Content

• Method 2 of 3: Part Two: Dribbling the Ball All Over the Court
• Method 3 of 3: Part Three: Advanced Ball Handling Training
• Tips

1 Touch the ball with your fingertips, not your palm. When dribbling it, make sure that your hands make contact with the ball properly: have full control of the bounce of the ball and do not use too much hand force to support the bouncing projectile. For this reason, do not slap the ball with your palm. Rather, try to handle it with the phalanges of your fingers. Spread your fingers across the entire surface of the ball for a wider, more balanced grasp.

• This is not the only reason to use more fingertips when handling the ball. This will teach you how to dribble faster. Indiana Pacers player Paul George strongly recommends that you refrain from touching the ball with your palm, as this "slows down the whole dribbling process."

2 Get into a low stance. When dribbling the ball, it is not entirely wise to stand upright, constantly rising and falling. In the case of a straight stand, the ball will have to cover the distance from the upper body to the floor and back all the time; bouncing, he will leave a wide space for counterplay of the enemy. Therefore, before starting the pass with the ball, get into a low defensive position. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend them at the knees and lower your hips back a little (as if you were sitting in a chair). Keep your head and upper body upright. The result is an excellent balanced pose - it protects the ball, giving you enough freedom of action.

• Do not bend at the waist (as if you want to lift something from the ground). In addition to being bad for your back, this position is rather wobbly, which means it's easier to accidentally stumble, which, depending on the game situation, can be a big mistake.

3 Learn to bounce the ball. Here it is! While working with the ball with your fingertips, take it in your supporting hand and tap it on the ground. Do this firmly, but not so hard that you will have to use your hand force or you will have trouble controlling the ball. Your dribbling should be fast, but also steady and controlled. Every time the ball returns to your hand, touch it with your fingertips without trying to grab or catch at all costs. Then push the ball down with calculated strokes of the wrist and forearm: again, these actions should not be tiring on the hands. The ball should hit the floor slightly to the side and in front of the feet on the same side of the body as the dominant hand.

• When you start learning to dribble for the very first time, you have the opportunity to hold your gaze on the ball while dribbling until you feel its weight. However, you need to switch to dribbling without looking at the ball as quickly as possible. You are expected to be able to do this at all stages of the game.

4 Keep your hand on top of the ball. When dribbling, it is very important to keep the ball flying under control. You should never allow the ball to bounce far away from you, as this will give the other team the opportunity to take possession of the ball for free. Try to keep your palm directly over the ball as you move so that the upward bounce comes directly to your palm. This will allow better control of the ball as you move around the court.

• Another reason to keep your hand above the ball while dribbling is to catch it instantly from below, which in any case results in a penalty for breaking the rules of basketball. To avoid this, hold your palm over the ball and towards the floor while dribbling.

5 Keep the ball low. The shorter and faster the ball bounces, the harder it is for your opponent to steal it. The surest way to make them shorter is to just bend over and hold him closer to the ground. And since you are already in a low position (bending your knees and dropping your hips), you should not feel discomfort when you move the ball somewhere below. Leave your knees bent, lower your supporting arm down to the side of your leg and dribble in short, fast strokes.

• You should not bend over to the side when dribbling in a low position. If this happens, then you are probably dribbling the ball too low. Remember that when you are in a low position, your highest bounce point must be at hip level: this retains most of the defensive advantages of low dribbling.

