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Following is Part III of a sample collection of thoughts and suggestions I wrote mostly in response to email questions. This initial collection will slowly be expanded. It's a way for you to read my slant on a number of subjects related to shooting and how to learn/coach the skill.
---------------------------------------------------------- The key is to have your hand (the center of the palm) in approx. alignment with the basket and your shooting eye. The elbow has to be out to the right a bit to do this, and that's normal. How high you go above your shooting eye depends on your strength. Have it as high as comfortable, where you have enough strength to send the ball 4', 5' or more. Higher is better, as it's harder to block, but you don't want to raise it so high you weaken your shot too much. Younger kids have to lower it below the eyes until they get the strength to jump it up to above the eyes. The higher it is (to a point), the more quickly you can fire off the Release without holding back. Chris Webber takes it so high he has no arm straightening left, and his shot is totally a wrist flip. Rasheed Wallace takes it very high, but still has 4-5" left to straighten his arm (this is for his inside jump shots -- his set point is lower for outside jumpers and 3's). ---------------------------------------------------------- Q: When shooting a jump shot, should the arm be fully straight? A: Yes. When you extend the arm fully at the same speed and force (with relaxed wrist and hand), you have a "repeatable" motion. That's what you want. If you short-arm the shot, stopping short of fully straight, then you're adding variables. You want to minimize variables. The straight arm and the flopping or bouncing hand are, to me, the signs of a good shooter. And if the hand stays pointed directly in line with target in the Follow Through, that's a sign that the shot's going to be pretty accurate. ---------------------------------------------------------- Q: Hi Coach - I was pleased to see this segment in your latest newsletter. Alignment of body parts and shooting form is a topic that has interested me for a long time. I think you make some valid points, however let me play devil's advocate. First, you make the comment that maybe the "human body is not designed for that". I agree, and think lining everything up may be a slightly uncomfortable and unnatural position. However, I'm not convinced that this is wrong. I believe in one of your other newsletters, you make analogies to the game of golf. I'll do the same thing here. What most people believe to be the perfect golf swing is very uncomfortable and unnatural, yet the pros teach it every day. A: Just because they teach it that way
doesn't mean it works. The perfect golf swing is totally The golf school I coach at part time shows people this is true on video, and from then on they start to learn the game from an "Everything is okay, I can do this ... easily," rather than a "There's something wrong with me, fix it" mentality. The usual way of coaching golf is much too technical, much too "there's something wrong" based. I think the example of "everything aligned" is like that, someone's "concept" of what's correct, but isn't. If you want the hand to face directly in line with the target, and I do because that's where the ball is and that gives the ball the most solid base, then the elbow has to be out a little. From there, if you push the hand directly in line with the target, the arm does whatever it does (perhaps a tiny bit from right to left as it straightens) and the hand will deliver the ball exactly on line, over and over. Q: Second, if your target, ball, hand, and eye are in alignment (as you suggest), I will argue that the ball/hand will disrupt your line of vision to the target. As an alternative, what if you line up the target, ball, and hand with the target. Yes, your eye is not in alignment, but you are still focused on the target and nothing is in your line of sight. Again, another sport analogy - similar to a baseball pitcher or football quarterback. A: Yes, the arm might cover up the eyes a little but it does not affect me. It actually covers up my "strong" eye and leaves my weak, astigmatic left eye seeing the basket. Yet it works just fine. Somehow I "know" where the target line is from all the set up moves and what I do see. If you "have" to have both eyes on the target, as a coach friend from Pennsylvania insisted, then move the Set Point a tiny bit to the right. If it's close to aligned, that can work. Let's not get too technical about this. Try it both ways and adopt what works best for you. But if you move it to the side too far, then you'll have to figure an angle back to the target each time, and little variations will start to occur. Q: Third, the fact that your elbow is out to the right (for right-handers), implies that when you extend your arm, your hand will follow-through and end up to the right of the target, as opposed to your arm extend exactly towards the target - which would be the case if your eye is not aligned. This right side follow-through, I believe, this creates a need for "compensation", creating variables and complexity. A: Point your hand at a target and then extend the arm upward to move the hand directly toward it in line with your eye. As I said above, the arm does what it has to do to do this and it's not exactly on the line, but that doesn't matter. What matters is that the hand moves directly in line and is able to deliver the ball accurately. Having the center of the hand in alignment puts the fingers in the best position to deliver the ball on line. If you move the elbow under the ball, it rotates the hand off the target a little and now just the thumb and first finger are behind the ball, not the first, second and third fingers, as with the first position. Check it out. We can adjust and make anything work to some degree, but I've just found the hand in line with the target and the eye gives the best chance for consistent accuracy with the least compensation and tension and the fewest variables. Q: In summary, consider the points I make above and the following: open your stance, align your elbow with the center of the target, keep your forearm vertical, and fingers vertical, and to shoot just extend your arm straight toward the target. (Yes, this slightly implies that your body [for right-handers] is slightly to the left of the center of the target. A: Slightly to the right can work, though it still requires a slight compensation. But humans are good at such adjustments. But shooting off the shoulder, like John Stockton does, is too much. He's an incredible athlete and can get away with it quite well, but Hornacek