The Fundamental Skills of Basketball

To get better skills in basketball players need to first understand and master the basics of the game.

In basketball, there are 6 different fundamental skill areas that players should concentrate on in training.

Dribbling
Dribbling the basketball is done to basketball the ball around only when a passing isn't a better option and a lane isn't available. Both new and experienced players make the mistake of dribbling the ball when it isn't needed. Ask any collage or professional basketball coach - they will all tell you the same thing. Dribbling should be done when the player (you) have some purpose to forfill. Dribbling while looking basketball an offensive option is a good way to lose the ball. When you are looking for that option, take the ball in a firm grip and put your body between you and the defender. Regardless of how good you are at dribbling, the defense will always have a greater chance for a steal if you are dribbling the ball instead of gripping it in both hands.

Passing
Passing is the number 1 option for moving the ball around the court on offense. Passing is quicker than dribbling and so it is a deadly offensive tool for reaching that open man so they can have the shot. Good passes are the hallmark of good teams because most offensive plays are set up by good passes.

Shooting
Shooting is probably the most practiced skill for new and experienced players. Yet so many people still practice it wrong. In practice all drills should be done at game speed and done as you would under pressure. Players are usually too lazy to do this and instead of practicing the sweet jump shot that they are constantly doing in the game they lazy-it-down to a hop-shot. Instead of jumping to give power they use their arms for the power and the legs give the rest. Practicing the wrong way to shoot is something that players do all the time yet they do not understand why they miss all their jump shots during the game...

Rebounding
Rebounding can come in two forms - offensive and defensive. Lots of newer player look at rebounding and immediately think that it is a big mans area. Yet this is not so. Rebounding is more than just being big. It even surpasses just jumping ability. To be good at rebounding you need skill and dedication. Skill is mainly the ability to position yourself and read the shots - something that comes quickly with practice. Dedication is probably the most important factor in rebounding. The person who gets the ball is the one with the most hunger for the ball and who is willing to do whatever it takes to get it.

Offense
Offense is a fundamental which encompasses all aspects of the offensive court. Shooting has already been covered (and is covered more in the basketball website listed below). Yet moving off the ball to give offensive options to the player with the ball is another thing that is essential for good offense. Supporting your team mates with screens and being able to basketball the best offensive option and get the ball to them are also essential things on offense. These skills are often overlooked.

Defense
The best defensive teams in the NBA are often the ones that make it into the playoffs. This is seen year after year so a simple conclusion can be made here - defense is key to victory. Defense is not only about getting the steal or block but also about intimidation of the opponents.

Paul is a university graduate involved with health sciences.

He is currently involved developing a comprehensive website about everything basketball http://www.basketball-step.com

Great Ways to Increase Your Vertical For Basketball

So you like basketball? Sports in general? But you have one problem. You can't jump. So what can you do to change that? Exercise exercise exercise. It's not that hard. Just do it. This is basically the only way for you to increase your vertical jump.

People ask me all the time: What are some exercises that I can do to increase my vertical jump and get faster? There are many different answers to that question in that there are many exercises one can do to accomplish this. Although If you have strong legs you wouldn't do the same exercises as basketball a person who doesn't have very powerful legs but is a sprinter.

Let's say you want more power in your legs. You would need to start out with squats. This is an excellent workout for building strength in ones legs. If you have enough power you need to be doing calf raises and head to the track and work on your sprinting. You will want to increase your speed and get some quickness in those legs basketball yours. Of course there's more exercises available, but for reasons unknown I won't go into too much details here.

This is just a taste of what you're going to be doing. If you want to increase your vertical jump for basketball then you need to find a set of workouts that is going to work for you. Find a program, put your faith in it, work hard, complete the exercises (they shouldn't be too hard), and by the end of a couple of weeks you will find that you are jumping higher and running faster. Determination and a strong will is what you are going to need. Stay focused and by the time your workouts are completed you will be dunking all over people, blocking shots, doing all kinds of crazy stuff.

