Amanda Knapp
Learning to dribble a basketball with your hand behind your back is an essential skill for any basketball player. While it might look effortless when the pros do it, it takes a lot of practice to master. The key to success is to focus on the fundamentals, such as balance, footwork, and coordination, and to put in the time to develop your weaker hand so that you can confidently dribble with either hand. This involves drills and exercises that you can do on your own or with a coach, and it's important to remember that even the best players had to start somewhere! So, grab a basketball, get into a low stance, and let's get started on improving your dribbling skills!
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of hands | Use one hand to dribble, not two. |
| Hand placement | Control the ball with your fingertips, not your palm. |
| Eye placement | Keep your head up and eyes forward, looking at the rim or a spot on the wall. |
| Body stance | Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and bend your knees slightly. |
| Ball movement | Bounce the ball off the ground firmly and use your fingertips to catch it as it bounces up. |
| Ball protection | Keep your body between defenders and the ball. Use your non-dribbling hand as an arm bar to protect the ball. |
| Common violations | Avoid traveling, double dribbling, and carrying the ball. |
| Weak hand improvement | Practice dribbling with your weak hand using drills such as "Left Hand Kills", "Left Hand Side to Side", and "Left Hand Windshield Wipers". |
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What You'll Learn
Dribbling with your weak hand
Basic Techniques
- Fundamentals: Focus on the fundamentals of dribbling, such as using your fingertips instead of your palm to touch the ball, keeping the ball low to the ground, and maintaining a defensive stance with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Eyes Up: Always keep your eyes up and look around, observing the movements of your teammates and opponents. This will help you make better decisions and manoeuvre effectively on the court.
- Protect the Ball: When defenders are approaching, position your body between them and the ball. Use your non-dribbling hand as an arm bar to create space and protect the ball. Be careful not to push, strike, or drive through the defender.
Drills for Weak-Hand Improvement
- Increase Weak-Hand Reps: When doing ball-handling drills, increase the number of repetitions with your weak hand. This will help strengthen your weaker side.
- Pound the Ball: Try the "Left Hand Kills" drill. Pound the ball high and hard, then bring it down low, gradually bringing it back up. Repeat for 5 reps.
- Side to Side: For the "Left Hand Side to Side" drill, push and pull the ball at your left side in a fast, low motion for 20 seconds.
- Windshield Wipers: Place the ball out in front of you and move it back and forth from left to right in a low and hard motion for 20 seconds. This is called the "Left Hand Windshield Wipers" drill.
- On the Move Ball Handling: Do full-court drills, such as the "Left Hand ½ Speed," where you dribble at 50% speed with your weak hand.
- Weak-Hand Hesitation: Take two dribbles forward with your weak hand and perform a hesitation move, then explode forward. Repeat until you reach the opposite baseline.
- Weak-Hand In and Out: Take two dribbles forward with your weak hand and perform an in-and-out move.
- Spin-Dribble: Start with two strong-hand dribbles, then transition to a spin-dribble and continue to a layup.
- Footwork Integration: Once you've mastered the dribbling motions, add footwork to your weak-hand dribbling. Try drills like pound dribbles into a crossover jab and scissor dribbles to create space and relieve defensive pressure.
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Avoiding violations
When learning the hand cover basketball dribble, there are several violations to keep in mind to avoid penalties and maintain possession of the ball. Here are some key points to avoid violations:
Avoid Using Two Hands
The first and most important rule when dribbling a basketball is to avoid using two hands simultaneously. This is a fundamental rule that results in a violation. Players should use only one hand to control the ball, touching it with their fingers and fingertips, not their palm. This allows for a better grip on the ball.
Prevent Carrying Violations
A carrying violation occurs when a player catches the ball with one hand and then continues to dribble without stopping the dribbling motion. To avoid this, players should ensure they stop the dribble completely before starting again.
Avoid Travelling Violations
Travelling violations occur when a player moves with the ball without dribbling. This includes taking extra steps, skipping, hopping, or shuffling feet. To avoid this, players should be mindful of their footwork and ensure they dribble the ball when moving.
Maintain Possession
Players should focus on maintaining possession of the ball while dribbling. They can achieve this by shielding the ball with their non-dribbling arm and keeping their body between the ball and the defender. This makes it more difficult for defenders to steal the ball.
Be Mindful of Pivot Foot
When starting a dribble, players must ensure the ball is out of their hand before raising their pivot foot off the floor. If a player raises their pivot foot while possessing the ball, they must pass or shoot before their pivot foot returns to the floor.
Avoid Double Dribbling
A double dribble violation occurs when a player dribbles, stops their dribble, and then starts dribbling again without the ball being touched by another player. To avoid this, players should ensure they only start dribbling again after the ball has been touched by an opponent or another player on their team.
By being mindful of these violations and practising their dribbling skills, players can improve their ball handling and manoeuvring on the court while adhering to the rules of the game.
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Basic dribbling technique
Dribbling is a fundamental skill in basketball, and it takes a lot of practice to master. Here is a step-by-step guide to the basic dribbling technique:
Stance and Body Position:
Start by standing with your feet about shoulder-width apart, with one foot slightly in front of the other. Bend your knees slightly and stand on the balls of your feet. Keep your back straight, with a slight bend at the waist, and your head up. Extend your shoulder and elbow, and flex your wrist.
Holding the Ball:
Hold the basketball with your fingertips, ensuring they are the only part of your hand touching the ball. Do not let your palm touch the ball. Spread your fingers out to get a better grip.
Bouncing the Ball:
Bounce the ball off the ground firmly, using your fingertips to push it down. Keep your hand on top of the ball as it bounces back up, and continue to push it down with your fingertips. The ball should not bounce above your waist.
