Home Basketball Training

Practicing fundamentals can improve your game.

Basketball is a team sport that combines many different skills and specific techniques. Whether you are a youth player, in high school or simply play pick-up games at your local recreation center on the weekends, your skills can always be improved. While many players have routinely scheduled team practices, you can always work on your skills while at home to gain an extra edge.

Study the Greats

You can learn a lot on the couch. Studying videos and games of great players provides an excellent reference point to improve your own game. Whether it is from instructional tapes or simply watching basketball games, focus on what the players are doing in their respective positions. Don't simply watch the game for entertainment; study the movements and body mechanics of the players. If you have footage of yourself playing basketball, it is a great learning tool to watch yourself after watching the greats and noting the major differences.

Dribbling

You can practice dribbling in your driveway and improve by following some basic guidelines. Work on dribbling the ball hard. The more time the ball spends in your hand, the more control you have on it, and the harder you dribble, the quicker the ball gets back to your hand. Keep your head up. Focus on a doorknob or a mailbox as you dribble around the driveway so you become accustomed to never looking down at the ball while dribbling. Looking down at the ball takes all focus away from the game.

Shooting Drills

Practice this drill if you have a hoop at your house. Set up two chairs with basketballs on them roughly where the elbow of the free throw line would be. Start on the left side of the hoop and cut to the chair on the right side of the hoop. Cut around the chair so you are standing to the right of it, grab the ball and take a shot. Cut down to the right block and repeat the process for the other chair. This teaches quick, strong cuts as you have to navigate around the chairs as well as shoot.

Workout Routines at Home

Many exercises can be done at home to improve your physical fitness. High-intensity, low-repetition jump roping is a great way to build cardiovascular strength and build the powerful muscles in your calves that lead to higher jumping. Simple bicep curls will build and tone the muscles in your arms and chest. Practicing a good defensive stance will lead to better habits in the game. In an open room, get in a low defensive stance and crab walk side to side and front to back.

Rebounding

Practice rebounding against a backboard if you have one or against a wall. Toss the ball against the backboard or wall and as it comes down, jump up and tap it back against the backboard so it bounces off again. Continue jumping and tapping for about ten taps, then switch hands. Then tap the ball with both hands. This drill reinforces the quick reactions required for proper rebounding.

References

• IHoops
• Breakthrough Basketball
• Breakthrough Basketball
• Better Basketball
• Breakthrough Basketball