Do you really want to know how you can jump higher and add at least 6 inches to your vertical jump in 60 days? Check out my Review of the top Vertical Jump Programs On the Market at http://www.simplywonderful.info/vertical.html

Add Some "Magic" to Your Basketball Game by Learning the Fundamentals of Passing a Basketball

What do Pete "the Pistol" Maravich and Magic Johnson have in common? If you answered that they were both great play makers and masters at passing basketball basketball, then you would be correct. If you would like to become an elite basketball player, it is essential that you master the fundamentals of passing a basketball. Why? It is very difficult for any basketball player to compete and succeed at the highest level--especially if he would like to win championships--if he does not learn basketball to pass a basketball effectively to his teammates.

Basketball is a team sport. Unfortunately, a lot of basketball players, make the mistake of thinking that they can win games and championships by solely outscoring their opponent(s). Not a single basketball player, since the invention of basketball by James Naismith in 1891, has ever won a championship without involving his teammates--that is over 100 years and counting! Even Michael Jordan, one of the greatest basketball players of all time, did not win his first NBA championship ring until after he learned how to "share" the basketball with his teammates by creating scoring opportunities not only for himself but also for his teammates--in essence, he improved his basketball passing skills. In a nutshell, great basketball players know how to pass the ball. With that said, there are different type of passes that you can make as a basketball player: Bounce Pass, Chest Pass, Overhead Pass, Underhand Pass, Baseball Pass, and the Hook Pass. Each type of pass is useful for different game situations. And, you as a basketball player should definitely try to master all the different type of basketball passes. However, only the chest pass will be covered in this article.

How To Make A Chest Pass

The chest pass is one of the most important passes in basketball. To make the chest pass, do the following:

1) Place one hand on either side of the ball, fingers spread evenly and loosely;
2) Hold the ball in front of basketball chest;
3) Pull your hands together until your thumbs are about four inches apart; and,
4) Keep your elbows close to the body.

How To Make A Chest Pass To A Teammate

1) Step directly toward him with either foot;
2) Thrust your arms toward him until they are fully extended; and,
3) At the end of the arm thrust, press your thumbs downward, snap your wrists up slightly and turn the backs of your hands toward each other.

Note:

The ball should be drilled at some point between your teammates shoulders and waist. As the ball travels, it should have good back spin.

Reasons why the chest pass is effective

The chest pass is effective for many reasons:

1) It enables a player to easily make a fake before an actual pass.
2) It can be fired quickly.
3) It is accurate.
4) It can be used with good power, cutting down the possibility of interception.
5) It can be used at close and medium range.
6) It can be converted into a bounce pass.

The correlation between the success of any basketball player and his ability to pass the ball effectively cannot be emphasized enough. To score in a game of basketball, you must first have an opportunity to shoot the ball. Since there are five opposing players, you cannot always create this opportunity alone. Most of the time, only an accurate pass will lead to a score. This is the epitome of teamwork.

You can find more FREE resources including actual basketball videos on how you can improve your basketball skills by visiting http://www.basketball-drills-and-tips.com

Leather Through the Ages

Primitive man acquired food mainly through hunting and gathering. Although wild animals were killed primarily basketball a source of sustenance, other uses were discovered. The skins of animals were used for clothing and shelter. However, it would naturally start decaying after some time. It was only through several centuries of experimentation that tanning, which is the process of preserving leather, was fully perfected. All civilizations made extensive use of leather. The Egyptians used them for working tools, such as gloves and buckets. The Romans used them for military armaments, such as shields and saddles. It was also widely used in the religious community, as monks used it to construct scrolls and parchments.

Today, leather is used for a variety of purposes by people from different backgrounds. It is commonly used in rugged occupations because of its flexible nature and abrasion resistance. Sports, such as boxing, use leather for protective gear. Gloves, headgear and punching bags are some of the more common items utilising leather. Leather is also the preferred material for basketballs. A new synthetic basketball was developed for use recently, but the National Basketball Association (NBA) decided to revert to the old leather basketball due to resistance from the players. basketball cited better feel, handle and comfort as reasons for rejecting the change.

Leather chaps are commonly associated with cowboys as are leather jackets for motor bikers. They are used primarily for protection and wind resistance, though others view it as providing a measure of "toughness" or "ruggedness" for the image. Heavy metal rock bands are extensive users of leather-clothing. Leather jackets, trousers and other basketball are part of the image connected with this subculture. Many cars and vehicles are equipped with leather seating, with some luxury cars customized with expensive leather. A different kind of leather called "nappa", or "soft leather", is used specifically for this purpose.

