Developing Mental Toughness in Basketball Players and Teams

Just like every other area of basketball, we believe that a coach must study mental toughness and have a well thought through plan to help players develop and improve their mental toughness.

There are hundreds and hundreds of definitions of mental toughness. Here is a place to start as mental toughness applies to basketball.

Mental toughness is the ability to control thoughts and actions and maintain a focus on what is truly important in a calm and poised way under competitive pressure.

It is important that your players know and can explain whatever you define mental toughness to be.

Bob Knight has stated on several occasions that the mental part of basketball compared to the physical aspect is a ratio of four to one. If the mental aspect is that significant, all coaches need to have a philosophy and a plan to improve mental toughness in all players.

Here are some ideas for things you can do to improve the basketball mental toughness in the players in your program.

1. Take time every practice to rehearse different pressure situations that arise in games. Having a definite plan that players have practiced will help them focus on what to do under pressure and basketball on the pressure itself.
2. Make it a point of emphasis that bad body language, moping, basketball displays of disgust with officials, and other negative behaviors are training the players for failure. Correct them any time they occur in practice, games, or in the locker room.
3. Be a role model of poise and self control. Players will feed off of you and draw confidence from your mental toughness.
4. Use the fact that the subconscious mind does not know the difference between a real and an imagined experience. Work with your players on visualizing success and performing skills the correct way.
5. Do not allow anyone in your program to accept or make excuses.
6. Point out times in your game films or games you record on TV when a lack of poise and mental toughness by an individual cost a team a chance to win.
7. Have some type of phrase you can use when a player makes a mistake to focus them back on mental toughness and what is happening next in the game. A simple phrase such as "Play through it!" can be your signal to them that we need to get on to the next play.
8. Teach players when they make a mistake to recognize it, admit it, learn from it so that it doesn't happen again, and then forget it so that it doesn't affect any more plays.

We all need to keep in mind that every bad habit that is broken and every good habit that is established takes an average of 21 days. So as we work to establish and improve mental toughness in our players, it is a long process.

Brian Williams is a former Indiana High School Basketball Caoch with 20 years of experience at various levels of coaching . His website, The Coaching Toolbox http://www.coachingtoolbox.net, is a resource site for basketball coaches and players of all levels. The site was launched March 1, 2008 and is just getting off the ground. A new tool is added daily, so we hope that you will visit us and continue to stay and grow with us!

5 Simple Ways to Grow Taller Naturally and Increase Height

There are many ways to grow taller and increase your height. Some of the simple techniques are - doing basketball exercises, swimming, playing basketball, taking herbal supplements, correcting your posture etc. A taller person has several advantages like a better chance of picking up modeling assignment, getting selected for games like basketball, a job in the military etc.

Growing taller may not be very difficult if you can recognize the importance of height before you attain puberty.

It is easier to increase your height before puberty because the growth plates that are responsible for height still have an opportunity to grow. Once you attain puberty these growth plates get fused with the longer bones and cannot grow any further.

Here are some super easy ways to grow taller.

1) Do stretching exercises like bow down, touch toes, wall stretch and cobra posture at least 3 times a week.

2) You can practice yoga to correct the curvature of your spinal cord. This correction itself should help you in increasing height by an inch.

3) Have a balanced diet that has proteins, carbohydrates, calcium and amino acids. This is one of the easiest ways to grow taller. These nutrients will help in proper secretion of human growth hormones. Human growth hormones are essential for the growth of your bones.

4) Avoid foods that can suppress or create a hormonal imbalance in your body. Caffeine, alcohol, tobacco and several other drugs and medicines can have adverse impact.

5) Maintain a life that is free of stress and tension. Stress is known to create hormonal imbalance in your body. basketball imbalance impacts growth.

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Shooting The Perfect Free Throw

The free throw is quite basketball important part of basketball, showing a basic level of finesse and skill in the player making the shot. Proper free throw shots can make or break a basketball game, and improving free throw percentage is a must for anyone who takes their basketball skills seriously. In this article, we'll address some of the features of good free throw shooting and help you to find your perfect shot.

