User: Jjpref
Proper foul shooting
In the highly competitive sport of basketball, the art of foul shooting has become more and more important in deciding the outcome of a particular contest. Upon review of the statistics of a game, many times it is the foul shooting percentage which ultimately decides the final score. A seemingly easy, uncontested attempt from 15 feet away from the basket can be the make or break moment for a season of hard work and preparation.
Proper mechanics in attempting a foul shot will many times eliminate potential misses. The Mechanics of foul shooting can be broken down into three basic categories: Posture and balance, Aim and motion during the shot, and Holding a proper follow through.
1) Posture and balance: This can be achieved by keeping the feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart and placing the shooters dominant foot approximately 2-3 inches in front of the other foot. Next, bend the knees to provide a sense of spring in the stance. The elbow on the shooting hand should be kept just inside the edge of the torso and the ball should be placed on the shooting hand, supported by the fingertips. If the ball is properly supported by the fingertips, there should be daylight between the ball and the palm of the shooting hand. The non-shooting hand should be placed along the side of the ball with just enough pressure to provide stability during the shooting motion. The shooting hand should be positioned 3-4 inched in front of the shooters chin and the shooters back should rigid, creating a sense of "centeredness" prior to starting with the shooting motion. The shooter should take a couple of deep breaths while going through the shot preparation to relax the muscles.
2) Aim and motion: Once proper posture and shooting position have been achieved, the shooter should now take aim at a point approximately 1-2 inches above the front of the rim. This will give the proper depth perception and allow the brain to provide the innate calculations necessary to shoot the ball the correct distance to the center of the hoop. Many times a particular routine such as bouncing the ball a specific number of times or spinning the ball in the hands will provide a sense of fluidity to the shooting motion. The shooter should now begin the shooting motion by bending the knees and starting a upward vertical motion. It is important to try to keep the body from swaying at this point so that the upward motion is as "columnated" as possible. The shooter should now be raising the body by using the balls of the feet and the toes for stability and continue to the top of the shooting motion, finishing on the shooters toes. One thought should be to attempt to shoot the ball "up" and not "out". By shooting the ball "up" the arc of the shot will create a "softer" landing should the ball contact a portion of the rim.
3) Holding a proper follow through: Upon the release of the ball, the shooter must maintain a solid follow through to ensure the motion was finished properly. The easiest way to hold the follow through is to have the fingers of the shooting hand pointing towards the basket with the back of the hand facing the sky. This hand position should be maintained until the ball touches either the rim or the netting.
Summary
Proper mechanics in foul shooting can be rather easy if the shooter is dedicated to taking advantage of an opportunity to help his or her team by converting an uncontested shot attempt into points. The one ideal to remember in proper foul shooting is repetition, repetition, and more repetition. this will provide the muscle memory necessary to provide a sense of confidence that, no matter what the circumstances, the outcome will create more made shots than missed ones!