Method 2 of 3: Part Two: Dribbling the Ball All Over the Court

1. 1 Keep your head up. While you are just starting to work on dribbling, and have not yet begun to do this movement intuitively, it is difficult not to look at the ball while dribbling. However, it is very important to practice looking at anything else (or everything around). During the game, you will need to look at your teammates, keep your eyes on the defender and generally be aware of where the basket is located. You simply cannot do this if you spend a lot of time peeking at the ball.
   • Serious training is the only way to gain confidence in your dribbling skills. When you play basketball, you shouldn't waste time on trivialities in your dribbling technique. Dribbling has to become second nature - you have to trust that it will return to your hand without looking at it.
2. 2 Be aware of where you are dribbling. When you dribble during a match, the way you dribble will change depending on the position of the other players and the environment around you. If you are in an open position (for example, when you put the ball into play after the opposing team has scored into the basket), you can dribble the ball in front of you, which will allow you to run as fast as possible. However, when you are close to defenders (especially if they are guarding you), drop the ball to the correct side (behind or in front of your feet) and adopt a low defensive stance. Thus, the opponent will have to go around you to get to the ball, which is much more difficult to reach. You can find yourself with a nose.
3. 3 Keep your torso between your guarding opponent and the ball. When you are covered by one or more foreign players - that is, they follow you and try to steal the ball and / or block shots and passes - defend the ball with your body. Never lead him where a member of the opposing team is standing. Better to be in a position where your torso is between the defender and the ball, which makes it difficult for your opponent to steal (remember, he can't just push you out of his way or kick you to get the ball without risking a foul).
   • You are free to take your hand not only for dribbling, but also by putting it behind your back. Raise your free hand, make a fist, pushing your forearm towards your opponent. Be careful when using hand strength. Don't push, punch your opponent, or swing your arms to clear your way to the ring. Instead, refer to the movements shown for defensive purposes (like a shield) to keep space between yourself and the defender.
4. 4 Do not stop. In basketball, attacking players are only allowed to start and end dribbling once per ball. When conducting it during the game, do not stop for anything until you know exactly what the next plans are. Once you stop, you will no longer be allowed to dribble the ball again, and if he is smart enough, the enemy will be able to take advantage of your inability to act.
   • If you have stopped dribbling, then your further options can be: pass, shoot to the basket, or tackle the ball. If you are planning to do one of the first two points, then stop abruptly and do what you have planned immediately - otherwise the opponent's defense will act and a third case will happen, whether you like it or not!
5. 5 Get a feel for when to pass. Dribbling isn't always the smartest way to move the ball around the court. Better to fold more often. Good passes are one of the cornerstones of an effective offensive.Passing the ball is faster than moving it while dribbling. It can be used to disorient the opposing team, or to pass the ball to a partner through a playing area occupied by rivals. Don't be greedy: if dribbling the ball to the rim means passing through several defenders, then passing it to a partner is considered the best idea to get more shot chances.
6. 6 Avoid jogging. There are some basic rules that govern your dribbling behavior in basketball. Learn these rules! A reckless violation of the dribbling rules can lead to a penalty, suspension of the attack of his team and simple surrender of the ball to the opposite side. Avoid committing any of the following violations:
   • Run: Move with the ball in hand without dribbling. The run includes:
     • Extra step, skip, jump or shuffle
     • Carrying the ball while walking or running
     • Moving or changing the supporting leg while stopping
   • Double dribbling. This type of violation involves two separate violations:
     • Dribbling with both hands at the same time
     • Dribbling, stopping (catching or holding the ball) and then dribbling the ball again
   • "Pass": catching the ball with one hand with its further dribbling without stopping the movement. If it gets in your hands, your fingers will be holding the ball underneath, so toss it slightly to continue dribbling.

Method 3 of 3: Part Three: Advanced Ball Handling Training

1. 1 Practice the Triple Threat Stance. Triple Threat is a versatile pose that attacking players take after receiving the ball from a teammate, before resuming dribbling. In this position, the basketball player has the right to start a stroke, throw around the ring or make a pass. This stance will allow you to defend the ball with your hands and body until you decide on specific actions.
   • The triple threat holds the ball close to the body, with a strong arm on top and a weak arm on the bottom. Get into a low position and bring your elbows back, bent 90 °. The body should be tilted slightly forward over the ball. In this position, it will be very difficult for the enemy to take him away from you.
2. 2 Practice crossover techniques. Crossover is a dribbling technique designed to destabilize and direct the defender in the opposite direction. The player dribbles the ball in front of his body, throwing it between his hands in a "V" shape. By demonstrating your body movements, you will be able to get the defender to move towards the ball while he is in one hand, and then suddenly throw the ball over the body into the other hand. This action will make it possible to swiftly move the ball around the opponent or pass it when the balance is lost.
   • One of the useful dribbling techniques is In & Out. Basically, you are pretending that you are going to crossover, but you continue to hold the ball in the same hand.
3. 3 Dribble behind your back. When you are covered by a defender you cannot get rid of, it may take all your imagination to dribble the ball and get out of the hands of your opponent. One of the classic ways to deceive an opponent is dribbling behind the back. This method takes a lot of practice, but it's worth it - when done well, behind-the-back tricks can make the other player go wrong.
4. 4 Practice dribbling between your legs. Another classic way to handle the ball is dribbling between the legs. You've probably seen all the Harlem Globetrotters do it, especially LeBron James, and for good reason. Fast, well-executed dribbling between the legs can put even the most skilled defenders in a quandary.

Tips

• Practice with a friend.
• Use both hands!
• Find out the size of your basketball. The standard volume of the male ball is 483.4 cm3, while the female ball is 467 cm3. This difference matters, especially when dribbling and shooting.Also, some basketballs are designed to be played indoors or outdoors, so keep this in mind to prevent premature wear.
• Set up an obstacle course. You can use cones or trash cans or even shoes.
• Dribble two basketballs at the same time.
• Start slowly. Start with standard exercises and work out your plan before starting a full training session. With confidence, you will be able to do more difficult obstacle courses or ask a friend to work out together.
• Squeeze a rubber ball or other projectile when outside the basketball court. This will improve hand strength and give you more control, both when dribbling and shooting.
• Practice a tennis ball.
• You will find some good ball exercises here.