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If you want to practise basketball at home, there are plenty of drills you can do to improve your game. You can work on your dribbling skills by setting up chairs and dribbling around or through them, or by dribbling the length of a court, focusing on keeping control of the ball and trying different moves. You can also practise your ball handling skills by standing with your feet together and taking the ball around your body from right hand to left, circling your head, waist, legs and ankles. To improve your hand-eye coordination, try passing a tennis ball back and forth between your hands, or through your legs. You can also try visualisation: imagine there are three seconds left in a game and you have the last shot, or pretend to shoot a half-court shot into a recycling bin with an empty bottle.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Equipment | Basketball, tennis ball, plastic bag, chairs |
| Drills | Dribbling, layups, ball handling, shooting |
| Techniques | Muscle memory, hand-eye coordination, visualisation |
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What You'll Learn
Dribbling drills
Dribbling is a fundamental skill in basketball, and there are many ways to practice dribbling drills at home. Here are some ideas for how to improve your dribbling skills:
- Set up some chairs and practice dribbling around or through them. This helps with agility and control.
- Practice dribbling the full length of a court (or a similar distance in your practice space) using different moves: between the legs, behind the back, crossover, etc. Focus on keeping control of the ball.
- Work on your ball handling skills by simulating a behind-the-back dribble: stand with your feet together and take the ball around your body, from right hand to left, circling your head, waist, legs, and ankles. Keep your eyes up to develop a feel for the ball without watching it. Time yourself to see how quickly you can complete this drill.
- Get into an athletic stance and dribble the ball a few inches off the ground. Twist your body to the right, keeping your feet in place, and dribble as far to the right as you can. Move the ball back and twist to the left. Repeat this drill to improve your crossover move.
- Practice dribbling with control by bending your knees and dribbling the ball back and forth from left hand to right hand.
- Spread 7-10 cones (or similar markers) in a 10-15 yard grid and try to touch as many cones as possible in a set time. After touching a cone, move on to touch at least two others before returning to the first cone. Try to touch all the cones at least once. This drill helps with agility and control.
- If you have space, practice dribbling at different angles and speeds around your body. This will help you get comfortable with the feel of the basketball.
Remember, you can always adapt these drills to your available space and equipment. Practicing dribbling at home will help improve your ball handling skills and control, which are essential for becoming a better basketball player.
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Muscle memory exercises
Muscle memory is key in basketball training, especially in high-stress environments. It allows your body to rely on what it can do naturally, without having to think about the movements. To build muscle memory, you need to perform an action repeatedly until it becomes second nature. Here are some muscle memory exercises you can do at home to improve your basketball skills:
Dribbling Drills
Dribbling is one of the most important skills in basketball, as it allows you to move with the ball and create scoring opportunities. To improve your dribbling, you can use a tennis ball, which is smaller and more challenging to control than a basketball. Start by dribbling the tennis ball for at least 30 minutes a day, working on your control and feel for the ball. You can set up chairs and dribble around or through them to create a course. Focus on keeping your eyes up and improving your hand-eye coordination. Once you're comfortable with the tennis ball, switch to a basketball and repeat the drills. You can also practice crossover dribbling and dribbling with your off hand to improve your ball handling skills.
Shooting Drills
Another way to build muscle memory is by working on your shooting form. Lie on your back and go through your shooting motion, raising your arms into a shooting position and shooting the ball straight up in the air. Focus on your follow-through, from your elbow to the tips of your fingers. This drill helps you develop a consistent shooting form, which is essential for accurate shooting in a game situation.
Ball Handling Drills
Improving your ball handling skills will make you a more versatile player. Stand with your feet together and take the ball around your body, starting with your right hand and moving the ball from your head to your waist, legs, and then ankles. Circle each area with the basketball, working your way back up to your head, and then repeat with your left hand. Keep your eyes up throughout the drill to improve your feel for the ball. You can also try dribbling a slippery basketball, such as one inside a plastic bag, to challenge yourself and improve your reflexes.
