Did you ever wonder how Kobe Bryant or
Dwight Howard seem to hang in the air longer
than everyone else when they go up for a slam dunk? Well, actually,
they
don't — it just seems that way because they hold on to the ball longer
than most players before shooting or dunking. Hang time depends
entirely on the force generated by a player's legs when he leaves the
ground (how hard they push off the ground) and the jump's
height (the higher the jump, the longer the hang time). The average NBA
player can make a 3-foot high jump when going up for a shot or dunk,
with a hang time of less than 1 second!
Basketball is fun to play in pick up games in the yard with your pals, or you can join an organized league. Different positions rely on different skills — point guards should focus on their dribbling and passing, while centers and forwards should be powerful rebounders and shooters. Outside guards need to be quick and strong to make those 3-point shots
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Here's a few tips to help
any beginner get started:
How to Dribble.
Bounce the ball on the floor with
your
strongest arm. When it bounces back, use your fingertips to stop the
upward motion and push it back to the floor, keeping it about waist
high when it bounces. Once you've mastered dribbling in place with one
hand, switch to the other and begin to move around as you dribble.
Practicing dribbling by moving the ball in a figure eight between your
legs is one good way to build your skills.
How to Pass
the Ball. Face the person you're
passing
to, with your head up and knees slightly bent. Spread your fingers wide
and hold the ball at chest level, elbows out. Extend your arms, take a
step toward the person you're passing to, and snap your wrists forward
and up as you release the ball.
How to Shoot
a Layup. Start about 10 feet in
front of
and to the right of the basket. Dribble toward the basket, timing it so
that your last step is with your left foot. Holding the ball with both
hands (left in front, right in back), jump off your left foot, let go
with your left hand, and extend your right arm fully to release the
ball at the top of your jump. Keeping your eyes on where you want the
ball to go really helps land this shot!
How to Cut,
Stop, and Land a Jump. Ease up on
your cuts
or pivots by making them less sharp to avoid rotating your knees. When
stopping, rather than coming to a sudden stop or bringing your weight
down on one foot with a single step, use the "stutter step" to slow
yourself down by taking two extra steps. When landing your jumps, do it
softly by bending your knees over your feet (which should be pointed
straight ahead) when you hit the ground. Instead of landing
flat-footed, land on either the balls or toes of your feet and rock
back toward your heels.
Basketball means lots of running - up and down the court. You'll often use quick bursts of speed and turn your body quickly in many different directions. All this movement help build muscles in your legs and strengthen your core! You'll build stronger abs reaching to get the ball and going after rebounds.
Basketball
will help you burn a ton of calories in a short time! You can quickly
lose
those extra pounds if you take up basketball. Building those muscles
and your stamina requires
eating healthy foods! Once you get
started you'll soon see that basketball is a great way
to lose belly fat!
All that
running around really helps shape
your body faster! If you've never played or been away from
the game for a while you might want to gradually build your endurance -
and your muscles! Try these ten
tips for better fitness and these tips for building healthy muscles.
As with any sport, take some time to warm up before you play. Try
jumping rope or jogging in
place
for a few minutes. Then, spend a few minutes stretching those muscles!
And, after
you leave the court be sure to spend a few minutes cooling down. Slowly
let your heart rate come down. Then finish off your fun with
some more stretching. Take care of your muscles and make
stretching a part of every sport you
enjoy. Basketball is a fun way to burn a bunch of calories and
improve your health and fitness!