Helena Frye
Being able to use both hands in basketball can give you an advantage over your opponent. While some believe that learning to shoot with your non-dominant hand is pointless and may mess up muscle memory, others argue that it can improve your overall skill, including dribbling and making layups. To become more comfortable using your left hand in basketball, it is recommended to practice dribbling with your left hand first, and then try adding a second basketball to dribble with both hands simultaneously. Off-court tips include doing daily activities like brushing your teeth, opening doors, and using your phone with your left hand to improve your overall coordination and comfort with your non-dominant hand.
Characteristics of left-handedness in basketball
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Shooting stance | Feet shoulder-width apart, left foot slightly forward |
| Toe direction | Pointing to the right of the rim |
| Shooting technique | Push with the shooting hand, guide hand on the side of the ball |
| Dribbling | Start with the dominant hand behind the back, practice with two balls |
| Layups | Start by standing on the right leg, putting the ball against the backboard |
| Daily practice | Eating, opening doors, brushing teeth, combing hair, using the phone |
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What You'll Learn
Practice dribbling with your left hand
To improve your dribbling with your left hand, you must first acknowledge that it is your weak hand. Most basketball players have one hand that is stronger and better at ball handling. However, you can improve your left hand through practice and drills.
Start by keeping your dominant hand, or right hand, behind your back. This will force you to dribble with your left hand. You can also try dribbling with two basketballs at the same time, one in each hand. This will improve your coordination and ball handling skills.
You can also try a speed dribble drill. Speed dribble as fast as you can with your left hand to the opposite baseline. Do this drill full court and back three times with short rests between reps. Try to do this drill twice a day to improve faster.
Another drill involves practicing dribbling with your left hand at three different speeds: slow, medium, and fast. If you are not losing the ball, then you are not pushing yourself hard enough.
You can also try to incorporate your left hand into your daily life. Try opening doors, brushing your teeth, and eating with your left hand. This will strengthen the neural connections in your brain and make you more comfortable with your left hand.
By practicing these drills and incorporating your left hand into your daily life, you will improve your dribbling skills with your left hand and become a more well-rounded basketball player.
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Improve your left-handed layups
Improving your left-handed layups can be a great way to develop your offensive options and make it more difficult for defenders to keep you from scoring. Here are some tips to help you improve your left-handed layups:
Footwork and Finishing
Break down the skill into parts and start by focusing on your footwork and finishing with your left hand. Place your feet about shoulder-width apart for balance, with your left foot slightly forward if you're a right-handed shooter and your right foot slightly forward if you're a left-handed shooter. Practice the left-hand layup off two dribbles, taking a right step with a left-hand dribble each time.
Left-Hand Power Layup
The left-hand power layup is performed by jumping off two feet, usually when driving to the basket and the defender is putting a lot of pressure on you. It's important to land with your body parallel to the baseline and keep your shoulders between your defender and the ball.
Master All the Angles
Practice your left-hand drive and layups from various angles on the floor. Drive from the right baseline and finish with the left-hand layup in front of or on the far side of the rim using the backboard.
Practice with Correct Technique
Ensure that you are practising with the correct technique. For example, when shooting with an open stance, your toes will point to the right of the rim if you are left-handed. Your guide hand should be placed on the side of the ball, not the front, to balance and steady it.
Praise Unsuccessful Attempts
If you are a coach or parent, praise the effort of players even if the attempts are unsuccessful. This will encourage players to learn and try new skills, helping them to improve their weak-hand layups and build a stronger skill set.
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Develop your left hand's muscle memory
Developing muscle memory with your left hand will take time and dedication, but it is possible to improve your left-hand skills and overall coordination. Here are some ways to develop your left hand's muscle memory:
Start with dribbling:
Dribbling is a fundamental skill in basketball, and it should be the first step in developing your left-hand skills. Start by keeping your dominant hand behind your back and force yourself to dribble only with your left hand. This will feel awkward at first, but with practice, you will improve your coordination and ball-handling skills. Once you feel comfortable with dribbling, try adding a second basketball and dribble with each hand simultaneously.
Practice, practice, practice:
Consistency is key. Make it a habit to practice with your left hand every day. The more you use your left hand, the more comfortable and natural it will feel. Practice shooting, dribbling, and laying up with your left hand on the court. The more you do it, the easier it will become, and eventually, it will become second nature.
Incorporate your left hand in daily activities:
Using your left hand in your daily routine will help build muscle memory and improve your overall comfort with your non-dominant hand. Try brushing your teeth, eating, opening doors, or using your phone with your left hand. At first, these tasks will feel foreign, but with consistency, they will become more manageable, and your left hand will become more dexterous.
