If you ever went to basketball camp, you probably heard the acronym “BEEF.” For decades coaches have used it to describe proper shooting form. It stands for:

• Balance

• Eyes

• Elbow

• Follow Thru

My issue is with the 2nd E - Elbow.

Players are constantly told to keep their elbow in when they shoot. Here’s why that advice misses the boat.

Shooting Secrets from Curry and Clark: The Truth About Elbow Placement

Check out Steph Curry’s elbow when he shoots.

Check out Caitlin Clark’s when she shoots.

Neither of them have their elbow right under the ball. I’d say they’ve both done okay for themselves.

Of course, they could just be exceptions that don’t disprove the rule.

However, I’d argue that’s not the case.

Your Elbow Isn’t the Problem—It’s THIS Body Part

When you go to the doctor, you give them your symptoms. They then analyze those symptoms to determine the root cause of the issue.

We should look at shooting the same way. If your elbow flares, is that the reason you are missing?

I’d say the elbow is a symptom, but not the root cause. Rather, the root cause is your hand placement.

Good shooters get their hand in the center of the ball when they shoot. This allows them to lift the ball efficiently, shooting a 1 hand shot that generates power.

Can you do that with your elbow sticking out like a chicken wing? Probably not. But if you’re having problems lifting the ball and shooting with 1 hand, I’d start by correcting your hands.

• Try this test - get the ball to your set point. Then take your guide hand an inch off the ball. If the ball stays in your shooting hand, then your hand placement (and elbow placement) is fine. If the ball rolls off, adjust your hand and the elbow will follow.

When you get the ball centered on your hand, your elbow will naturally align itself. It may not be directly under the ball. In fact, I can almost guarantee it won’t be.

If you don’t believe me, try shooting with your elbow at a 90 degree angle to the ground. It’s not very comfortable! It causes your shooting shoulder to dip and feels awkward.

What you’re more likely to find is an angle like Steph & Caitlin’s. Slightly but not dramatically out.

Looking For More Ways To Shoot Better?

So there you have it - that’s my beef with BEEF. Unfortunately, I haven’t yet figured out a way to flip out an E and put in and H! If there are any wordsmiths out there with a suggestion, let me know!

That said, when you work on shooting, always try to ID the root of the issue.

If you are looking for help with that, check out one of our Breakthrough Basketball Shooting Camps. Now is the time to take your shooting to the next level, and the top notch instruction of our camps will help make that a reality!

While all 467 of our camps focus on shooting in some capacity, we also have130 camps that specialize in shooting. 

These specialized camps—such as “Shooting & Offensive Skills” and “Shooting & Ball-Handling” camps—focus heavily on the techniques, drills, and confidence-building needed to develop elite shooters.

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Comments Most Likes First   Oldest First   Newest First gord de Vries says: 2/17/2025 at 1:09:27 PM Does this hand under ball apply to one motion shooters as well? Typically they release the ball lower on their body than shooters having a delay, set point approach. Elbow elevation is always an issue with one motion shooters as well. Thanks Like     login   register Dan Smith says: 2/13/2025 at 5:16:36 PM Great article Jeff, another good one..thanks sir! Like     login   register John LaMalva says: 2/13/2025 at 3:21:23 PM BEEF doesn't focus on ANY of the most critical aspects of shooting mechanics, especially for beginner players where the most common issues to be addressed include poor hand positioning, low arc/release angle, and powering the shot by rotating the body. You mentioned a player holding the guide hand slightly off the ball to test the positioning of the shooting hand. We have players do this during the entire form shooting segment of a shooting workout, telling them not to use or rotate the guide hand during the shot. Coaches should never tell a player to do form shooting with their guide hand behind their back. After all, during form shooting we should be having players train BOTH the shooting hand AND the guide hand. For players that need to eliminate use of the guide hand in the shot (ex: those that "thumb" the shot) this practice approach starts to develop the appropriate muscle memory for BOTH hands. Like   1 person liked this.   login   register

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