HOW TO MAXIMIZE YOUR BASKETBALL SKILLS

nbaeditor | September 21, 2015 | Awesome, Basketball, Breaking, Tips

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Video: Defensive Rebounding in basketball.

The second focus should be on soft skill development, specifically understanding the game and learning the nuances to react. This is best accomplished in a very competitive and intensive setting which allows for many opportunities to get the ball. Find a good gym or a group of competitive players and play lots of one-on-one and three-on-three – anything that provides more touches with the ball isolates hard skill work. Five-on-five is one of the slowest ways to build skills because of the simple mathematical reality that players get less time with the ball. Also, traveling to games can be time wasted.

Third, develop a specific physical training plan such as building strength, quickness and vertical jump. Meet with a trainer to evaluate strengths and weaknesses. Work to build an intensive workout which emphasizes growth in these areas.

Fourth, develop a mental plan working on confidence, personal faith, and mental toughness. This is a crucial separator between good and great athletes.

Finally, find a mentor who can help with planning and provide accountability to goals. The reason why camp is such a great training place is because players get saturated in both hard and soft skill training, they get an improvement plan in place and they can make the important needed changes.

NBC Basketball Camps are a perfect place to work on all five keys of basketball skill development.

Eliminate the fearful story. Brave people have strong minds. They don’t allow stories of fear to flash across their thoughts. The mind is lightening quick.In a matter of milliseconds when you are handed the ball at the free throw line, you can have pictured a fearful story of missing the shot with images of disappointed faces bombarding your thoughts. Keep fearful stories out of your mind.

Don’t play god. You cannot read someone’s mind. Brave people do not assume others are talking negatively about them, or criticizing them. It’s not on their radar. You can’t know for certain what another person is thinking. You don’t know fully what your coach thinks about you. Don’t guess and don’t pretend to read minds, use your brain for more productive work.

Practice crucial moments. All games have crucial moments. Know what these are. Practice for them. Lie in bed and try to imagine the crucial moment as clearly as you can. Repeat in your mind an image of yourself being brave in that crucial moment. Try and do 10 perfectly imagined reps in your mind.

Speak words of power. You are what you repeatedly do. If you find yourself getting nervous, use words to change your world. Instead of thoughts such as, “I’m so nervous.” Speak to yourself, “My body is prepared for this moment. I am ready. I am confident.” Act and speak with bravery and your feelings will follow.

Don’t fear pain. Many younger athletes fear pain. They are scared to work hard, they are tentative. One great lesson to remember is that no discipline seems pleasant at the time but painful, later on however it will produce a harvest of righteousness and peace for those trained by it. The pain of hard work strengthens us and gives us what we need to play better. Remember…no pain, no gain.