shots, stepping in with right foot pivot.
• Shoot 25, 12-foot jump shots, stepping in with left foot pivot.
• Shoot 25, 12-foot jump shots, stepping in with right foot pivot.
• Shoot 25, 16-foot jump shots, stepping in with left foot pivot.
• Shoot 25, 16-foot jump shots, stepping in with right foot pivot.
• Shoot 25, 18-foot jump shots, stepping in with left foot pivot.
• Shoot 25, 18-foot jump shots, stepping in with right foot pivot.

Free throws

• Shoot 50 free throws.

Practice shooting off the dribble
Instead of flipping the ball to yourself, you now take a couple of hard dribbles and pull up into your jump shot.

• Shoot 10, 8-foot jump shots, dribbling to the right.
• Shoot 10, 8-foot jump shots, dribbling to the left.
• Shoot 10, 12-foot jump shots, dribbling to the right.
• Shoot 10, 12-foot jump shots, dribbling to the left.
• Shoot 10, 18-foot jump shots, dribbling to the right.
• Shoot 10, 18-foot jump shots, dribbling to the left.

Free throws

• Shoot 10 free throws.
• Shoot 10 random jump shots
• Shoot 10 free throws.
• Shoot 10 random jump shots
• Shoot 10 free throws.
• Shoot 10 random jump shots
• Shoot 10 free throws.
• Shoot 10 random jump shots

With this routine, you shoot several hundred shots, including free throws, shots off of the “catch,” and shots off of your dribble.

Designing your own basketball shooting workout

There are hundreds of options when designing a routine.  Since every player is different and needs to emphasize different things, you should develop your own specific workout. 

Now it certainly helps to find a bunch of good workout examples to give you ideas.  And you can use those shooting workouts as a base to design your own.  But don’t just use a cookie cutter workout.  You’ll cut yourself short.  Start with some examples, then as you learn, start to design your own custom shooting workout.

21 Easy Ways to Improve Your Basketball Shooting Percentage

By Jeff Haefner

Tip #1 – Locate Your Target (the Rim) Earlier

Getting in the habit of locating your target (the rim) earlier will improve your shooting percentage.  Why? 

Locating the rim just a split second earlier gives your brain more time to subconsciously calculate distance and focus on your objective. Your eyes should be on the rim as early as possible. To make this little trick work, you need to develop this habit in practice, which carries over into games.

Tip #2 – Always Hold Your Follow Through

You’ve probably heard this a hundred times but there’s good reason for it.  Holding your follow through solves a multitude of shooting problems.  This simple movement helps you maintain good basketball shooting technique without even thinking about it.

Tip #3 – Finish with a Floppy Wrist

A common mistake is for players to follow-through with a tense wrist.  Your wrist should be as relaxed as possible.  Your hand should finish on line and often bouncing during follow-through.

Tip #4 – Use a Colored Ball to Improve Rotation

To improve the straightness of your shot, try a colored basketball during practice.   This makes it easy to see the rotation and direction of the ball.  The immediate feedback makes it quick and easy for you to adjust and improve your shot.

Tip #5 – Don’t Shoot like Kobe

TOO many kids try to copy Kobe and end up with bad shots for the REST OF THEIR LIVES!

Youngsters have no business trying to hang like Kobe and shoot.  Kobe is a freak of nature!  You should shoot as you’re going up (at least 1 inch before you reach the top of your jump).  Trying to mimic Kobe’s shot will just earn you a place on the bench and lots of frustration.

Tip #6 - Stop Thinking about Your Shot During Games

One of the worst things you can do is think about your shooting mechanics during a game.

Thinking about your shot is for practice, NOT for games!  In fact, you should only think during certain parts of your practice.  It’s ok to think during a form shooting session or when learning a new skill, but once you start developing rhythm and get further into practice, don’t think!

During games, train yourself to think about other things or nothing at all.

You’re going to miss a few.  So what!  Don’t think, just shoot the damn ball!!!

If you adopt this mentality, your shooting percentage will go UP.

Tip # 7 – Eliminate Negative Thoughts with this Simple Trick

Eliminating negative thoughts can dramatically improve your basketball shooting percentage.

To stop thinking and eliminate bad thoughts, you can try this little trick…

Before each game, practice, and shooting session, tell yourself that you don’t care if you make any baskets.   Say it out loud or in your head several times. 

