Helena Frye
Palming a basketball is a challenging skill to master, requiring strong fingers, powerful grip strength, and large hands. It involves controlling the basketball with one hand, using a combination of grip strength, hand-eye coordination, and agility. This skill is crucial for basketball players looking to enhance their ball-handling abilities, as it allows for improved control and handling, making it easier to manoeuvre and execute moves with precision. To learn how to palm a basketball, players can start by doing finger stretches and exercises to strengthen their grip, such as pull-ups and fingertip push-ups. They can then progress to practising with different-sized basketballs, starting with a rubber women's basketball and working their way up to a men's leather basketball.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Very challenging |
| Prerequisites | Large hands, strong fingers, strong grip |
| Exercises | Finger stretches, fingertip push-ups, pull-ups, ball squeezing, claw exercise, palm stretching, plate pinch gripping |
| Technique | Place palm flat on basketball, wrap fingers around it, roll hand clockwise and counterclockwise |
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Hand size and strength
Hand size is a significant factor in being able to palm a basketball. The span of your hand from the tip of your thumb to the tip of your pinky finger should ideally be more than 8 1/4 inches. If your hand size is smaller, it may be more challenging to palm a men's leather basketball, but you can still work on palming smaller balls or rubber basketballs.
Hand strength and grip strength are also essential for palming a basketball. You need to develop the pinch grip, which is the grip between your fingers and thumb. This type of grip allows you to securely hold the basketball with one hand. You can improve your pinch grip strength by doing exercises such as fingertip push-ups, pull-ups, and finger stretches.
To strengthen your fingers and improve your grip, try exercises like squeezing a ball or doing "claw" exercises, where you bend your fingers to touch the base of the finger joints and hold this position for 30-60 seconds. You can also practice squeezing the basketball itself, working on building strength in your fingertips.
Another exercise to try is palm stretching. Place your hand palm-down on a flat surface and spread out your fingers, especially your pinky finger. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds to one minute, being careful not to force your joints. You can also try pushing your fingers up and back towards your wrist with your other hand and holding for 20 seconds.
Developing hand strength and grip strength will not only help you palm a basketball but will also improve your overall performance on the court. It will enable you to securely hold the ball, making it easier to maneuver and control during dribbling, catching passes, and shooting.
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Finger stretches
Claw Stretch
Hold your hand out in front of you and bend your fingers until your fingertips touch the base of your finger joints. Your hand should resemble a claw. Hold this position for at least 30 seconds, up to one minute. Repeat this exercise with both hands.
Finger Stretch
Find a table or another flat surface and place your hand on it, palm-down. Stretch your fingers out as flat as you can and hold for 30 seconds to one minute before releasing. If you cannot flatten your hand completely, work towards it gradually. Repeat this exercise a few times with each hand. Ensure that you do not force your joints or lift your wrist or palm when doing this stretch.
Palm Stretch
Place your hand on a flat surface, palm-down, and spread your fingers out. Stretch your pinky finger as far as you can and brace your thumb against the palm of your other hand. Lift your hand off the table, keeping your fingers pressed onto the surface. Press your fingers into the table as you stretch your palm. Hold for 20 seconds, then switch hands.
Thumb Stretch
Hold your hand in front of you with your palm facing up and stretch your thumb away from your hand.
Resistance Band Stretch
Using a resistance band, wrap it around your hand with your palm facing the ceiling. Gently curl your wrist, hand, and fingers upwards against the resistance. Repeat this exercise 10 times.
Fingertip Push-ups
Get into a standard push-up position with your hands about shoulder-width apart. Instead of placing your palms on the floor, balance yourself on your fingertips.
Towel Grip
Adjust a barbell or Smith machine bar to waist height and wrap two towels over the bar about shoulder-width apart, with the ends hanging evenly. Lie down on the floor underneath the bar and grasp the ends of the towels. Keeping your back and legs straight and your glutes contracted, pull your chest up to the bar.
Plate Pinch Grip
Hold a weight plate in each hand while walking, or try grasping a weight plate with just your fingers. You can also use a couple of 5-lb plates and work your way up to heavier weights.
Rubber Ball Squeeze
Place a rubber ball, stress ball, or tennis ball in the palm of your hand. Squeeze your fingers around it as tightly as possible and hold for a count of five.
Barbell Reverse Grip Curls
Attach a straight curl bar to a cable and adjust the height to the top of the tower. Grasp the bar with an underhand grip and keep your elbows close to your body and your back straight. Push the bar down until your elbows are straight, then slowly raise it back up until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle.
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Grip types
To palm a basketball, you need strong fingers, a lot of grip strength, and big hands. There are three types of grip strength: crush grip, supportive grip, and pinch grip.
The crush grip is the grip between your fingers and your palm—the one you use for shaking hands and crushing objects. The crush grip requires more flexor strength in your four larger fingers in a fully contracted state.
The pinch grip is the grip between your fingers and your thumb. This is the type of grip strength you need for palming a basketball. The pinch grip requires a lot of strength in the open-handed (straight-finger) state, especially in your little finger. The little finger flexors tend to be naturally weak, but they respond well to training.
