OS Hoopers....What are your balling tips?

[Hawaii_Stars]

Re: OS Hoopers....What are your balling tips?

I just graduated from school and am looking to get back into basketball again, a little more seriously. Trying to join some leagues playing with some other guys my age, a few who played D1 ball, some currently in college playing ball, and some old high school stars around the area. Last time I was serious about basketball was my senior year of high school before I herniated a disk in my back and since then I've obviously lost a lot of athleticism (the little I originally had) and put on some weight.

I'm looking to regain some explosiveness. Was wondering what kinda stuff you guys would suggest as far as improving vertical leap, speed, first step and what kind of upper body muscles and core musclesI should focus on.

Also, I weigh about 210 now, the heaviest I've ever been, but I'd say if I cut my body fat down to about 10-15% it would be about 185-190 pounds. Should I try and lose weight, or just keep it on and try converting it into muscle?

As far as vertical leap is concerned, in my own personal experience, the strength shoes were the best thing I ever did.

[Brankles]

Re: OS Hoopers....What are your balling tips?

As far as vertical leap is concerned, in my own personal experience, the strength shoes were the best thing I ever did.

I did JumpSoles and to this day they're the reason I think I blew my back out.

[Hawaii_Stars]

Re: OS Hoopers....What are your balling tips?

I did JumpSoles and to this day they're the reason I think I blew my back out.

I did just about everything with the shoes on. I ran up hills, played pickup games in them, I hooped in front of my house with them. Heck I even went to work with them on. Then my boss told me even though he thought they were really cool, I couldn't wear it anymore because of the liability. As far as your other issues, it depends how you play I guess. If you are a physical player, the weight will probably help.

[ehh]

Re: OS Hoopers....What are your balling tips?

I did just about everything with the shoes on. I ran up hills, played pickup games in them

[Maxattax3]

Re: OS Hoopers....What are your balling tips?

for vertical leaping, let me tell you... My football coach in HS was a former 'husker and was the biggest idiot I ever met. He would answer questions with questions. like "well what are we going to do about that?" or "oh yea. what do you mean?/how so?"
anyway... the one thing he was good at was improving your jumping ability. I swear our team was terrible but even our most out of shape players could jump well.

you need to get about 3-5 sturdy wooden boxes that are about thigh high. then jump over them in succession. mix it up by jumping with 1 leg and jumping sideways backward and pretty much every way you can think of. do it as fast as you can... as s low as you can. you will be surprised how quickly this will improve your jumping ability.

also if you are just coming back and want to get some speed burst back. run horses or whatever you call the 5-10-15 drills. you will pick up some speed just practicing running and getting more comfortable pushing off and planting etc.

oh yea and stay hydrated! we just had a week of 100+ degree weather here in Austin so im sort of hyper-conscious about that right now. also if play a pick up game be sure to stretch and if you cant warm-up play at about 75% for the first few minutes.

[KG]

Re: OS Hoopers....What are your balling tips?

I did just about everything with the shoes on. I ran up hills, played pickup games in them, I hooped in front of my house with them. Heck I even went to work with them on. Then my boss told me even though he thought they were really cool, I couldn't wear it anymore because of the liability. As far as your other issues, it depends how you play I guess. If you are a physical player, the weight will probably help.

[FlyRice]

Re: OS Hoopers....What are your balling tips?

Just got back on the court after missing 6+ months from ACL reconstruction. I've been practicing my shot the whole time so when I finally played a half court game I was draining threes left and right. Has anybody else had to come back from a similar injury? It feels good to be back. Still not 100% yet though.

[ridgemont4]

Re: OS Hoopers....What are your balling tips?

Just read all 24 pages of this thread and I am drunk. Some real good stuff in here. These are some of my tips:

1.) PLAY THE NEXT PLAY. You don't have time, especially in pickup games, to worry about how you just let your man drive past you for an easy layup or how you just dribbled the ball off your knee. DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. Just do what you do.

2.) BE PHYSICAL. This is easy for me to say since I'm 6'5" 255 lbs. but there's nothing wrong with giving a cutter a bump or giving someone a little extra on a boxout. And if you feel someone has played some cheap D on you or your teammates don't be afraid to be reciprocate. I think if you don't expect to get fouled hard at some point when playing basketball then you should just go play volleyball or a game of H-O-R-S-E.

3.) KNOW YOUR ROLE. This has been pretty much exhausted in this thread, but don't try to be a point guard if you're a guy my size. Let the little guys run around with the ball in their hands. I just set up on the block and see if a guard will feed it into me. Yeah, occasionally I'll get greedy (probably once every 2-3 games), and I'll take a 3 and I'll miss. Then I'll get my *** back in the paint where I belong.

