Basketball Dribbling Workout (One Basketball)
Printout a copy of Dribbling Workout Sheet. Use the framework to pattern a dribbling workout to fit your needs. Remember, if you are in charge and know what you are dong, you stand a better chance of succeeding that when you simply rely on your coach to give you everything.
Stretching (flexibility)
It is always a good idea to stretch before practice. Come up with your 10 favorite exercises, however, be sure to include those that stretches your back, arms, legs, abdominal, and neck muscles. Hold each stretch for a count of 10 seconds.
Jump Rope
Jump rope drills will help develop your body balance rhythm and coordination, which is important when it comes to basketball handling. Again, get your jump rope and come up with 4 to 6 jump rope drills. You will do each drill 30 times.
Ball-handling
Ball-handling drills are great for developing your feel and touch for the basketball. Once you develop this insight, you will be able to take your eyes off the basketball and concentrate on other aspects of the game. This insight (feel and touch) is what makes one a great basketball handler.
Come up with 6 to 10 ball-handling drills that you will when resting after a strenuous exercise like open dribbling. You can vary these ball-handling drills are you master. Limit each set to 10 repetitions.
Stationary Dribbling
These stationary dribbling drills will help you learn the right techniques before moving to open court dribbling.
- Straight dribbling (left and right hand)
- Front crossover dribbling (square "v" left, right and both hands)
- Between the legs dribbling (inside out and outside in)
- Behind the back (regular and low square "v")
- Reverse-spin
You will do each drill from the stationary position between 30 and 50 times. Each drill if your are tired, rest with a ball-handling drill. After each set say straight dribbling (left and right hand), do a one ball-handling.
Open Court Dribbling
- Straight up dribbling (left, right, and alternating hands)
- Front crossover (full and crossover fake)
- Between the legs crossover (inside out and outside-in)
- Behind the back crossover
- Reverse-spin crossover
- Hesitation Dribbling (left and right hand)
- Stop and go dribbling (left and right hand)
- Flip-fire or starter-step (left and right hand)
- Pull-back dribbling (left, right and alternating)
- Combination dribbling (alternating)
With the open court dribbling, you will dribble the length of the court using one dribbling technique. For example, you will dribble up and down the court three time for Straight up Dribbling. First with the left-hand, next with the right-hand, and the third time while alternating hands. After the set, rest with a ball-handling drill before going to the next drill. When it comes to open-court dribbling, do the drills two sets. This will not only develop your dribbling skills faster, it will also help develop your physical stamina.
Speed (quickness development) Dribbling
Start from one side of the block, dribble around the key and finish with a lay-up on the other side. Time yourself and try to make at least 60 layups (30 on each side) in 5 minutes. This is the best drill to increase your speed with the basketball. Vary the drill by using a change of pace technique like a crossover, etc. at the key-elbow in the later stages.
Stretching (cool down)
Always end your practice with a cool-down stretching session.
Practice Time
When you are finishing writing up your dribbling practice program, take it to the court and do a dry run timing yourself on each drill. When you get home, estimate how much time it will take you to finish the workout. Use this time as your starting point, and work to lower it every time you set out to practice.
When you practice with a certain goal in mind, you will be more focused. Expect to spend at an hour in the early stages of your workout. Gradually, you will lower your time, and at the mastery level, you will be able to put in an effective workout in about 43 minutes.
Remember, if you are going to be good at something, you must take time to learn it, master it, and perfect it with proper practice. Only then can you maintain that skill with regular practice, and dribbling is not exception. Basketball players fail because they have never actually taken the time to learn the proper way to dribble. Those that have actually learned the proper techniques have not taken the time to perfect the skill. You cannot maintain a skill that has not been perfected with regular practice. To learn more about athletic perfection, clink on Success Secret through Practice.