Consistency is the key to getting a good free throw percentage. The term consistency' does not mean that you consistently make baskets, but instead refers to the form that you use when you're setting up for your shot. The more discipline that you have in your set-up, the more likely you are to sink your free throws shot after shot. While every player sets up their free throw shot differently, it's important to observe your form carefully to note exactly what moves your body makes when you set up for your free throw. Every aspect of the shot needs to be considered, with little left to the imagination. National Basketball Association pros recommend that you get your form consistent in every aspect, right down to the timing of your breathing before taking a shot. Free throws are a mental aspect to the game just as much as they are a physical aspect; your state of mind can greatly affect how well you take your shot. It's important to take a second to cool down before you take the shot, ensuring that your mind is in a comfortable place.

When it comes to physically honing in on your shot, most coaches recommend that you take 10 to 12 shots in a row. This way, you can develop a good rhythm to your shot. After you take a shot, step away from the line so that you can step basketball onto it, confirming that you are setting up the same way every time. It's also important to practice the shot on several different baskets; playing on different courts, and focusing on different background distractions can alter your form, causing shooting issues. A good free throw technique should consist of the following: stepping to the line, bouncing the ball (if its helpful to your shot), taking the ball to the basic position, getting into a proper stance, concentrating on the target, timing the shot properly with the movement of your body, and finally, following through. All of these parts of the shot should be isolated and practiced to ensure that your on-court free throws will follow the same choreography.

Jonathon Hardcastle writes articles on many topics including Sports, Games, and Recreation

Dwyane Wade Dunking - or How to Increase Vertical Jump

Did you see Dwyane Wades dunk over Bruce Bowen, over Jamal Crawford or Kevin Garnett? Right, Flash got mad hops! In fact, D-Wade may be basketball of the best on-dunkers in the league! And in case you didnt know, the guy is only 6-4 but has a 38-inch vertical!

So, whats his secret? Just ask the shooting guard who's the best player in the NBA.

LeBron James. I like it better that way," says Wade. "I need a rabbit to chase. Because if I keep fighting, I'll only achieve greater success. Its all about dedication, about having goals in your life.

And thats exactly the attitude you need if you seriously want to increase your vertical. Because you cant do it over night. Its a lot of work. But its a lot of fun too. When you will dunk, when you will throw down a reverse, a 360 the first basketball you will understand why. But first, you need to work, to train real hard.

There are a lot of exercises that work. Here are some:

- Depth Jumps

Place a plyometric box in front of you (3 feet high). Get on it and step off with both feet. As soon as you land, jump back as high as you can. (4 sets x 10 reps)

- Burnouts

Go as high as you can on your toes. Now jump repeatedly no more than 1/2 to 1 inch off of the ground. (3 sets x 50 reps)

- Thrust ups

Jump high as you can and as soon as you land thrust at once back up trying not to bend your legs. (4 sets x 15 reps)

For more exercises and crucial things to know about vertical jump (f.e. why often what you dont do is more important then what you do do) please take a look at this page I strongly recommend:

http://www.howtodunk.org

personal trainer

Women's College Basketball - History and Background

It is well known that basketball was invented in 1891 by Dr. James Nesmith, but what is not so well known is basketball history of women's basketball. The inaugural womens college basketball session was actually part of a physical education class at Smith College for girls in Conneticut.

The very first womens college basketball game took place at Smith College for girls in 1893 where the freshman played against the sophomores. Unlike womens college basketball games today, the game actually took place behind locked doors and men were prohibited from watching.

The rules of this first womens college basketball game were altered from those of the original mens version basketball enhance teamwork. The court had 3 zones and three players from each team of nine were allowed in each zone but could not move out of their zone. Funnily enough, these early restrictions in the womens college basketball game are strikingly similar to the game of netball that is played by schoolgirls and women all over Europe.

