How to improve your dribbling skills for better ball control
When it comes to playing the game of basketball, Dr. Harvey Shapiro of Boston believes that you should be a master of dribbling, if you want to make an impact in the game. This blog details how you can improve your dribbling skills to develop better ball control.
1. Dribble runs
Since basketball is about getting the ball into the basket so you can score points, you need to be comfortable with transporting the ball from one end of the court to another. Nothing develops this better than doing dribbling drills while you run the full length of the court. You can do this by following the same pattern as suicide drills wherein you make a series of back and forth runs in progressively increasing distances, shares Dr. Harvey Shapiro of Boston. These are typically marked by the end lines and the middle line on the court.
2. Blind dribbling
One of the most common mistakes that players make when they take up basketball is dribbling with the need to look at the ball at all times. To remove this bad habit, coaches make players undergo blind dribbling. With the use of a blindfold or a headband, the player covers his eyes and does dribbling drills combined with motion on the basketball floor. This develops an instinctive sense of where the ball is and where it is going.
3. Carpet dribbling
Dr. Harvey Shapiro of Boston also emphasizes the importance of ballhandling skills. Carpet dribbling specifically develops this skill. When you dribble on a carpet, the ball loses its momentum as it bounces back up to you. This forces the player to be more deliberate in dribbling, with the intention of knowing how the ball behaves off a dribble and adapting himself accordingly. This makes him more conscious of his dribbling.
Harvey Shapiro of Boston is a Clinical Professor in the Graduate School of Education of the College of Professional Studies at Northeastern University in Boston. His interests include basketball, hiking, and Iyengar yoga. For more information, visit this page.