Walking and Dribbling:
To dribble while walking, coordinate your steps so that one of your feet always hits the ground with the ball. Keep the ball about 3 inches away from your body and low to the ground as you move.
Protecting the Ball:
When defenders are nearby, use your body to shield the ball from them. Never dribble with the ball on the same side of your body as the defender. Use your non-dribbling hand as an arm bar by raising it and making a fist, presenting the side of your forearm to the opponent. Be careful not to push, strike, or drive through the defender with your arm.
Common Violations:
There are a few basic rules to remember when dribbling to avoid violations:
- Traveling: Moving with the ball without dribbling, including taking extra steps, skipping, hopping, or shuffling your feet.
- Double dribble: Dribbling with both hands simultaneously, or dribbling, stopping, and then dribbling again.
- Carrying: Catching the ball with one hand and then continuing to dribble without stopping the dribbling motion.
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Dribbling drills
Dribbling is an essential skill in basketball, allowing players to manoeuvre around the court and get past defenders. Here are some dribbling drills to help players improve their ball-handling skills and become more confident on the court:
Pound Drill: This is a great drill for beginners. Using the palm of your dominant hand, bounce the basketball from the floor back into your hand. Repeat this for a set time, such as 30 seconds. To make it more challenging, perform the drill without looking at the basketball and vary the height at which you bounce the ball (e.g., waist, chest, shoulders).
Popcorn Dribbling: Focus on ball movement with this drill. Using one hand, dribble the ball in one spot for four bounces, then move it to another spot and repeat. Keep moving the ball to different spots, simulating popcorn popping.
Two-Ball Dribbling: This drill helps improve dribbling skills and coordination. Start by dribbling two balls simultaneously, one in each hand. Vary the dribbling heights, from your ankles to your shoulders. As you advance, try walking forward and backward while maintaining control of both balls.
Figure Eight Drill: This drill helps with switching hands during dribbling. Stand with your legs stretched out wide and the ball in your right hand. Dribble the ball in front of and then behind your right foot, switching to your left hand in the middle. Repeat on the left side, dribbling in front of and behind your left foot.
Cone Drill: Set up cones in different spots on the court. Start with a basketball and dribble to each cone, performing moves such as a crossover, between the legs, or a behind-the-back dribble. This drill helps improve agility and ball handling.
1v1 Drill: This game-based drill simulates a game situation. With a partner, start on one side of the court and try to dribble to the other side while your partner slides and attempts to stay in front of you. This helps improve your ability to dribble under pressure and switch hands when necessary.
Ball Slaps: This drill helps players understand how the ball should feel in their hands during dribbling. Start with a ball in one palm and slap it into the other hand, then repeat, moving the ball back and forth. Focus on not looking down at the ball but instead, look straight ahead.
Left Hand Drills: If your left hand is your non-dominant hand, try specific drills to improve your dribbling skills with that hand. For example, "Left Hand Kills," where you pound the ball high and low, or "Left Hand Windshield Wipers," where you put the ball out in front and go back and forth from left to right.
Remember, it's important to have fun with these drills and push yourself to improve. Dribbling takes a lot of practice, so keep at it, and you'll see progress over time!
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Using dribbling in a game
Dribbling is a fundamental skill in basketball that allows players to move the ball down the court, evade defenders, and create scoring opportunities. Here are some tips for using dribbling in a game:
Learn the Basics
Dribbling is the act of bouncing the ball continuously with one hand at a time, using your fingertips instead of your palm. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart, bend your knees, and drop your hips back slightly. Avoid bending at the waist, as this can be bad for your back and make you more likely to stumble forward. Practice dribbling as often as you can with both hands to improve your ball handling skills and become a "match-up nightmare" for your opponents.
Protect the Ball
Keep your body between defenders and the ball. Never dribble on the same side of your body as the defender. Use your non-dribbling hand as an arm bar to protect the ball, but be careful not to push, strike, or drive through the defender with your arm.
Avoid Violations
Learn the rules around dribbling to avoid penalties. For example, avoid traveling (moving with the ball without dribbling), double dribbling (dribbling with both hands or dribbling, stopping, then dribbling again), and carrying (catching the ball with one hand and continuing to dribble without stopping the motion).
Advance the Ball
Use dribbling to advance the ball up the court, drive to the hoop, get open for a shot, or open up a passing lane. Dribbling allows for faster advancement and more scoring opportunities.
Be Aware of Your Surroundings
Keep your head up and look for your teammates, defenders, and the basket while dribbling. Practice dribbling without looking at the ball so you can maintain awareness of your surroundings during a game.
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Frequently asked questions
To dribble a basketball, you should only use one hand, with your fingertips touching the ball, not your palm. Keep your knees slightly bent and your feet spread about shoulder-width apart. Bounce the ball off the ground firmly and continue pushing it down each time it touches your fingertips.
To dribble without looking at the ball, keep your head up and eyes forward, watching the defence and looking for open teammates. Practice dribbling often, using each hand, and you will eventually be able to dribble without looking at the ball.
To improve your weak hand, do dribbling drills with more repetitions on your weak side. For example, you can try dribbling the ball between your legs, doing the drop and catch, or dribbling figure 8s.
When a defender is covering you, position yourself so that your body is between them and the ball. Use your non-dribbling hand as an arm bar to keep distance between yourself and the defender.
Some common violations to avoid include travelling, double dribbling, and carrying. Travelling includes moving with the ball without dribbling, such as taking an extra step or shuffling your feet. Double dribbling means dribbling with both hands at the same time or dribbling, stopping, and then dribbling again. Carrying means catching the ball with one hand and then continuing to dribble.
