Andrew Pace
The between-the-legs to behind-the-back (BTL-BTB) dribble is a dynamic move that can elevate your ball-handling skills and court dominance in basketball. While it can be challenging to master, focusing on pushing the ball between your legs and catching it on the other side is key. Additionally, understanding the difference between BTB wraps and normal BTBs can improve your technique. Practicing this move, even starting with stationary drills, can enhance your control and creativity on the court.
How to do BTL (Between the Legs) in Basketball
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Drills | In & Out BTL drill, One Hard Dribble BTL BTB drill |
| Benefits | Improve ball control and coordination, work on speed and agility |
| Tips | Practice at home, watch YouTube or TikTok guides, focus on muscle memory |
| When to use | Maneuvering at low speeds, setting up moves |
| Limitations | Requires more space, not useful when defender is directly in front |
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What You'll Learn
Focus on pushing the ball between the legs
Passing the basketball between your legs is a great skill to have on the court. It is a dynamic move that can help you keep possession of the ball and evade defenders. Here are some tips to focus on pushing the ball between the legs:
Basic Dribbling Stance
Get into a comfortable stance with your knees slightly bent and your head and chest pointed straight ahead. This stance helps you maintain balance and stability while dribbling. Crouch down low by bending your knees and lowering your hips. This lowered stance provides a stable base and allows you to control the ball as you shift it between your legs.
Ball Control
Use your dominant hand to dribble the ball, keeping it close to your body and at knee height. Bounce the ball by snapping your wrist and using your fingertips to push down on the ball. This gives you precise control over the ball's movement. Spread your fingers apart to maximize control and prevent the ball from bouncing too high, which can make it vulnerable to defenders.
Shifting the Ball
As you dribble, take a diagonal step forward with your opposite foot. Shift your hand to the side of the ball so that only your thumb is on top. This hand position guides the ball as you push it between your open legs. The ball should bounce underneath you and come up behind you.
Receiving the Ball
As the ball emerges from between your legs, move your opposite hand behind you to catch it. Keep your palm off the ball, letting it hit your fingertips. Immediately push the ball down with some force to continue dribbling at knee height. This continuous dribbling motion helps you maintain control and momentum.
Practice and Mastery
The key to perfecting the art of pushing the ball between the legs is to practice. Start by mastering the basic crossover move, and then incorporate the between-the-legs dribble. Practice shifting the ball between your legs while maintaining control and stability. With repetition and muscle memory, you'll be able to execute this move seamlessly during a game, impressing crowds and leaving defenders behind.
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Practice the in-and-out between-the-legs dribble
To improve your in-and-out between-the-legs dribble, there are several practice drills and techniques you can use. Here are some tips to help you master this move:
Practice Routines
- Basic dribbling stance: Crouch down low by bending your knees, lowering your hips, and leaning forward slightly. This stance helps you control the ball as you shift it between your legs.
- Ball control: Use just your fingertips to control the ball, rather than your entire hand. Practice dribbling at knee height or lower, as a ball bouncing at waist height is harder to control and gives defenders a chance to steal it.
- Footwork: When dribbling between the legs, step forward with your back leg at a 45-degree angle in the same direction as your crossover. This shields the ball and allows you to dribble forward.
- Direction change: The between-the-legs dribble is typically used to change direction. After crossing the ball between your legs, repeat the steps to cross it back to the opposite side if you need to change direction again.
- Practice variations: Try different variations, such as the drop between the legs, which uses minimal force, and the standard dribble. Practice passing the ball between your legs without moving your feet, then gradually add footwork.
- Muscle memory: Practice rolling the ball on the ground between your legs to build muscle memory for hand and foot positioning.
Drills
- In-and-Out BTL Drill: Start slowly with an in-and-out move, then progress to fast, hard crosses between the legs. Repeat this drill 20 times for maximum benefit.
- One Hard Dribble: This drill helps improve ball control and coordination. For 45 seconds, perform as many crossings as possible in both directions (between the legs and behind the back) before switching.
- Warm-up Drill: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, left foot ahead of the right, knees bent, and back straight. Dribble the ball with your right hand between the legs and catch it with your left hand behind your body near the left leg.
Remember, consistent practice is key to mastering the in-and-out between-the-legs dribble. These drills and techniques will help you improve your ball handling, coordination, and agility on the court.
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Master the between-the-legs to behind-the-back dribble
Mastering the between-the-legs to behind-the-back dribble can be challenging but is an essential skill for any basketball player. This move is a great way to work on ball control and coordination, and can be practised with a variety of drills. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you master this skill:
Basic Stance and Dribbling:
Start by assuming a basic dribbling stance with your knees slightly bent and your head and chest pointed straight ahead. Keep your gaze focused towards the basket and not on the ball. Use your dominant hand to bounce the ball at knee height in front of you. This is the starting position for the drill.