THEN, when you go to shoot (right as you’re catching the ball), say something to yourself like, “Nice shot. I can do better.”  In other words, try not to care if it goes in or not.  

This simple little trick helps you to relax into the process and not think about the result. Using this technique will be enough to break you out of mini slumps and restore your confidence.

Tip #8 – Develop Optimal Arc

DID YOU KNOW that a shot with a flat 35 degree arc only has .6 inches of margin for the ball to clear without hitting the rim?  The shot has to be almost perfect to get a swish.

BUT a shot with a 45 degree medium height arc has a 3 inch margin of error!

That’s right.  Just by increasing the arc of your shot, your margin of error could increase as much as 500%!

How many shots bounce OUT of the basket because you missed by just a fraction?

As a general rule of thumb, finish your follow through with the rim clearly visible beneath the fingers of your shooting hand.  That way you will ensure that you have a decent arc on the shot.  Shots with proper arch have a much better chance of going in.

Just don’t go too high.  Because if your arc gets too high, you’ll loose your distance control.

Tip #9 – Watch DVDs

Simply by watching great shooters groove their shots over and over, you can improve your confidence and form.

The good habits and examples can be contagious.  As you watch, the good form becomes ingrained in your mind.

Not to mention, you should never stop learning.  There are lots of good shooting DVDs and books for you to learn from.

Tip #10 – Use a Partner to Tune your Shot Alignment

Spend a little time during each practice lined up along a court line about 20 feet from a partner, shooting back and forth and trying to have the ball bounce as close to the line as possible. This simple practice technique will help you to fine tune your control of the precision of your shot.

Tip #11 – Land in the Same Spot

Balance is a very important aspect of shooting.  You achieve balance primarily through a proper stance and footwork.  After your shot, you should land pretty much exactly where you started.  This means you have established good balance from your stance.

Tip #12 – Film Your Shot

You’d be amazed at how filming your shot in both games and practices can help you.

The most common response from players is… “That’s how I shoot!!??”

That’s right.  Most players haven’t seen their own shot before. Seeing your shot on film can help you to detect poor mechanics and motivate you to make commitments for improvement.  Bottom line– it’s a great way to refine your shot.

Tip #13 – Get a Partner

When possible, try to shoot with a partner.  Because when you’re alone, you end up chasing the rebound before following through properly.

This is important.  Think about how you practice…

You shoot and then you start following the shot immediately so you can get lots of reps.  Guess what?  This can mess up your follow-through.  You need to FINISH each shot and hold your follow-through.  That’s why we recommend getting a partner to rebound for you.  Now just because you can’t find a partner you can (and should) still practice by yourself.  Just be aware of holding your follow through.

Tip #14 - Fix Bad Habits by Immediately Correcting Your Shot

This is one of the easiest ways to break bad shooting habits.  For example, let’s say you forgot to hold your follow-through.  Well, immediately after you shoot, raise your hand back up and put your hand in the correct follow-through position.  This simple technique will help you quickly correct the bad habit

Tip #15 - Use a Return Device

Using basketball rebounding and return devices can literally double the number of shots you can take in practice.  Just think how much time you spend chasing the ball when you practice.  A return device solves that problem and lets you take more shots in less time.

Tip #16 – Keep the Ball Above Your Waist

When you catch the ball, always keep the ball above your waist and in the shot pocket.  There’s NO need to dip the ball.  This is wasted movement.

Tip #17 – Don’t Fall for Gimmicks

Too many players spend their hard earned money on shooting gloves and gimmicks, thinking this will make them great shooters.

You can’t use these devices during a game so it really doesn’t do you much good.  You need to learn how to shoot effectively without these devices.  There is NO magic pill.

Tip # 18 – Keep Your Shot Motion Balanced, Fluid, and Consistent

A fluid motion means that there are no jerky movements or stopping points, just one constant flow from start to finish. 

Consistency can’t be stressed enough.  Your feet, arms, shot pocket, and jump height should use a consistent motion every time you shoot.  All the greatest shooters in the world have amazingly consistent movements.

Tip #19 – Groove 50 Shots Before Every Game

Before every practice and game, face the basket and shoot 50 EASY shots about four to ten feet from the basket.

Not only does this improve your shooting form, but it helps to develop phenomenal confidence.

