basketball practice, how do you do it?

[bball_1523]

I'm talking about real basketball here, where we physically go outside and play ball. I was wondering what kinda practice routines you guys do or you guys can recommened I do to improve my game.

I haven't played much basketball lately, but I wanna get back into it. I'm a short guy, 5'5" and really skinny at 115 lbs. I've been known to be a really good shooter and a fast/quick guy who can run up and down the floor tirelessly.

My Strengths are:

- Shooting, especially 3 pointers
- speed, endurance, and stamina

Weaknesses:

- power and strength, especially guarding bigger guys in the post.
- knowing where to be while on offense and defense (if I should rotate on zones or whatever, or rotate to the right position on offense)
- passing more effectively
- jumping
- dribbling more effectively

I really wanna improve my position on the court (Point Guard) and learn how to actually run a team more efficiently by making the right passes and dribbling moves. I wanna learn how I can move on the court to the right places at the right time. I also wanna learn how to play under pressure more effectively like when I get double teamed on a full court press.

I admit, I am not that good of a basketball player and have a lot and I mean a lot to improve on in order for me to play with bigger and quicker people. I am not that smart either, but I wanna learn here.

One more thing. I've been playing by myself lately just shooting around. What drills/practice routines you think can improve my game when I play by myself?

[Leon]

Re: basketball practice, how do you do it?

- Shoot from each corner making 5 shots in a row before moving to another corner.

- From the free-throw line, run up to the backboard and jump and try to reach it. If you want more jumping exercises, search on Google about plyometrics and look at what exercises you can do on the court/anywhere by yourself. I can say for myself it has helped me out.

- Dribble with your off-hand while you're just standing or sitting. Once you're comfortable, jog and dribble with your off-hand. Do the same for your dominant hand if you're shaky there too.

- Power and strength, lift some weights. Doesn't have to be heavy, just what's right. You can also just do push-ups or any other exercise that can build your body up without needing equipment.

- Passing. Well, you have to play a lot with your friends or anyone to get your passing down. I recommend playing with friends though since you've probably already built a certain chemistry when you're out there on the court. Try not to score as much and just pass the ball, don't forget to read the defense.

- Defense. In zones, you don't really have to rotate unless your teammate missed an assignment and you have to pick the guy up. That's why they call it a zone. Say 2-3 zone, 2 up-top and 3 in the paint. Since you're a guard, you're on top. Say you're guarding the middle up to the right, you only get guys that go from the middle to the right. They go left and you let the other guy get him. They go middle, you can double-team the guy.

- Offense. A coach would be able to help you out more here but since I'm assuming you are playing motion offense, like most pick-up games go, just move around. If you don't have the ball, move around the court and make yourself open.

Hope that helps some.

[Leon]

Re: basketball practice, how do you do it?

- Shoot from each corner making 5 shots in a row before moving to another corner.

- From the free-throw line, run up to the backboard and jump and try to reach it. If you want more jumping exercises, search on Google about plyometrics and look at what exercises you can do on the court/anywhere by yourself. I can say for myself it has helped me out.

- Dribble with your off-hand while you're just standing or sitting. Once you're comfortable, jog and dribble with your off-hand. Do the same for your dominant hand if you're shaky there too.

- Power and strength, lift some weights. Doesn't have to be heavy, just what's right. You can also just do push-ups or any other exercise that can build your body up without needing equipment.

- Passing. Well, you have to play a lot with your friends or anyone to get your passing down. I recommend playing with friends though since you've probably already built a certain chemistry when you're out there on the court. Try not to score as much and just pass the ball, don't forget to read the defense.

- Defense. In zones, you don't really have to rotate unless your teammate missed an assignment and you have to pick the guy up. That's why they call it a zone. Say 2-3 zone, 2 up-top and 3 in the paint. Since you're a guard, you're on top. Say you're guarding the middle up to the right, you only get guys that go from the middle to the right. They go left and you let the other guy get him. They go middle, you can double-team the guy.

- Offense. A coach would be able to help you out more here but since I'm assuming you are playing motion offense, like most pick-up games go, just move around. If you don't have the ball, move around the court and make yourself open.

Hope that helps some.

[phantomrecon]

Re: basketball practice, how do you do it?

- Shoot from each corner making 5 shots in a row before moving to another corner.

- From the free-throw line, run up to the backboard and jump and try to reach it. If you want more jumping exercises, search on Google about plyometrics and look at what exercises you can do on the court/anywhere by yourself. I can say for myself it has helped me out.

- Dribble with your off-hand while you're just standing or sitting. Once you're comfortable, jog and dribble with your off-hand. Do the same for your dominant hand if you're shaky there too.

- Power and strength, lift some weights. Doesn't have to be heavy, just what's right. You can also just do push-ups or any other exercise that can build your body up without needing equipment.

- Passing. Well, you have to play a lot with your friends or anyone to get your passing down. I recommend playing with friends though since you've probably already built a certain chemistry when you're out there on the court. Try not to score as much and just pass the ball, don't forget to read the defense.

- Defense. In zones, you don't really have to rotate unless your teammate missed an assignment and you have to pick the guy up. That's why they call it a zone. Say 2-3 zone, 2 up-top and 3 in the paint. Since you're a guard, you're on top. Say you're guarding the middle up to the right, you only get guys that go from the middle to the right. They go left and you let the other guy get him. They go middle, you can double-team the guy.