Symmetric alternating drills:
On the court, perform symmetric alternating drills, starting with your right hand and then switching to your left. Focus on movements and the timing of your approach. For example, when doing left-hand layups, you typically jump with the opposite foot, which requires adjusting your timing. Practicing these drills will help you develop a natural feel with your left hand and improve your overall coordination.
One-handed shooting motion drills:
Practice one-handed shooting motion drills with your left hand. Stand in front of the backboard and pretend to shoot a jumper. Throw the ball off the glass, catch and control it with your left hand, and then throw it again. Try to make the catching, controlling, and throwing motion fluid and seamless. As you get better, incorporate jumping so that you are controlling and throwing the ball while in the air.
Remember, developing your left hand's muscle memory will take time and dedication. Stay consistent with your practice, and you will see improvements in your left-hand skills, which will give you a new advantage on the court.
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Learn the correct left-handed shooting stance
Learning to shoot with your non-dominant hand can improve your overall coordination and ball handling skills. However, it is important to note that shooting with your left hand may not be the best idea as it can mess up your muscle memory. Instead, you can try dribbling or doing layups with your left hand.
To learn the correct left-handed shooting stance, you must first understand the purpose of the shooting stance. The shooting stance is important as it lines up your body, providing a consistent base and aligning your shooting arm to release the ball straight at the rim. It also ensures that you cannot be forced off-balance by the defence.
If you are left-handed, your toes will point to the right side of the rim. Your feet should be placed about shoulder-width apart for balance, with your left foot slightly forward. This is called an open stance, which provides a natural alignment with your shoulder and the basket.
To get the correct backspin, your shot must be a push with only your left hand. However, your guide hand (right hand) is important as it balances and steadies the ball. Place your right hand on the side of the ball, not in front. To align your fingers correctly on your left hand, the air nozzle should be between your index and middle finger. Your fingers should be going across the seams so that you can see the backspin when you release the shot.
By practicing this stance and technique, you will improve your left-handed shooting ability and become a better overall player.
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Incorporate left-handed drills into your practice
To become left-handed in basketball, you must incorporate left-handed drills into your practice. Here are some ways to do that:
Dribbling Drills
Dribbling should be the first skill you work on when developing your non-dominant hand. Start by keeping your dominant hand behind your back and forcing yourself to dribble only with your left hand. As you get more comfortable, try dribbling with two basketballs, one in each hand, at the same time. Keep your elbows behind the ball, and remember to force the ball into the ground while keeping your head up. This will improve your coordination and ball-handling skills. Being able to dribble with both hands will give you an advantage over your opponent, as you can dribble down the court on either side, making it harder for defenders to guess your next move.
Layup Drills
Start by standing on your right leg and putting the ball against the backboard until you feel comfortable. Then, add a jump and try to score. Once you've mastered that, add a step from your left foot onto your right foot. Finally, incorporate taking the ball from a dribble into your left-right steps. As you get better, try jumping and throwing while in the air.
Shooting Drills
Some people recommend against learning to shoot with your non-dominant hand, as it may mess up muscle memory. However, others argue that it can improve your overall coordination and make you a better player. If you want to improve your left-handed shot, try one-handed shooting motion drills. Stand in front of the backboard and pretend to shoot a jumper with your left hand, throwing the ball off the glass. Catch and control the ball with your left hand, and try to make the next throw in one motion.
Off-Court Tips
To improve your left-handed skills, you should also focus on using your left hand in daily activities. Eat, brush your teeth, comb your hair, open doors, and use your phone with your left hand. This will help form proper habits and make you feel more comfortable using your non-dominant hand.
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Frequently asked questions
Learning to shoot with your non-dominant hand can improve your overall coordination and ball handling skills. However, some believe that it may mess up your muscle memory. Instead, you can practice left-handed dribbling or left-handed layups to improve your left hand's abilities.
Start by keeping your dominant hand behind your back and force yourself to dribble with only your left hand. Once you master that, try dribbling with each hand simultaneously. Keep your elbows behind the ball, and your head up. This will improve your coordination and make it harder for defenders to guess your direction.
Yes, try doing daily activities with your left hand, such as eating, opening doors, brushing your teeth, combing your hair, or using your phone. This will help form proper habits and make you feel more comfortable using your left hand.
As a left-handed shooter, your toes will point to the right side of the rim. Your left foot will be slightly forward of your right foot to provide a solid base and align your shooting arm to release the ball straight at the rim.
Practice consistently with the correct shooting technique. Even if you are a good shooter, you may go through shooting slumps from time to time. Consistent practice will help you build confidence and improve your shooting accuracy.