Between-the-Legs Movement:
From the starting position, take a diagonal step forward with your opposite foot. As you do this, shift the ball with your hand so that it moves between your open legs and bounces underneath you, coming up behind you. Use your opposite hand to catch the ball as it emerges from between your legs. This is the between-the-legs dribble.
Behind-the-Back Movement:
After mastering the between-the-legs movement, it's time to add the behind-the-back element. As the ball comes up behind you, instead of catching it with your opposite hand, push it down towards the floor so it bounces behind your back. Your hand should be on the outside part of the ball, and your front hip should be out of the way. Don't wait for the ball after it hits the floor—let it lead you into your next attack dribble.
Drills and Practice:
To improve your skill, incorporate drills into your practice routine. Try the "one hard dribble" drill, where you perform as many crossings as possible in 45 seconds, alternating between between-the-legs and behind-the-back dribbles. Another drill is the "In-and-Out" BTL, which involves a slow start with an in-and-out move followed by fast crosses between the legs, repeated 20 times. As you become more comfortable, increase the challenge by adding other moves such as the crossover and roll, and gradually introduce a live defender to your drills.
Remember, mastering this skill takes time and dedication. Practise regularly, and don't be discouraged if you don't get it right away. With persistence and a willingness to learn, you'll be executing this move with style and finesse!
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Understand the difference between BTB wraps and normal BTBs
To improve your basketball skills, you can try the "one hard dribble" drill, which involves crossing the ball between your legs and then immediately crossing it behind your back. This drill helps improve ball control and coordination, as it requires you to change speeds while dribbling and manipulate your body to control the ball's movement.
Now, let's differentiate between BTB wraps and normal BTBs. The BTB wrap is a move where you wrap the ball around your body from front to back, or vice versa, in a circular motion. It is used to change the direction of your dribble and can be an effective way to get past defenders. This move allows you to shift the ball from one side of your body to the other, creating opportunities to attack or create space.
On the other hand, a normal BTB or flat BTB is a fundamental move where you simply take the ball behind your back without the circular motion of the wrap. This move is often used to protect the ball from defenders or to create separation from your defender. By taking the ball behind your back, you can shield it from your opponent's reach while also changing your body position to create new angles for passing or driving.
The key difference between the two moves lies in the circular wrapping motion of the BTB wrap. This additional element of ball handling provides a more complex and deceptive movement that can help you navigate through tight spaces or create separation from defenders. The normal BTB is a more straightforward move that focuses on ball protection and changing your body angle.
Understanding the distinction between these moves will allow you to vary your dribble techniques and make more effective decisions on the court. Incorporating both the BTB wrap and the normal BTB into your skillset will give you greater versatility and help you become a more unpredictable player.
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Practice the BTL-BTB combo through cones
To practice the BTL-BTB combo through cones, set up a series of cones in a row, with enough space between them for you to dribble through. Start with the ball in your hands and dribble towards the first cone. As you approach the cone, perform a quick, hard dribble and cross the ball between your legs (BTL). Immediately after the BTL, cross the ball behind your back (BTB) as you continue dribbling through the cones. Focus on maintaining control of the ball and coordinating your movements smoothly.
This drill helps improve your ball handling, speed, and coordination. It's important to practice both directions—crossing between your legs from front to back and then from back to front. You can also vary the spacing between the cones to challenge yourself further. Remember to start slow and increase your speed as you become more comfortable with the combo.
Additionally, when practising the BTL, focus on pushing the ball between your legs without bouncing it in front first, as this can lead to errors. For the BTB, it's beneficial to understand the difference between BTB wraps and normal BTBs, as it's a more complex move. Practising these individual movements separately can also help you master the combo.
You can find a variety of tutorials and guides on YouTube and TikTok to refine your technique. These online resources can provide visual demonstrations and step-by-step instructions to supplement your cone drills. Remember that improving your BTL and BTB skills takes time and consistent practice, so don't be discouraged if you don't master it immediately.
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Frequently asked questions
Practice is key! Try the In&Out BTL drill, which involves a slow start with an in-and-out move and fast, hard crosses between the legs. Repeat this 20 times.
Try rolling the ball on the ground between your legs to get a sense of the muscle memory required for dribbling. Practicing with both hands will also improve your ball-handling skills.
Incorporating gym workouts into your training regimen can be beneficial. Focus on strength training with exercises like squats, lunges, deadlifts, push-ups, and pull-ups to build strength in your legs, core, and upper body.
Passing, shooting, and defence are all crucial aspects of basketball. To improve your passing skills, practice chest passes, bounce passes, and overhead passes. For shooting, work on your form, aim, and follow-through, and practice your layups, mid-range shots, and three-pointers. To enhance your defence, learn to anticipate your opponent's moves by staying low and moving your feet quickly.
