Drills and Their Benefits

1) Shooting Drill:  Have players shoot ten free throws.  Give ten seconds to shoot each free throw.  The players must make take ten shots and record shots made and missed.  If the players do not reach the goal of 80 free throws made as a unit they must run laps. The players must ran laps for how many free throws they did not make missing the mark of 80.  (E.g. Ten players shooting ten shots each, they must make at least 80 free throws as a unit: if they make 65, they must run 15 laps).

2)  Lateral or side Lunges:  The lateral or side lunge targets the the gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus, the quadriceps, and the adductor muscles.  All these muscles allow the explosion effect when going for a rebound.  After the players miss the must follow through and enter the recovery phase as shown below.  Working on these lunges benefits the free throw shooter and allows them to be elusive and try to get around the defender to have a chance at getting the ball.

                                               Beginning

Middle                                                   Ending

3)  Wrist Curls:  Wrist curls work on the finger flexors of the forearms and aid in wrist strength.  Wrist strength is key in shooting a basketball because the motion should end in just movement of the wrist.  The arms and shoulders should only act as synergist helpers with the action and should not facilitate the motion.  Seen in the follow through, the wrist is in full flexion at the ending of the release of the ball.

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"Practice makes perfect"

It is true, when it comes to free throws or anything for that matter, practice does make perfect.  Overall, the way to develop the skills of free throw shooting just comes with time and practice.  

For most players, you have to deal with the great amount of energy it takes to be in a basketball game, running up and down the court, switching from offense to defense.  It causes players to get tired and fatigue often.  Free throws give players time to relax and calm down, but for some players, the free throw line is a fear.

Here is one movement drill that helps players deal with the pressures and anonymity of being at the free throw line to shoot two. 

First, set up the player as if they are approaching the free throw line to shoot two free throws.

After the two free throws are shot whether they are made or not have the player grab their rebound and dribble up court and back down court. 

Have the players line back up at the free throw line to shoot two again.

Continue until you have a required amount of free throws made, for instance, continue the process until you make 10 free throws.

This drill works on increasing the players heart rate, making it more difficult for them to reach a calm state.  Doing this makes it feel like they are in a game time situation, fatigued and approaching the foul line.  It practices cooling down and trying to focus on making the free throws, it also focuses on dribbling, and rebounding.

This drill focuses upon cardiorespiratory endurance where you are doing an aerobic activity.  It focuses upon the muscles in the legs and the core or abdominals from the running, dribbling, and twisting combination.  Form is key when it comes down to shooting which is displayed in the continuation of this blog.  Speed remains a factor because you want your players to practice as if they are in a game situation where the must dribble as if they are on a fast break.   

Novice Video

Expert Video

Phase 1 - Stance

Novice

Expert

Stance

As you approach the foul line, get comfortable with your position, whether it be at the line or a few inches behind. 

The stance phase consists of the player getting comfortable.  Have both feet about shoulder width apart. Slightly bend the knees.


Scientific terminology:
Both subtalar joints, or feet, should be in an anatomical position as you approach the follow line.  Your body should be positioned in the cardinal planes.  There should be a slight flexion at the tibiofemoral joint about 20 degrees.   

Phase 2 - Preparation

The ball is then passed to the player when he/she is ready.  Some players choose to do things with the ball to get in the "groove."  Whether it be dribbling the ball or spinning it.  Some players see it as good luck or as a superstition.  It helps players to relax.

Have the less dominant hand on the side of the ball and the dominant hand on top.  Next, tuck your elbow "into" your side while holding onto the ball.  Now head up, and you are in the preparation phase.

Scientific Terminology:
Next, get in position to catch the ball.  When you catch the ball pronate the right hand and leave the left hand in anatomical positioning.  Have the pronated right hand on the top of the ball as shown above.  The hand should be on the side of the ball.  The phalanges should be horizontally abducted to hold the ball in a comfortable position.

