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Driving with your weak hand in basketball is a valuable skill that can make you a more unpredictable player and give you more scoring opportunities. To improve your weak hand, you should focus on dribbling exercises, passing drills, and ball handling drills. Start by dribbling with only your weak hand, keeping your dominant hand behind your back. As you improve, try adding a second basketball and dribbling with each hand simultaneously. You can also practice passing with a partner, standing ten feet apart and passing and receiving with only your weak hand. Additionally, you can increase your reps with your weak hand during ball handling drills. Implementing these tips will help you become more comfortable with your weak hand, making you a more versatile and effective player on the court.
Techniques to drive with your weak hand in basketball
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Dribbling with your weak hand | Keep your dominant hand behind your back and dribble with your weak hand. |
| Dribbling with both hands | After mastering dribbling with your weak hand, try dribbling with each hand at the same time. |
| Passing drills | Stand ten feet apart from a partner and pass and receive with only your weak hand. |
| Practicing shots | Practice shots, stepbacks, spins, and drives to get a feel for what it's like in a game to drive with your weak hand. |
| Full-court sprints while dribbling | This drill translates well to drives and helps improve your weak hand. |
| Stepback jumper | Instead of trying to score with your weak hand, try turning the drive into a stepback jumper with your dominant hand. |
| Practicing with your eyes closed | Once you can perform dribbles at max speed and intensity with your eyes open, try doing them with your eyes closed. |
| Practicing daily activities with your weak hand | Doing daily activities like eating, opening doors, or using your phone with your weak hand can help you feel more comfortable using it. |
| Practicing free throws | Use your weak hand to shoot free throws and your dominant hand to support the ball. |
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What You'll Learn
Dribbling with your weak hand
Improving your dribbling skills with your weak hand can be challenging, but it is an essential skill to develop to become a more versatile basketball player. Here are some tips and exercises to help you improve your weak-hand dribbling:
Start with the Basics
When beginning to work on your weak-hand dribbling, it is important to start with the fundamentals. Keep your dominant hand behind your back and practice dribbling with only your weak hand. This may feel uncomfortable at first, but with practice, it will become more natural. Focus on keeping your elbows behind the ball and forcing the ball into the ground while maintaining a straight back and keeping your head up. This will improve your coordination and ball-handling skills.
Passing Drills
Passing drills are another effective way to develop your weak hand. Grab a partner and stand about ten feet apart. Put your dominant hand behind your back and pass and receive the ball using only your weak hand. Start with slower passes and, as you progress, increase the speed and intensity. Each player should aim for twenty passes with their non-dominant hand per set. Start with four sets and gradually increase the number of sets as you become more comfortable.
Off-Court Practice
Improving your weak-hand dribbling requires consistent practice. Try incorporating your non-dominant hand into daily activities such as eating, opening doors, brushing your teeth, or using your phone. This will help you develop proper habits and feel more comfortable using your weak hand.
Advanced Dribbling Drills
Once you have mastered the basics, you can challenge yourself with more advanced dribbling drills. Try the "pound dribbles into crossover jab": perform three hard dribbles, then jab with the foot opposite the ball, causing your body to jump back slightly. Another drill is the "scissor dribble": take one or two dribbles and then crossover between your legs. You can also try the "left hand pound low and high" drill: pound the ball as low and hard as you can for 20 seconds, and then repeat by pounding the ball as high as you can.
Game Simulation
To improve your weak-hand dribbling in a game context, simulate game situations in your drills. For example, approach the 3-point line with your weak hand and perform an in-and-out move into a weak-side finish. You can also try various open-court moves such as the high-crossover, wrap-around-back, drag step, and hesitation. As you become more advanced, vary the rhythm of your dribbles and incorporate footwork to create space with your weak hand.
Developing your weak-hand dribbling will take time and dedication, but it will significantly improve your overall basketball skills and make you a more versatile player on the court.
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Passing drills
Partner Passing
This drill involves dividing the court into four quadrants. Each player must make 10 shots from each quadrant, with a partner rebounding and passing the ball back. This not only improves passing skills but also encourages shooters to hustle after their shots as their partner sprints to the next shooting spot.
Two-Ball Combo
This drill incorporates ball handling and passing. Partners stand about 8 to 10 feet apart, and one partner starts with two basketballs, performing various two-ball dribbling drills. The other partner then allows for 10-15 seconds of dribbling before calling "ball" and holding up one hand. The dribbler must then pass the ball on the side of the hand that was held up. This drill can continue for a set time or number of repetitions, focusing on different types of passes such as air push passes and bounce passes.
Wall Dribble
For this drill, players need a wall located about two feet in front of them. They dribble with their weak hand against the wall, which helps develop strength in their weaker arm.
Footwork Drills
Proper footwork is essential for passing with your weak hand, as it helps you stay balanced and make accurate passes. Focus on drills that improve quick feet, shuffling, and agility, which will give you the confidence to make passes with your weaker hand.
Passing with Non-Dominant Hand
Stand about ten feet apart from a partner and put your dominant hand behind your back. With one ball, practice passing and receiving with only your weak hand. Start at a comfortable pace and gradually increase the speed as you progress. Each player should pass with their non-dominant hand twenty times, equaling one set.
