Free Throw Shooting

Free Throw Shooting 1.

Link to shooting tips

Free Throw Shooting 2.

Key elements for good shooting form:
1. Body Balance:
1. Feet should be shoulder width apart - shooting side foot slightly ahead.
Lead foot or shooting side foot should be in line with the basket.
Right handed shooter, right foot lead foot.
Left handed shooter, left foot lead foot.
2. Body weight should be on the balls of the feet with the heels only slighty touching the floor.
3. Knees should be bent and your back straight.
4. Rear end or gluteals should stick out slightly to balance head.
5. Shoulders should be square to the basket, locked into the back postition and aligned over the knees.
6. Head should be in balance with the body, head should split the body and chin parallel to the floor.

2. Hand Placement:
1. Spread fingers and relax hand.
2. Ball should rest on the fingers, thumb and the pads of the hand. Not on the lower portion of the hand.
3. Valve stem should be located between the first two fingers.
4. In the shooting pocket the ball is between the chest and the chin.

3. Elbow:
1. The ball is ahead of the elbow and the elbow is over the lead foot.
2. The shooting hand elbow should be in line with the knee and foot.

4. What to look at:
1. Look at the front of the rim and do not follow the path of the ball.

5. Follow Through:
1. Make sure you have full extension of the arm.
2. Arm should be at a 30 degree angle from verticle.
3. Make sure you "break your wrist" or that the hand is pointing down after your follow throught.
4. The ball should have a backward spin or rotation. If you align the ball seams crosswise to the hand
you will be able to see the back spin better.
5. The last thing that should touch the ball while shooting is the first two fingers, which is called
the shooting fork.

6. Shooting:
1. When shooting, extend up on the toes, pushing straight up. Do not lean forward while shooting. No jumping,
stay on the floor.
2. Take the guide hand away while shooting, you can put it behind your back.

6. Rhythm:
1. Each person will develope their own rhythm with time and practice.
2. Once you develope a rhythm stick with it.

Practice:
Start with one hand form shooting drills, right hand right side and left hand left side. I recommend shooting
from each side low block and in the middle about half way between the basket and the free throw line.
Do 25 shoots from the three positions at least 3 or 4 times per week.

Repeat perfect form.
Feel the rhythm.
See success (our mind sees it.)