Practicing Basketball Without a Hoop
So, you're in a place without any hoops but with a basketball. Some methods you can do to practice basketball without relying on a hoop.
1) TUB throws:
You can use a tub to
practice basketball throw. Anyone who has a basket or a tub at home can use it
to practice throwing.
Bring a tub or a
bucket and place it 10 m away. Try to throw basketball in the tub as often as
not and markdown progress. It helps to practice basketball without a hoop, make
sure you are making gains in each practice session.
At beginner level If
10 m is too far, you can shorten it and use a distance that's easy to throw the ball
towards.
By the time you
reach that level like if 5 m distance is enough, add 2m to the original length
and improve your throwing ability.
I have used this
method and it proves beneficial in gradually improving my basketball shooting
abilities.
2) Practice balance:
If you lack a hoop
it doesn't mean you should give up on basketball. This game is more than
putting a ball in a hoop and requires many skills.
One of those skills
is "Balance" maintaining a good ball balance is crucial in dribbling,
throwing, or giving a pass.
Way to achieve perfect balance:
If you can't even
handle the ball accurately what's the point of a hoop. Firstly, try to get a
grip on the ball.
Use a hand that is
non-dominant and try to dribble the ball through it. The more you use your
non-dominant hand the more you will be able to control.
Learning to handle the ball in both hands will give you an advantage in the field as you can throw freely whenever you acquire open space.
3) Practice with a straight wall:
Stand across a
straight wall and try to shoot on a target. Mark the target with paint or some
kind of dark spot; it could be as small as led light that's switched on when
you hit the mark maintaining perfect position and posture.
Note down each
successful hit and misses tracking your progress. Each practice session should
bring improvement. At the end of the month, you will have a progress report.
Keep the distance as
much as you want it doesn't necessarily need to be the exact height of the
basketball hoop, main key is to practice hitting the target while maintaining
balance and accuracy.
Without a basketball
hoop, it will help to hit higher targets and improve your confidence in the
game.
4) Pick another target:
If you are in a
place that lacks walls you can use your ground as a target place.
Draw a white line
across your position. It could be 8, 10, or 12 m apart you can draw and hit
that line. Don't pass over the line try to hit accurately on the spot.
This will help in
practicing passes and long throws. It will teach to aim accurately. Aiming is
also part of the game this approach is proven to be beneficial.
Record your progress on a piece of paper and see how well you perform in each practice session.
5) Do chair sitting dribbles:
It shows you to
practice handling. This involves sitting on a chair and doing dribbles, it's
that easy.
Whenever you are in
the field you have to lower your body and do dribbles, this practice will make
you prepared for that.
It is being
discussed in the basketball community:
"Dribble like you're hammering nails and shoot as it is
being judged”
Sitting chair dribbles will enable you to lower your body and dribble in the field, it helps in making that muscle memory that forms a posture all without having to rely on a basketball hoop.
6) Practice dribbling ball with speed:
Practice dribbling
with acceleration. Dribbling on a stationary point is easy you need to learn
how to dribble accurately with the speed involved.
When you learned to
dribble try to practice with moving dribbles and learn to maintain posture like
face-up dribbles.
Your face should not
be on the ground when you are moving the ball, it should be facing up so you
can have a good watch where your defense and open is. Practicing this in a
moving position will help to improve basketball skills
Lowering body and
moving dribble practice will definitely help to become good at the game without
using a basketball hoop.
7) Forget about the ball:
Let me explain what
it means. Ever imagine yourself playing basketball without a ball. Never, but
if you can play basketball without a ball you can become a pro.
In the game majority
of the time, you don't have a ball. You need to learn how to move, focus, aim
and learn to get a pass successfully without relying on the ball.
Whenever you are
playing defense you don’t have a ball, how to do a better defense is the key to
winning in basketball matches. A good defense skill is learned by practicing without a
ball. Even big players know how to do a good defense and block all without
relying on the ball.
If you can make
yourself good at these it can become a game-changer. You don't need to rely on
the balls to do that just get your 1 or 2 friends to play.
You should practice
correct foot movement, posture, balance, field awareness in your favor.
All these will help
in playing basketball without the need for a hoop and the good thing is you can
practice anywhere even without relying on the ball itself.
8 ) Build Endurance:
Building endurance
and stamina is a big part of the game. You don't need a basketball hoop to
train endurance.
Practice running
daily do 1 to 2hr and try to increase your aerobic exercise routine. There are
many programs online which will teach how can obtain optimal health and
stamina.
One of those programs can be found here: howyou can increase your dunks for basketball.
Summarizing:
Ways to Practice Basketball Without a Hoop:
- TUB throw
- Practice balance
- Practice with a straight wall
- Pick another target
- Do chair sitting dribbles
- Practice dribbling ball with speed
- Forget about the ball
- Build Endurance