- Start with a couple of 5-pound plates. If that's too easy, move up to 10-pound plates.
- If that's too easy, go up to a 10 on the thumb side and a 25 on the other side. If that's still too easy, use two 25-pound plates.
- Do plate pinch gripping using just your thumb and little finger. Simply pinch a plate (or plates) between your thumb and little finger and hold for 20 seconds.
To work up to palming a basketball, you can also practice with different-sized basketballs, starting with a rubber women's basketball and working your way up to a men's leather basketball.
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Ball control
Exercises to Improve Grip Strength:
Start by doing various finger stretches to enhance finger strength and flexibility. Place your hand palm-down on a flat surface, stretch your fingers as flat as possible, and hold for 30 seconds to one minute. Repeat this exercise a few times with each hand. Additionally, try the "claw" exercise: bend your fingers and try to make your fingertips touch the base of your finger joints. Hold this "claw" position for 30 to 60 seconds, then release. You can also practice fingertip push-ups and pull-ups to strengthen your grip.
Palming Technique:
When palming a basketball, place your palm flat on the ball and wrap your fingers around it firmly. Ensure your fingers cover most of the ball, staying clear of the seams. Maintain a tight grip by keeping your fingers wrapped around the ball and your palm flat. Roll your hand clockwise, then counterclockwise, until you feel a strong connection between your palm and the ball. This technique will provide stability and control, allowing you to manoeuvre the ball with precision.
Progressing with Different Balls:
Start by palming a rubber women's basketball and work your way up. Once you can palm a rubber women's basketball for two sets of 20 seconds per hand, move on to a leather women's basketball. Continue progressing to a men's rubber basketball and eventually a men's leather basketball. Practise this progression a few days a week until you can consistently palm a men's leather basketball for 20 seconds.
Practising Ball Movement:
Once you've developed the ability to palm the ball, focus on improving your overall ball control. Practise moving the ball around while palming it, such as doing a fake pass by thrusting the ball out as if to pass but keeping it in your hand with your fingertips. This will enhance your grip strength and ball handling skills, allowing you to execute moves with precision and creativity on the court.
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Exercises
To palm a basketball, you need strong fingers and a lot of grip strength. Here are some exercises to help you develop these:
Finger Stretches
Place your hand on a flat surface, palm-down, and stretch your fingers out as flat as you can. Hold for 30 seconds to one minute before releasing. Do not force your joints. If you can't flatten your hand completely, work up to it. Try this exercise a few times with each hand.
Thumb Stretches
Hold your hand in front of you with your palm facing up, and stretch your thumb away from your hand. Try to stretch your thumb as far away from your hand as possible. Now, stretch your thumb in the other direction, and try to touch it to the base of your pinky. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds to one minute, then repeat with the other hand.
Plate Pinching
Find two 5-pound plate weights and place them together. Grip the plates with your thumb on one plate and your fingers on the other. Hold the plates together for 20 seconds. As this becomes easier, increase the weight to continue building strength. For an added challenge, try gripping the plates using just your thumb and your pinky.
Rubber Band Exercise
Place a rubber band around your fingers, just below your nails. Spread your fingers as far apart as possible. Do this 10 times for each hand.
Resistance Band Exercise
Grab the ends of a resistance band and wrap it around your hands. Step on the centre of the band and position your hands so that your palms are facing the ceiling. Gently curl your wrists, hands, and fingers upwards against the resistance. Do this 10 times.
Fingertip Push-ups
Fingertip push-ups strengthen the arm muscles and improve grip strength. This exercise is a variation of the traditional push-up, with the only difference being that you will touch the ground with your fingertips instead of your entire hand.
Stress Ball Squeeze
Exercise your hands with a stress ball or tennis ball to keep your fingers strong. Squeeze the ball using only your fingertips for a few minutes every day to build finger strength.
Ball Palming
Start with a smaller-sized ball and work your way up. Try to hold the ball as long as you can, and practice squeezing it.
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Frequently asked questions
Palming refers to controlling a basketball with one hand, using grip strength, hand-eye coordination, and agility. It involves placing the basketball in the palm of your hand, allowing you to manoeuvre the ball effectively.
Palming improves your ball control and handling skills, making those challenging catches easier. It gives you a secure grip on the basketball and allows you to execute moves with precision and creativity.
While hand size does play a role in palming a basketball, it is not the only factor. People with smaller hands can also develop the necessary hand strength and technique to palm a basketball effectively.
You can improve your hand strength by doing finger stretches and exercises such as pull-ups, fingertip push-ups, and finger squeezes. You can also practice squeezing the basketball itself to build finger strength and grip strength.
Start by placing your palm flat on the basketball and wrapping your fingers around it firmly. Ensure your fingers cover most of the ball. Maintain this grip and roll your hand clockwise, then counterclockwise, feeling the connection between your palm and the ball. Hold each position for about 10 seconds.
