How to get better at Basketball : Dribbling Techniques

 🏀Ball Handling & Dribbling🏀🏀

How to Get Better at Basketball

Ball handling and Dribbling are the foundation to a good basketball career. According to James Wilson , " Good ball handling means you have better control of the ball , which results in having a good foundation in shooting , passing or dribbling" (14)

🏀Triple Threat🏀

A tip James Wilson mentions in his book How to be better at basketball in 21 days is : To understand the triple threat stance

The triple threat position allows you to pass , shoot or dribble (hence the name). The triple threat position is when you are in a "crouched, athletic attack stance you have a firm grip on the ball on your dominant hip and eyes facing forward " (Wilson 14). Once you get this stance down you are a triple threat.

🏀Dribbling 🏀

Dribbling should be a second nature for basketball players especially guards. In James Wilson's book he emphasizes that you should not dribble the ball with your fingertips but with the palm of your hand.

In this clip , Alexis (Point Guard) is shown dribbling with her palm. As you can see it is very difficult for her too have CONTROL over the ball . 

When dribbling with her fingertips and palms the overall control of the ball is greater.

Another example of bad vs. good dribbling

 

As seen with these clips , correct dribbling and using good ball handling techniques can drastically improve your game.

Questions : 

Do you have any dribbling or ball handling tips ? 

Have or Do you play basketball ?

Track Starts

Track Start Improvements

As I have taken more tips throughout my blogs I have seen suggestions to raise my hips higher into the air. This helps the feeling of the falling affect so I am able to get out of the blocks faster and be able to start my stride down the track faster.

Tips

Hamstrings are the most important muscle for a fast sprint.

Quadriceps are the second most important muscle for a fast sprint.

You are going to need strong calves for pushing off with your toes.

Your shoulders, chest, and back need to be strong for pumping your arms.

The core needs to be strong to keep your body straight and aligned properly.

Make sure to always stretch your muscles before an event to make sure you do not pull any important muscles before or after the event.

Proper Start Guide Lines

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In the “set” position, it is generally understood that the hips should rise above the line of the head. However, this is where things can go wrong, following the misguided concept that they must also lean forward, bringing the shoulders ahead of the hands and putting pressure on them. This can easily be checked in practice and made visible to the athlete by using a stick or weighted string to drop down from the shoulders.

Questions

If you have ran sprints in the past what was your best time for the 100, 200, or 400?

If you're an athlete what was the worst injury that you have had?

Cited

Pictures cited: Track & Field By Gabrielle Vanderhoof

Track Starts

Track Start improvements

My improvement through out my track starts from the blocks has improved drastically. Some tips I found to help my momentum moving forward was to bridge my hands and have my legs bent to where they are comfortable and to be able to have the most power off of your push off.

Tips

Have fingers make a bridge

When running run off the balls of your feet not your heels

In stride have next foot ready to hit ground after your toe hits

When you are finishing do not stop right away this can cause shin splints

Advanced Running

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As seen in this picture Michael Johnson an Olympic sprinter is running off of the balls of his feet in his strides. To keep this going one must lift their knees to a angle where they can quickly get their next foot to the ground.

Questions

Do you guys have any other advice for me for when I come out of the blocks to keep my stride and speed continuously growing?

How can I keep my stamina?

Cited

 Pictures cited: Track & Field By Gabrielle Vanderhoof

Track Starts

Track Start Improvements

As I worked on my track start and started taking tips from the book I noticed that my form wasn't correct to the way it should be. instead of having both feet behind me I moved my dominant foot forward so I could have the most momentum when coming out of the blocks.

Tips

Have knees inside elbows but not to close

Have lean forward as if you were going to fall on your face

Stride out of the blocks with your head down

Don’t stand straight up when coming out of the blocks

Have a slow incline with your body as you push out of the blocks

Proper Form and Guide Lines

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In this picture you can see this man exploding from the blocks putting all of his momentum forward to get a push off from his dominant leg and propelling his body in an rising action. The back leg is driven forward at the sound of the gun as the front leg extends, pushing off the block pedal. The arms are aggressively extended, forward and back. If the rear leg is the right leg, the left arm is driven forward as the right arm is driven back. You keep this going throughout the race with the opposite leg hitting the ground and the opposite arm slicing through the air. The head stays neutral on the start, looking down the track slightly.

Questions

Do you have a different way to come out of the blocks?

How do you have your feet set up when you are pushing out of the blocks?

Cited

Pictures cited: Track & Field By Gabrielle Vanderhoof

Track Starts

For some of you, this blog could be old news and somewhat useless; but for others, I'm hoping this blog will provide some useful tips that can be applied toward the progress you make during track season as well as the progress in other sports.

History of Track and Field

The history of the Ancient Olympic Games was dated as far as 776 BC. This first recorded Track and Field event was in Olympia, Greece. This single event was a footrace of about 200 yards called the stade or stadion, from which the word "stadium" originated.

Starting form

This is the incorrect way to start out of the blocks, this is called the "rocket". Though it may work for others (mostly amateurs).

Reference to proper start:

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This example is the correct way to start out of the blocks as if you were going to fall over on your face.

Now that I have taken a few tips from the book "Track & Field" by Gabrielle Vanderhoof and the diagram shown I'll make sure to use it for the next blog as well.

Tips

Start with the dominant foot forward (you can find out which foot is dominant by standing and leaning forward until you fall, the foot that hits the ground first when you fall is your dominant foot).

Have dominant leg at 90-95 degrees.

Have non-dominant leg a foot behind the dominant leg.

Have fingers on the ground, not palms of hands.

Questions

How long have you guys been in track?

Do you have any other tips for coming out of the blocks?

Cited

Pictures cited: Track & Field By Gabrielle Vanderhoof

better yourself: workout

Well-being-noun the state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy.

The first sentence in the book You Are Your Own Gym by Mark Lauren declares: “I CAN UNEQUIVOCALLY STATE You Are Your Own Gym is a must read for anyone truly interested in their well- being”. I read that sentence and made up my mind to check out the book from the library. I am certainly interested in my well-being.I have lifted nothing but grocery bags and the occasional box from Costco for years,and still struggle with them. Also, my dad calls me chicken.

Lauren claims in the introduction of his book that we owe it to ourselves to be lean, fit, and claims that with the use of this book, I will no longer have the excuse of “no time” because the journey he promises to a better body (and use of it) will only take 20 minutes a day, 4-5 times a week. Lauren personally promised me a better physique, with primitive workouts, using nothing but what the Lord gave you (p.2).

To be completely clear, I’m not aiming for a washboard stomach, round shoulders, or shirt –sleeve-stretching biceps. Rather a toned stomach, toned triceps and biceps and legs (and maybe less struggle when carrying said groceries).

One of my favorite workouts so far has been the one legged squat. It works on virtually everything: gluts, hamstrings, lower back, and hip flexors, and has really pushed me to my limits in terms of endurance. Using a chair for balance, lift your left leg about 4 inches off the ground up and stand on your right leg, with your head up and back straight. Slowly lower your body, bending at the waist and right knee, until your right thigh is parallel to the floor, let go of the chair, and extend your arms forward. Hold this position for as long as you can.(page 114)

This position is definitely a work in process, could not get my thighs parallel to the floor without falling over. I held my meager attempt at the one legged squat for no longer then 30 seconds. Then rested for one minute, and repeated for another 30 seconds or so. I did a set of 5 rotating between the 30 second hold, and the one minute rest. I finished out with a set of 'pistol' exercises, which i will explain in my next blog post. Thank you for reading! I encourage you to try out this exercises, please comment and share your experience!