My daughter is in 7th grade. She can really shoot the ball. She has good range, a quick release, and a solid finish to her shot.

But she has a bad habit that creeps in when she loses focus.

She gets lazy with her footwork. Even though she’s right handed, she sometimes takes a big last step with her left foot and shoots with her left foot out in front of her right. Sometimes her base is too narrow and she ends up falling to the side or backwards.

Here’s the thing: all of her good shooting form habits are completely meaningless when her feet are out of sorts.

The same thing might be true for you. You might have a great set position and a great follow through. But if your foundation is “built on sand”, your shot will never be as consistent as you want!

In this post, you’ll see video of Breakthrough Basketball Camp Coach Kenton Tennal breaking down how to stay balanced, what good shooting footwork looks like, and drills you can use to improve your balance in real game situations. If you want to shoot like the best, it starts with your base.

Why You Must “Fight For Your Feet”

Why is balance important when shooting? Think of it like this. When you are on balance, you don’t have to adjust your shot to compensate for your body.

When you’re off balance, you do. If you’re leaning left, you have to compensate by shooting the ball a little bit more to the right. That makes shooting harder!

So, if you can master shooting footwork, every shot becomes easier.

The problem is, most players make their feet an afterthought when shooting. They focus their attention on their upper body. And while that’s important, it’s only half the battle.

To combat this, you must FIGHT FOR YOUR FEET. Having a proper base must be a point of emphasis on every shot you take.

By focusing on your shooting footwork in practice, you’ll ingrain it as a good habit that will benefit you in games.

Balance = Buckets! How To Get Perfect Footwork On Every Shot

What does good shooting footwork look like? Here’s a few key teach points:

• Knees slightly bent - this allows you to spring off the floor and go right up into your shot. You want enough knee bend that you can jump, but not so much that you are down in a full squat.

• Feet hip width - I prefer hip width to shoulder width . . . why? Because players can look down and see their hips. That makes it easier to align their feet.

• Feet between 10-12 o’clock - some coaches teach 10 toes to the rim. Others like the idea of turning to the side. I think there is a happy medium. If your toes are pointing somewhere between 10 & 12 o’clock (if you’re a righty), you are in good shape.

Then, when you fight for your feet, you want to make a small but forceful hop that provides balance as you elevate into your shot.

• To make your hop forceful, think of trying to drive your feet through the floor.

• When you fight for your feet, you land on both feet at the same time. This helps keep your weight evenly distributed.

• Also, make sure that you hop on the balls of your feet and not your heels. That keeps your weight slightly forward, allowing you to generate force towards the rim.

• Finally, use the hop to propel you into your shot. As soon as your feet hit the ground, explode up into your shot. Here’s Coach Tennal showing 1 version at a recent camp.

How To Score A TKO On Bad Shooting Footwork

As with any skill, fighting for your feet must be practiced. Here are a couple ways to do so:

• Self toss to fight for your feet - this is a great starting point. In this drill, you aren’t shooting on a hoop. You are simply tossing the ball in various directions, moving to get it, and fighting for your feet on the catch. Start here!

• Self toss to fight for your feet with a shot - this is the progression from the drill above. Do the same thing but now shoot at the basket.

• Side hops to fighting for your feet - jump side to side on 2 feet. After 3-5 jumps, fight for your feet by landing on balance and exploding right up into your shot.

  This version forces you to get back on balance and not drift to the side you are jumping towards.

• Front and back hops to fighting for your feet - do the same thing but jump front and back instead of side to side. As Coach Tennal says in the video, make your last movement quick and explosive and jump up on your shot.

As you progress, you can challenge yourself in various ways:

• 1 foot hops to fighting for your feet

• Turning hops to fighting for your feet

• Adding dribble moves before fighting for your feet

You’re only limited by your imagination!

Why Perfecting Footwork Should Be Your Top Priority for Better Shooting

Mastering shooting footwork isn’t exciting or glamorous. But it is critically important.

Each time my daughter and I workout, I am having her do 5 minutes of these drills.

It’s working. Her footwork is getting better. Even more important, she’s becoming more aware. Last week she said to me, “you know, this does make shooting a lot easier.”

Yes it does! And it will for you too.

For more great ways to score more and become a better all around player, check out our Breakthrough Basketball Camps!

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