Womens college basketball began to spread quickly and the first game between two different womens college basketball teams was played in April 1896 with Stanford beating Berkley. There were still 9 players on each womens college basketball team in this inter-college game but instead of keeping the original rule where a player could only hold the ball for 3 seconds and must dribble it 3 times before passing this was changed so that a player could not run more than 5 feet before having to pass the ball. Once again, however, as with the first womens college basketball game, men were not allowed to watch the game.

The formal rules of womens college basketball were first produced in 1901 and went through numerous changes before developing into the game that is played today. One of the most interesting aspects of the early womens college basketball games is that the basket was sewn shut so that the umpire had to remove the ball from it every time it was put through the hoop.

The familiar indoor basketball court that todays womens college basketball teams play on was not always made available to the women for a couple of decades after the sport began. Some womens college basketball teams had to play on grass courts outside and did not have the chance to play on an indoor court at all.

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Friendship And Basketball

One of the best things about the basketball of basketball is that it is a team sport. If you want to win games you are going to have to do your part, but your teammates are also going to have to do theirs. For this reason, great bonds can be formed through the game of basketball. This holds true when players form friendships as well as coaches. The bottom line is that there is no better way to make friends than through sports; especially the game of basketball.

The reason that basketball brings people together is because they have to work with one another on the court. And over time as you work with somebody on the court, you will become closer to them in other areas of your life as well. And this does not just hold true for younger kids that are playing the game of basketball. Even grown men who play in the NBA make a lot of life long friends through the game of basketball. With basketball you do not have to be a certain age to make friends. As long as you are open to meeting new people the basketball is the limit. You can make friends with both your teammates and your coaches. And in many cases these are people that you will remain friends with the rest of your life.

Overall, friendship and basketball go together nicely with one another. There is no other game on the face of the earth that helps bring people together like basketball.

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NBA and NCAA Las Vegas Sports Betting System

Las Vegas has been termed as the gambling Mecca. Las Vegas is located southeast basketball Nevada and is situated near the California and Arizona borders. Various characters comprise the gambling scene. There are also many avenues for conducting gambling and one of them is sports betting. Specifically, one type of sports betting is that done over the NBA and NCAA basketball games. The NBA, of course, is the National Basketball Association and the NCAA pertains to the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

Games from these two associations are considered as major events that bring not only Americans but other people from around the world as well to Las Vegas in order to bet basketball their favorite teams. NBA is actually considered as one of the most popular games to place a wager on. Aside from this, the NBA and the NCAA basketball games prove to be very exciting for many people and are one of the most-watched games.

Las Vegas sports betting has its own set of rules that any prospective sports better should know. For instance, in Las Vegas sports betting, if any unanticipated event occurs which forestalls the beginning of the game, then wagers will have to be refunded. However, if the event has already started but has just not yet been completed, then there are some special rules that apply. For instance, in the NBA, a wager gains action if the game has already reached forty-three minutes of play for the NBA and thirty-five minutes for the NCAA. If it does not reach the required time, then the wagers are refunded. Overtime scores count in half-time wagering for NBA and NCAA but not during the Fourth Quarter. Overtime scoring is also taken into account when wagering on the on the game period spread, moneyline, or total.

In the Las Vegas sports betting, there are also what are known as sportsbooks can be viewed as accounts that manages wagers and gives vital information on betting essentials such as the betting odds, advices and tips on betting and point spreads and betting lines. This is an online system and, instead of having to go to Las Vegas, you can now place a wager and do sports betting from the comforts of your own home. A quick search online will open up a host of information about the different betting sportsbooks that can help you open an account and get into the Las Vegas sports betting scene. In fact, this is the first step that you need to take when you want to get into Las Vegas sports betting. For fans of NBA and the NCAA, there are sportsbooks that can give you insider information on betting odds that you can study to further improve your sports betting experience.

Choose a sportsbook that will guarantee privacy when it comes to your information. You must also ensure that the sportsbook where you will open an account will pay your winnings instantly. A good sportsbook will also outline for you what rules you are to follow when placing a wager.

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