Fix Your Flat Shot! 5 Ways To Add Arc for More Swishes
If you’re of my generation (growing up in the 90’s) you might remember The Big Ball. It was an oversized basketball. It weighed the same, but it had a larger circumference than a normal basketball.
Or you might remember The Shooter’s Ring.
This product had a second rim that had a smaller diameter (sorry for all the math terms!) than a normal basket.
Both products were designed for the same purpose - to help you shoot with a better arc.
With a bigger ball, you had to shoot higher to get it over the rim.
With a smaller rim, you had to shoot higher to hit the center of the basket.
While both products still exist, they aren’t as commonly used today.
The good news is, if you struggle with a flat shot, you don’t need to buy a product to fix your problem.
What you need is a ball, a basket, and the willingness & discipline to put in some work!
Higher Arc, Higher Accuracy: 5 Ways To Unlock Your Best Shot
Shooting with good arc gives you more margin for error. Listen to Coach Jim Huber discuss how to train for better arc as part of The Breakthrough Basketball Shooting & Scoring System.
Here’s 5 ways to improve your arc:
- Get Your Elbow Above Your Eye
- Work It Into Your Form Shooting Routine (You Do Have A Form Shooting Routine, Right?)
- Stand right in front of the rim.
- Shoot from that position, using the backboard.
- Use A Number Scale To Gain Arc Awareness
- Use a 1-5 scale (1 the least arc, 5 the most)
- Shoot at each point on the scale
- See which one most aligns with your natural shot
- Shoot at the next point on the scale for your shooting drills.
- In other words, if you find you shoot an arc of 2, challenge yourself to shoot at an arc of 3 during all your drills.
- Tuck The Ball At Your Shot Pocket
- Don’t Allow The Ball Out Of Your Sight
- Pause at your set point, with the ball by your forehead. From there, only allow the ball to go up (not back).
- Imagine your guide hand as a wall. The ball cannot go backwards through the wall. This imagery reinforces the idea of an upward ball path.
If you get your shooting elbow above your eye, you will have good arc. As a kid, I remember being told, “shoot the ball out of a phone booth.” Unfortunately, many of today’s kids have no idea what a phone booth is!
That said, elbow above eye is a way for you to self assess your shot. When you shoot, hold your follow through. Then, check to see the position of your elbow.
Spend 3-5 minutes working on your arc right when you walk on the floor.
To get the ball over the rim from that angle will require additional arc. Get 20-30 reps when you first step on the court to build the habit.
Self awareness is critical in every part of life, including shooting. During some shooting drills, mix up your arc.
At first this exaggerated arc will feel odd. Over time, it will become natural!
Some players shoot a flat shot because they “slingshot the ball” - they bring it way back behind their head, preventing their elbow from getting under the ball and lifting.
There are a couple reasons for this. One is that you don’t tuck the ball at your shot pocket.
If you keep the ball close to your body at the start, it’s easier to get your hand under the ball as you bring it up. This results in better arc.
When players slingshot the ball, they bring it back behind their head. (Unless your name is Larry Bird or Dirk, this isn’t the best way to shoot).
You can break this habit as follows:
From Bricks To Buckets - The Math Favors More Arc
The space available for the basketball to enter the rim is dependent on the angle of the ball. A ball with more arc will have more space to pass through the hoop.
Simply put, shooting with good arc gives you a better chance to make shots.
For more ways to knock down more shots & score more points, check out The Breakthrough Basketball Shooting & Scoring System.
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