You’ll quickly become very good at grooving these shots over and over.  You’ll see the ball going in the basket over and over.  You’ll swish the ball repeatedly and probably shoot 60%, 70%, 80%, or more, which is great for your psyche. 

Why do you think that NBA players do this before games?  Why do you think that Tiger Woods starts all of his practice sessions by making 100 three-foot putts?

Because it works!  Don’t overlook this powerful strategy.

Tip #20 – Quickly Chart Your Shot to Determine Tendencies

Head to the gym and shoot a bare minimum of 50 shots.  Ask your partner to chart your shots.  The KEY is to chart the detailed results of each shot.  You will track how many shots fell short, too long, to the left, and to the right.  This information will help you to determine what you need to work on.

For example, if you consistently miss short (like many players do), you’ll need to work on your power and distance control.  If you consistently miss to the right and the left, you need to fix the mechanics of your foot and/or arm alignment.

Tip #21 - Work Game-Like Movement into Your Practice

To make game shots, you need to practice game shots.  You should use good shooting drills and practice movement off screens, cuts, chairs, and pivoting in both directions.

Get to the Gym and Apply What You’ve Learned

There ya go… 21 simple ways for you to improve your basketball shooting percentage.  Now get to the gym, apply what you’ve learned, and knock down more shots!!

What is “Perfect” Basketall Shooting Form?

By Joe Haefner

Recently, I received an interesting email about Dave Hopla’s shooting form. It was in response to listing Dave as one of the shooting experts that we interviewed in our new Basketball Shooting Guide.

The email stated that Dave Hopla did NOT have great shooting form in the picture that was displayed on our site (you can see the actual picture on the right).

Now in all fairness, this is not a good picture of his actual shooting form.  But this comment brings up a really interesting and important point about shooting the basketball.   

Here’s my response that explains what I’m talking about:

You know what. I thought the exact same thing when I first started studying shooting. I thought Dave Hopla doesn’t have that great of shooting form, but after studying shooting for countless hours and developing our new Shooting Guide, I have came to a NEW conclusion on basketball shooting form…

You don’t need “perfect” or even “great” mechanics to be a great shooter. You need CONSISTENT & REPEATABLE shooting mechanics. If your shot is the same every time, it’s easier to make adjustments.

While I do highly recommend using “good” shooting mechanics, you can also look at Larry Bird’s and Peja Stojaković’s shooting form. Anybody with some knowledge of how to shoot would quickly notice that they had bad shooting form, yet they are arguably two of the top shooters that the NBA has seen in the last 25 years.

Even though, they didn’t have good shooting form, they did have the same shot mechanics on every shot. Now imagine if a coach would’ve said to Larry after he won back to back 3-point shootouts, “Now Larry, your form doesn’t look good so we’re going to have to change it.” As the old saying goes, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

I think us coaches (me included) get a little obsessed sometimes with perfection not only when it comes to shooting, but other areas of the game as well. We want the players to have the perfect defensive slide or the perfect passing technique. We forget that basketball is an art. There is no perfect way to do anything. The real question is “Is the player effective?” which pertains to anything in basketball.

I’m not saying that coaches shouldn’t critique and help players make adjustments to become a better player, we just need to be careful and use logic and rational when doing so. If a kid knocks down 50% of his three point attempts, but his elbow sticks out while shooting, I’m not going to be the one to change it. Now, if you have a kid with bad shooting form that shoots 20% from the field, you should try to help the player make some adjustments to his/her shooting form. That’s where coaching comes into play and where the top coaches/trainers earn their money. They know when to leave players alone and when to offer advice to help them become a better player.

And back to Dave Hopla, the guy makes about 98% or 99% of his shots. I’ve never personally seen his speeches or shooting demonstrations, but I’ve heard they’re simply amazing and very few people in the world if anybody can do what he does. He’s had demonstrations where he’s made 350 of 350 shots while talking to the audience the entire time. If any of my players could do that, I couldn’t care less how he shoots the ball.

Some of the NBA’s best players such as Kobe Bryant have consulted with Hopla. He is also currently an assistant for Washington Wizards. So I do highly value what he has to say.

The end goal is to put the ball in the basket. It doesn’t matter how pretty it looks. I know Dave Hopla does a heck of a job, so I’m more than willing to listen to what he has to say.

What are your thoughts about basketball shooting form?