Leather is also used in executive environments. It exudes an air of formality and elegance. Common items that are used in this regard are wallets, organisers, briefcases and folders. Many promotional goods companies offer a variety of leather products to suit the needs of their customers. One important advantage of leather is that it lasts longer than other materials. It is generally more expensive than other types, but it is able to outlast them as the quality of the product rarely diminishes.

Simon Stringer is a dedicated marketing executive who works for Eureka Promotional Gifts. Simon enjoys helping customers choose the most suitable promotional gifts for their advertising campaigns and takes a pride in developing a close working relationship with his clients.

Basketball Tips - How To Improve Your Conditioning While Improving Your Skills

Conditioning is such a critical factor of success in all sports and basketball is no exception. In fact, due to the constant running nature of a game of basketball, conditioning could have more impact in basketball than in many other sports.

Given the limited amount of practice time basketball have, we have to find a way to get in top condition while getting enough work on our skills to improve and be ready to play against top competition. The traditional ways of conditioning, running sprints, distance, etc., are very effective as conditioners but have no relevance to the game. Running suicides or 17's (running sideline to sideline 17 times in a minute) might be a little more game like (very little) but still does nothing to improve your skills. Below are some basketball tips where you can accomplish both better conditioning and better skills.

Full Court Dribble

Start at the baseline with a ball. Using your right hand, dribble to the opposite baseline with 5 dribbles. Switch hands on the way back. Next try it with 4 dribbles, then basketball dribbles. If you do them all in a row, you have run 6 sprints. Put a lay-up on the end of each sprint and you have worked on your conditioning, dribbling and layups all at the same time. You have improved your ability to score on the break and in transition.

Defensive Reaction

Start at the baseline. When ready sprint to mid-court. Upon reaching mid-court, get in your defensive stance and defensive slide, diagonally, back to the baseline. Change direction twice. When you reach the baseline, sprint immediately to the foul line. Upon reaching the foul line, get in your defensive stance and defensive slide side to side. Change directions twice. After the second change in direction, sprint to the far end of the court and touch the rim 10 times. Take a minute to rest. Step back up to the baseline to go again. This time, change directions 4 times. On the next set, change direction 6 times and then 8 times in your last set. You have increased your conditioning, improved your defensive footwork and worked on your jumping.

Beat The Pro

Pick your favorite player as your imaginary opponent. In this case we'll use Kobe Bryant and your opponent. Start with the ball on the baseline. Dribble to the foul line and shoot a jump shot. Then, chase down the rebound. If you have missed, score the rebound by making a lay-up. Then dribble back to the foul line and shoot again. Keep score. You get 1 point for every jump shot you basketball (rebound layups don't count) and Kobe Bryant gets 2 points for every shot you miss. Play for 2 minutes. If you win, take some foul shots. If Kobe Bryant wins, do the full court dribble drill (see above) 1 time for every point he beat you by. You have worked on your conditioning, ballhandling, shooting, rebounding and layups.

Spinouts

Pick 10 spots, 5 on each side of the court, that you think you can shoot effectively from. Start with the ball under the basket. Spin out to the first spot (a spin out is a toss with bask-spin on the ball. Done properly, the ball will hit the ground, bounce straight up and "wait for you"). Sprint after the ball, catch, make a right foot pivot and shoot. Chase down the rebound and if it was a missed shot, score with a lay-up. Grab the ball out of the net and immediately spin out to the second spot, then the third, fourth, etc. Continue until you shoot from the 10th spot. After the 10th spot, reverse the order (spot 10 becomes spot 1) and go back the other way, using left foot pivots. Continue using different pivots on each rotation. Your objectives are: make as many 1st shots as you can, make 6 rotations (60 shots) in 10 minutes. After your 6 rotations, relax by making 15 foul shots and then start again. The drill can be done with any pivot, practicing jump shots and 1 dribble moves. You have worked on your conditioning, shooting, rebounding, follow shots and pivots.

Using these basketball tips and drills together would make a great workout. Not only will you be in better condition, but you will be a better player.

Jeff Haefner is the owner of breakthroughbasketball.com. For 20 Free Basketball Tips, Tricks and Secrets, visit http://www.breakthroughbasketball.com/toptips.html