Visualization
Visualization is a powerful tool to improve your basketball skills without even stepping onto a court. It involves putting yourself in game-like situations in your mind, such as pretending you have the last shot of the game or shooting a half-court shot into a recycling bin. Visualization helps you prepare for in-game scenarios, so when you face them in real life, you'll be more confident and prepared.
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Ball handling skills
Improving your ball-handling skills is an important aspect of basketball practice. Even if you don't have access to a basketball court or hoop, you can still work on your dribbling skills.
One drill you can do is to stand with your feet together and take the ball around your body, starting with your right hand and moving the ball from your head, to your waist, legs, and then ankles. Circle each area with the basketball, and then work your way back up to your head before repeating with your left hand. Keep your eyes up throughout the drill to get a feel for the ball without watching it. Time yourself to see how quickly you can complete the drill.
You can also work on your dribbling by simply dribbling a lot and trying out every kind of dribble you can think of. Set up chairs and practice dribbling around or through them. Practice dribbling the full length of a court, if you have access to one, and focus on keeping control of the ball while trying out different moves like between the legs, behind the back, and crossover dribbles.
Additionally, you can improve your hand-eye coordination by passing a tennis ball back and forth between your hands, moving it around your body and through your legs. You can also try dribbling with a tennis ball or putting your basketball inside a plastic bag to make it slippery and create unpredictable bounces, which will challenge your reflexes.
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Hand-eye coordination
Another creative way to enhance hand-eye coordination is to put a basketball inside a plastic bag. The bag makes the ball slippery, and the knot creates unpredictable bounces, challenging your reflexes and coordination. Additionally, you can work on your ball handling skills by simulating a behind-the-back dribble move. Stand with your feet together and take the ball around your body, starting with your right hand and moving it to your left. Circle the ball around your head, waist, legs, and ankles, keeping your eyes up to ensure you're feeling the position of the ball without watching it.
Dribbling is a fundamental skill in basketball, and you can practice this at home. Set up some chairs and practice dribbling around and through them, working on different dribble techniques. You can also practice dribbling the length of a court if you have access to one, focusing on maintaining control of the ball while trying various moves, such as between the legs, behind the back, and crossover dribbles.
Lastly, muscle memory plays a significant role in improving hand-eye coordination. One way to build muscle memory is by lying on your back and practicing your shooting motion. Raise your arms into a shooting position and shoot the ball straight up in the air, focusing on the follow-through from your elbow to your fingertips. These drills and exercises will help you develop better hand-eye coordination, which is essential for basketball.
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Visualisation techniques
Visualisation is a powerful tool that can be used to improve your basketball skills. It involves creating a basketball event in your mind, and it is used by Olympic athletes as a critical part of their training.
To get the most out of visualisation, you need to involve sight, sound, and feeling. It is important to visualise in the first person, out of your own eyes, rather than watching yourself in the third person. You need to feel the basketball in your hands and see the ball leaving them. You can also visualise in slow motion to focus on specific details, such as footwork.
You can also use visualisation to prepare mentally for a game. This can help you overcome nerves and fears by calming and centring yourself. Think of positive plays or positive thoughts, and when negative thoughts come up, bring your mind back to being positive.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several drills you can do at home to improve your basketball skills. Here are some suggestions:
- Work on your dribbling skills by setting up chairs and dribbling around/through them.
- Practice your ball handling skills by standing with your feet together and taking the ball around your body from right hand to left hand, circling your head, waist, legs, and ankles.
- Lay on your back, raise your arms into a shooting position, and shoot the ball straight up in the air to build muscle memory.
To improve your ball handling skills, you should focus on improving your hand-eye coordination. Passing a tennis ball or a basketball back and forth between your hands, moving it around your body, or dribbling can help with this. You can also try putting a basketball inside a plastic bag to make it slippery and create unpredictable bounces, challenging your reflexes.
No, it is not necessary to go to a court to improve your basketball skills. You can practice at home by doing various drills and visualising game-like situations. Visualisation can help you prepare for different scenarios that you may encounter during a game. However, going to a court and practising with others can also be beneficial when you feel comfortable doing so.