Next, flex both humeroulnar joints, or elbows, to about 90 degrees in position keeping the ball distal to the joint.

Phase 3 - Movement

The next stage is the movement stage.  Starting off from the last step of the preparation phase you have your elbow and the ball tucked into your side. A constant could be looking at the back of the rim, or the so called, "back of the iron."  Next, you want to elevate the shoulder to where the ball rises above your head and shoot, while always focusing on the back of the iron.  The story goes, feet shoulder width apart, elbow tucked, BEND the knees, extend the arms, and wave good-bye to the ball (the release of the ball).  Notice I highlighted upon bending the knees.  Bending the knees allows you to get into a rythm and to generate some force to help in the movement of the ball.

Scientific Terminology:
The movement stage has your neck in a slight extension looking up at the rim of the basketball hoop.  Keeping both feet in anatomical position you want to flex at the knees slightly.  While doing flexion at the knees you also want to have flexion at the glenohumeral joint parallel to the ground.  Your upper extremities and the ball should be superior to your head.

The motion should occur in the sagittal plane and not break the mediolateral axis also known as the frontal-horizontal axis which is perpendicular to the sagittal plane.



 

Phase 4- Follow Through

The follow-through consists of the ball being released and the players dominant arm is extended and is in the direction of the basketball hoop.  Keeping the shooting arm up is a key component because it determines the direction of the ball. 

Scientific Terminology:
The ball should be released superior to the head and slightly anterior to the medial, or midline, of the body.  The shooting extremity should be in full flexion and the radiocarpal joint, or wrist, should be in full flexion.   

Phase 5 - Recovery and Definitions

Whether the shot is made or missed you must get back into the game somehow.  If the shot is missed there is always an opportunity to get the ball back as the offensive team to try for another score.  Following the shot as a free-throw shooter is an important part of the recovery.  If the shot is made than you must be prepared to get back in the defensive position because the opposing team has now shifted to offense.

Scientific Terminology:
The ball should follow an angular motion around the axis of rotation along a curvilinear line.  With this in mind the ball may or may not reach the ultimate goal of scoring a basket.  After shooting the ball you must get back in position to try and make a play at either the ball or in defense. 




Definitions:

Subtalar joint – lies beneath the talus.

Anatomical position – erect standing position with all body parts, including the palms of the hands, facing forward; considered the body position for body segment movement.

Flexion – a bending movement around a joint in a limb that decreases the angle between the bones of the limb at the joint.

Tibiofemoral joint - dual condyloid articulations between the medial and lateral condyles of the tibia and the femur, composing the main hinge joint of the knee.

Humeroulnar joint – gliding joint in which the capitellum of the humerus articulates with the proximal end of the radius. 

Distal – at a distance from the trunk.   

Cardinal planes – three imaginary perpendicular reference planes that divide the body in half by mass.

Pronate – combined conditions of dorsiflexion, eversion, and abduction.

Phalanges – any of the digital bones of the hand or foot.

Horizontal abduction – a transverse-plane motion that the arm moves horizontally backward and outward from a starting position of 90º of shoulder flexion.

Extension – the act of straightening or extending a limb.

Glenohumeral joint – ball-and-socket joint in which the head of the humerus articulates with the glenoid fossa of the scapula.

Upper extremities – the extremities which consist of the arm, the forearm, and hands.

Superior – closer to the head.

Sagittal plane – plane in which forward and backward movements of the body and body segments occur.

Mediolateral axis – imaginary lines around which sagittal plane rotations occur.

Frontal-horizontal axis – also known as the mediolateral axis.

Perpendicular – straight up and down.

Anterior – toward the front of the body.

Medial – toward the midline of the body.

Radiocarpal joint – condyloid articulations between the radius and the three carpal bones.

Angular motion – involving rotation around a central line or point.

Axis of rotation – imaginary line perpendicular to the plane of rotation and passing through the center of rotation.

Curvilinear line – along a curved line.