Basketball: practising peripheral vision for defending

It is pretty difficult being a 3 point specialist if you are not shooting with the correct form and technique plus the fact that the further the shot is taken away from the edge of the basket the further to retrieve it and the longer between shot taken and the longer it takes to become a good shooter unless you have a spare six hours.

For best results do this jumping routine after a set of squats. Wear a weighted belt if available. Have a tennis ball hung up which is out of reach after a step and jump. Mark the position so it can be recreated. To begin the routine place one foot under the ball, take one step and jump off and try to touch the ball. When you land make sure that you absorb the landing by going into a deep knee bend which should not be any deeper than you would sit in a chair. Bend at the back and bring your hands well behind you. Jump again and extend to reach for the ball. Absorb the shock of landing again with the knees bent and the back bent. If you touch the ball at all then move the ball up by 2 cm. Alternate the foot you lead with when you take a jump. Do 5 sets of jumps that would be a total of 10 jumps. Start out with 3 sets in the first week increasing one set per week, increasing to a total of 5 sets per week.

Dribble to ball at your side. When the ball comes back up into the hand take the ball as quickly as possible into the other hand which remains straight out at your side. Do not bring the off hand towards the ball. The dribble hand brings the ball over to the other side. Dribble the ball out at the side not in the middle. When the ball comes back up take it quickly to the other side. Do this drill in 10-second burst resting for 10 seconds between sets. Do this drill for 2 minutes.

Get into a defensive position and move your feet up and down as quickly as possible. Turn to your right and then to your original position. Turn to your left and then onto the original position. Do this drill for 10 second spurts and then rest for 10 seconds. Do this drill for 2 minutes.

Put the balls of your feet on to a stair and left the heals up. Holding for a split second at the top and returning slowly to the start position. Do 15 – 20 repetitions. If this is to easy then do one foot at a time.

On days when not doing weight training jump without the weight belt. Increase the height of the ball so that you cannot reach it after a step and jump. Jump only once and allow two steps into the jump. Mark the strings so that they can be determined from the weight day jumps. Take a total of 10 jumps. If you have touched the ball on any jump then increase the height of the ball by 2 cm and remark the string.

Ensure you have an object in the home that can be used to rebound the ball against. Dribble the ball towards the net before throwing it against the object where it should rebound back to you. Once it has, move like you would if a defender was there and find space to shoot.

To work on your peripheral vision put a chair or bin on the wing and a chair at a point as you do this drill. Glide up and back staying side on to the passing lane with the near side hand out extended at the shoulder to deflect the pass.

If there is not a basket in the back garden or one near by then find a wall then find a brick that is 10 feet off the wall and practice shooting at that. If you can’t find a wall then shoot at a spot on the floor.

There is only one way to become a good shooter and that is to practice using good basic technique. You will need to put up about 700 shots a day. When you have paid your dues in the work sense of the word developing good form the range of the shot will increase.

As feet are stamped, head and shoulders should be moved quickly. As the ball returns to the hand, direct drive past the defender. The fake will freeze the defender causing him to rock back on his heals.

As the ball is pushed down into the floor during a dribble stamp feet right in the footprints. Opposite foot to the dribble hand first.

As feet are stamped, head and shoulders should be moved quickly. As the ball returns to the hand, cross-over dribble, direct drive past the defender. The fake will freeze the defender causing him to rock back on his heals.

The ball is placed at the back of the head. Stay straight and release the ball then clap hands in front then catch the ball behind. Move onto two claps then three. Spend one minute on this drill.