By incorporating these passing drills into your practice sessions, you will develop your weak hand and become a more well-rounded basketball player.
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Practising shots and layups
Start with free throws: Use your weak hand to shoot and your dominant hand to support the ball. Practise this until it starts to feel more comfortable.
Practice layups: Once you get used to the shooting motion, progress to practising layups with your weak hand. This will help you get comfortable with the unique challenges of shooting close to the basket using your non-dominant hand.
Dribble to the hoop: For an extra challenge, try dribbling with your weak hand before putting up a layup. This will simulate a game situation and help you develop your ball handling with your weak hand.
Increase weak-hand repetitions: When doing ball-handling drills, increase the number of repetitions with your weak hand. For example, if a drill calls for 10 reps with each hand, do 15 or 20 with your weak hand. This will help you develop muscle memory and comfort with your weak hand.
Use both hands simultaneously: Try dribbling with both hands at the same time. This will help you develop ambidexterity and improve your overall ball handling skills.
In addition to these specific tips, remember that developing your weak hand takes time and dedication. Practise consistently, focus on improvement, and don't be afraid to step outside your comfort zone.
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Footwork drills
Footwork is an essential aspect of basketball, and proper footwork techniques can improve agility, balance, and overall skill. Here are some footwork drills that can help players drive with their weak hand:
The U-Stance
This drill teaches players to get into a ready position, preparing them to be a threat on offense and a solid defender. To do this, players should stand with their feet shoulder-width apart, heels up, and balls of the feet. Hips should be dropped back, the back kept straight, and the chin rested on the shoulders, with the head and eyes up for good court vision.
Jump Stops, Pivots, and Reverse Pivots
These are basic footwork drills that help players with their movement and control. The jump stop is a fundamental skill for players to learn, and once mastered, they can move on to the front pivot and reverse pivot.
Mikan Drill
Named after George Mikan, this drill improves footwork around the basket. Players practice layups from both sides of the hoop, alternating hands. This helps players develop better timing, rhythm, and positioning for close-range shots.
Ladder Drill, Cone Drills, Jump Rope
These drills help players develop quick feet movements while maintaining control of their bodies. This will help with balance and shooting.
Canada Drill
This drill focuses on improving foot speed and coordination. Cones are set up in a zigzag pattern, and players must perform different moves such as pivots, jump stops, and lateral slides.
Rebounding Drills
Rebounding with the weak hand can be challenging. Coaches should focus on players' body positioning and timing, practicing box-out drills and utilizing visualization techniques. Players should learn to get into position quickly with proper footwork and time their jumps correctly for rebounds.
Passing Drills
Passing with the weak hand is an important skill to develop. Footwork drills that focus on quick feet, shuffling, and agility will help players stay balanced and make accurate passes. Coaches should get players to practice different types of passes with their weak hand, such as chest passes, bounce passes, and overhead passes.
These footwork drills will help players improve their weak hand and overall performance on the court.
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Daily activities with your weak hand
Improving your weak hand in basketball requires consistent practice with a variety of dribbling exercises. However, it's not just about spending time on the court. You can also improve your weak hand by incorporating it into your daily activities. Here are some suggestions:
Eating and Cooking
Try eating and cutting your food with your weak hand. This may feel awkward at first, but with practice, it will start to feel more comfortable and natural. You can also try cooking with your weak hand, which involves tasks like stirring, chopping, and handling utensils.
Personal Care
Incorporate your weak hand into your personal care routine. Brush your teeth, comb your hair, and perform other grooming tasks with your non-dominant hand. This will help improve your hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.
Household Tasks
Open doors, drawers, and packages with your weak hand. This simple action can help strengthen your hand and improve your dexterity. You can also try other household tasks like cleaning, gardening, or even simple tasks like turning a doorknob or light switch.
Using Technology
Use your phone, tablet, or computer with your weak hand. Whether it's scrolling through your phone, typing on a keyboard, or playing video games, engaging your weak hand in these activities can help improve its dexterity and coordination.
Sports and Recreation
Incorporate your weak hand into other sports or recreational activities you enjoy. For example, if you play tennis, try swinging the racket with your weak hand. If you like to juggle, practice with your weak hand. Find creative ways to engage your weak hand in activities that challenge and strengthen it.
Remember, the key to improving your weak hand is consistency. Make it a habit to use your non-dominant hand throughout your daily routine. Over time, you'll notice an improvement in your weak hand's strength, coordination, and dexterity, which will translate into better performance on the basketball court.
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Frequently asked questions
Start by dribbling with only your weak hand while keeping your dominant hand behind your back. Once you've got the hang of that, try dribbling with each hand at the same time.
Try passing drills with a partner, standing ten feet apart and passing and receiving with only your weak hand. You can also do ball rolls with your weak hand, rolling the ball on the floor in a circle in both directions.
Try doing daily activities with your non-dominant hand, such as eating, opening doors, or using your phone. This will help you form proper habits and feel more comfortable with your weak hand.
Start with free throws, using your weak hand to shoot and your dominant hand to support the ball. Once you're comfortable, move on to practicing layups and dribbling to the hoop with your weak hand.
Play against defenders and make decisions about which moves to use. Videotape your 5v5 games and identify when defenders put you in uncomfortable situations, then use those scenarios in your 1v0 training.