4.) DEVELOP 1 MOVE. Pickup games aren't the NBA where there are top notch defenders, so if you can practice 1 move you can be unstoppable. If any of yall are college basketball fans, watch an Iowa State game. Their big center Craig Brackins has ONE move: (back to the basket) fake left, turnaround jumper. And he is supposed to be a 1st round draft pick in 2010!!! You don't have to be a great handler, 3 point shooter, and finisher to dominate in a pickup game.

Hope this helps everyone, good luck ballin'!

[ehh]

Re: OS Hoopers....What are your balling tips?

Just read all 24 pages of this thread and I am drunk. Some real good stuff in here. These are some of my tips:

1.) PLAY THE NEXT PLAY. You don't have time, especially in pickup games, to worry about how you just let your man drive past you for an easy layup or how you just dribbled the ball off your knee. DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. Just do what you do.

Too many dudes do not do this. One bad play and they go into a shell for the rest of the game or feel they have to make up for it on every play for the duration of the game and end up hurting more than helping.

[The 24th Letter]

Re: OS Hoopers....What are your balling tips?

Something you may already do...

Practice shooting form from close range, bending your knees, shooting with only your shooting arm. I'm talking like 2 or 3 feet from the bucket Only make swishes. When you make 5 in a row, take a step back and make 5 more in a row. Repeat until you get to the free throw line. Practice only on form and using your legs for power.

That's how I developed my current jumper, and it seems to be pretty fatigue-proof. Leg energy is used primarily as part of the shooting motion, and not as a way to elevate over defenders. It adds a lot of range, balance and accuracy to shots, but makes it a bit harder to get it off over defenders because you're not jumping for the sake of jumping. It's important you're able to create space off the dribble and that you really concentrate on footwork when shooting flat footed.

You're like 6'7, aren't you 24th? Like Hedo, who has a height advantage over most everyone who guards him, I don't think this would be a problem for you to change your shot.

Shouldn't be too hard. I'm 6'8 and the only time I really elevate any more is on a pull-up off the dribble. If it's catch-n-shoot am I'm shooting a set shot and don't get more than a few inches off the floor.

It's more upper body obviously but the key is to really make sure your feet/shoulders are square. When you elevate on your J I feel squaring up happens more naturally. Shooting a set shot you're more straight up and down so you can drift and fade more (like Hedo does a ton but he's so good it doesn't matter) since you're balance isn't as good standing straight up with little knee bending or jumping.

I think you're about the same age as me as well (late 20's) so sooner or later you won't have a choice anyways, lol, the athleticism will start to fade and a flat footed shot will be your only option.

Yeah, 6'7....24 years old...
Guys, I love it!! Ive been perfecting as of lately in pick up games, and it has been on point....not only is it less draining but just feels so much better...its actualy easier to transition into after a crossover....

I need to see how it holds up in organized ball, that will be the REAL test...b\c im usually going against someone more my size...

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: OS Hoopers....What are your balling tips?

Yea Ive tried that out as well and my jumper is/has definitely improved. Now I just need to work on my left hand dribble since im too reliant on my right hand and now people just play me to the left which is a guaranteed turnover if I dribble left.

[ProjectRipCity]

Re: OS Hoopers....What are your balling tips?

Well you got to learn the fundementals. First what you want to do. You want to do a double shake n bake cross over and do a 720 slam on the biggest man on the court. It should be self explainitory after that.

[The 24th Letter]

Re: OS Hoopers....What are your balling tips?

Yea Ive tried that out as well and my jumper is/has definitely improved. Now I just need to work on my left hand dribble since im too reliant on my right hand and now people just play me to the left which is a guaranteed turnover if I dribble left.

LOL! your one of those guys were everyone yells out "Hes going right!" as soon as you touch the ball?

two options....learn to fake left, and get so good at going right it doesnt matter if they know or not...or dribble the air out of the ball everyday w\ your left hand...assuming you work, you dont have time for option 2 lol

[KG]

Re: OS Hoopers....What are your balling tips?

Yea Ive tried that out as well and my jumper is/has definitely improved. Now I just need to work on my left hand dribble since im too reliant on my right hand and now people just play me to the left which is a guaranteed turnover if I dribble left.

I might be one of the only right handers that cannot go right. Ever since I tore ligaments in my left ankle I can't push off that way as hard as I can going left. I love seeing guys shade me to my left like I can't go that way.

Hesitation, 1 dribble to the left, and knock down a pull-up.

[Dame]

Re: OS Hoopers....What are your balling tips?

I might be one of the only right handers that cannot go right. Ever since I tore ligaments in my left ankle I can't push off that way as hard as I can going left. I love seeing guys shade me to my left like I can't go that way.

Hesitation, 1 dribble to the left, and knock down a pull-up.

Im right handed and I cannot hit a pull up going right.