- Offense. A coach would be able to help you out more here but since I'm assuming you are playing motion offense, like most pick-up games go, just move around. If you don't have the ball, move around the court and make yourself open.

Hope that helps some.

Sounds good to me.

[phantomrecon]

Re: basketball practice, how do you do it?

- Shoot from each corner making 5 shots in a row before moving to another corner.

- From the free-throw line, run up to the backboard and jump and try to reach it. If you want more jumping exercises, search on Google about plyometrics and look at what exercises you can do on the court/anywhere by yourself. I can say for myself it has helped me out.

- Dribble with your off-hand while you're just standing or sitting. Once you're comfortable, jog and dribble with your off-hand. Do the same for your dominant hand if you're shaky there too.

- Power and strength, lift some weights. Doesn't have to be heavy, just what's right. You can also just do push-ups or any other exercise that can build your body up without needing equipment.

- Passing. Well, you have to play a lot with your friends or anyone to get your passing down. I recommend playing with friends though since you've probably already built a certain chemistry when you're out there on the court. Try not to score as much and just pass the ball, don't forget to read the defense.

- Defense. In zones, you don't really have to rotate unless your teammate missed an assignment and you have to pick the guy up. That's why they call it a zone. Say 2-3 zone, 2 up-top and 3 in the paint. Since you're a guard, you're on top. Say you're guarding the middle up to the right, you only get guys that go from the middle to the right. They go left and you let the other guy get him. They go middle, you can double-team the guy.

- Offense. A coach would be able to help you out more here but since I'm assuming you are playing motion offense, like most pick-up games go, just move around. If you don't have the ball, move around the court and make yourself open.

Hope that helps some.

Sounds good to me.

[bball_1523]

Re: basketball practice, how do you do it?

thanks for the tips leon.

I haven't played basketball for a while and started playing again last thursday. I played a game on friday and I was beat down physically and mentally. I only played one game and was like 1-5 FG, making a 3. I noticed that I was really fatigued and very very sluggish. I couldn't dribble smoothly and my body movements very slow. I can't believe I'm this out of shape and I'm a small skinny guy.

I was wondering what kinds of condition exercises you guys have that can help me to get in basketball shape quickly. I used to be able to run around the court endlessly, but now I get so tired in one game lol.

[bball_1523]

Re: basketball practice, how do you do it?

thanks for the tips leon.

I haven't played basketball for a while and started playing again last thursday. I played a game on friday and I was beat down physically and mentally. I only played one game and was like 1-5 FG, making a 3. I noticed that I was really fatigued and very very sluggish. I couldn't dribble smoothly and my body movements very slow. I can't believe I'm this out of shape and I'm a small skinny guy.

I was wondering what kinds of condition exercises you guys have that can help me to get in basketball shape quickly. I used to be able to run around the court endlessly, but now I get so tired in one game lol.

[RubenDouglas]

Re: basketball practice, how do you do it?

sprints.

run hard for a minute, take a 15 second break, run hard again. push your body to the limit.

[RubenDouglas]

Re: basketball practice, how do you do it?

sprints.

run hard for a minute, take a 15 second break, run hard again. push your body to the limit.

[SonicMage]

Re: basketball practice, how do you do it?

sprints.

run hard for a minute, take a 15 second break, run hard again. push your body to the limit.

Thats not what youre supposed to do. The way to build stamina is to lightly jog around, not really pushing yourself, but being mobile, and then push yourself for a little bit and then go back to the comfortable pace. Running hard and then stopping suddenly is not good for you. Youre supposed to warm up and cool down.

EDIT: I dont mean its not good for you, I mean its not helpful for you. My dad was a marathon runner and he taught me about this stuff. Now that I am back into regularly playing ball at the gym, I am also focused on what I can do to improve my game. What I usually do is have shootarounds where I'll jog to get the rebound and to get to my next shooting position and then occasionally sprint to the other basket on the other side of the floor for a layup like a fastbreak. Then when I actually play a pickup game, I work on my floor spacing, running to areas of the floor where I see openings, especially if its underneath the basket. I'll set screens for the ballhandler and then cut to work on pick and rolls.

[SonicMage]

Re: basketball practice, how do you do it?

sprints.

run hard for a minute, take a 15 second break, run hard again. push your body to the limit.

Thats not what youre supposed to do. The way to build stamina is to lightly jog around, not really pushing yourself, but being mobile, and then push yourself for a little bit and then go back to the comfortable pace. Running hard and then stopping suddenly is not good for you. Youre supposed to warm up and cool down.

EDIT: I dont mean its not good for you, I mean its not helpful for you. My dad was a marathon runner and he taught me about this stuff. Now that I am back into regularly playing ball at the gym, I am also focused on what I can do to improve my game. What I usually do is have shootarounds where I'll jog to get the rebound and to get to my next shooting position and then occasionally sprint to the other basket on the other side of the floor for a layup like a fastbreak. Then when I actually play a pickup game, I work on my floor spacing, running to areas of the floor where I see openings, especially if its underneath the basket. I'll set screens for the ballhandler and then cut to work on pick and rolls.