is/was the better shooter. I heard from Adam Keefe that Jeff beat everyone at H-O-R-S-E all the time. Q: I'm really interested in your comments. Please don't take any of this as criticism. I am truly interested in these aspects of shooting, and they are questions that I have struggled with for a long time. I'm still looking for the answers!! A: Thanks for the questions. I appreciate the inquiry. It makes me think about it more, too, but I still stand by my instruction. Yours obviously works for you, too. A good test might be to test my way vs. your way with a few kids and see which makes more sense with them. ---------------------------------------------------------- Q: Should my son be putting spin on the ball when shooting? A: Yes, I believe spin is important to stabilize the flight of the ball aerodynamically. But "trying" to get spin is not the answer. First, have your son observe how he shoots (without trying to put more spin on the ball). Is he flipping his wrist or somehow using wrist, hand or fingers to power or guide the shot? He probably is, and that's why there's little or no spin. That action interferes with any natural backspin that's possible. My way of shooting is to power the shot with the whole body and make the Release a simple, upward "straightening of the arm" rather than any wrist or hand action. If the wrist and hand are relaxed when you straighten the arm, the hand will bounce. That bouncing is one of the hallmarks of great shooters. Work with him and see if he can develop a Release that is just that ... a straightening of the arm with relaxed wrist and hand. The direction is very high, high above and directly in line with the basket. Start in close where, with no legs, he can swish the ball effortlessly with this motion. At age 13, he should have enough strength to shoot a high arching swish shot with just the Release muscles from 3-4 feet. His Set Point is best if in line with the shooting eye and above the eye, if he's strong enough. If he's not, then have the ball below the eyes, but still in line with the strong eye. Make sure he's shooting "up" in order to come "down" softly into the basket. This upward, pushing action is done at about 70-75% of max. speed and force, a motion that will not hurt his arm but provides a quick, high-angled Release. When he just pushes the ball with the arm like that, with a relaxed wrist, he should get perfect, medium backspin. (The ball is held with a little bit of pressure in the finger pads, which helps in the Release to give the backspin as the ball rolls off the fingers.) Once that's learned, then as he moves further away from the basket he needs to add more and more body/leg action to power the shot and allow high arching, effortless shooting, keeping the Release speed and power always the same. My video shows exactly how to do this. This instruction should get you started. As you'll see, this is a different way of powering his shots and will result in more consistent, high arching shooting. ---------------------------------------------------------- Selling it to yourself and others... Q: Hi Tom, I've been a little perplexed regarding the video. I try to teach and explain the Swish method. It is difficult to do. Part of the reason is acceptance by others. I'm talking about high school coaches, players, assistant coaches (mine) and others I discuss shooting with. A: I guess you're saying that others insist that things like squaring up are the "right" way to shoot, and wrist flipping is the "right" way to power the ball, etc. I suppose the only determinator will be the end result. If you and your kids shoot better, perhaps they'll be persuaded (as will you). It's just more natural to turn the body. It results in less tension. The arm throw or the wrist flip motion tend to create a flat and hot shot. Do you want a shot coming in at 20-30° to a small oval, or do you want a shot coming in from 50-60° with a bigger landing area and much softer landing? You should get some agreement on the efficacy of the latter. If you can close your eyes and drill some shots, that might persuade some people. If you can look at the ground and fire off your release high and soft to come down 10' above where you're looking and make shots, and do it quite well, will that impress anyone? If you can shoot pretty well left handed...? I don't know what it's going to take, but results will be hard to ignore. If you can't get results, or if your kids don't shoot any better with this Method, then you have a problem. My feeling is that from what I coach your kids will start to believe in themselves, they'll KNOW what works and they'll know the simple things they need to master to become better and better shooters. Same for you. Q: Part of it is me, although I want to support/believe in Swish I have a hard time selling myself on it. Perhaps if I could get the divine reassurance from you in a learning session(s) I would gain confidence. I have toyed with the idea of asking for my money back, but I still see awesome stuff in Swish method. I like the high arc, leg power, finish and more. I've read all the newsletters and like them. I'd really like to coach this method proficiently but find I'm in a comfort zone and it's difficult to implement in my practices. Any ideas that would get me going on Swish? I am coaching 8th grade boys in a select environment. A: Divine? No way. Human, based on experience, yes. You have "good" feelings about the video and my writings. Trust them! All you need do is master the shot a little yourself and then coach some kids in the same stuff you've learned, and shooting will start to be terrific, all the time, not just in streaks. First you have to master the "full out" Release from 3', 4', 5', whatever is your distance. That Release can be so simple, relaxed and repeatable it can go on automatic. You should be able to make 10, 20, 40 in a row any time. If you can't make shot after shot after shot this way, then you haven't "got" it yet. It needs to be this simple, end-of-the-arm motion that you can repeat over and over. If you're wrist flipping, that ain't it. If you're short-arming it, that's not it. It's a simple PUSHING action, upward. From the Zero Point (Pure Release Distance), there is no leg power used (or just a little triggering action, if you want -- I find younger kids need to have a tiny bit of UpForce in the shot motion from the Zero Point to make it all smoother and easier for them). As you move back, then, you need to add leg power or you're going to be short. You're training yourself to fire off the Release the same every time, same speed and force. It's just that simple, but you have to master it to some degree. If your Release is all over the place, there will be no consistency. If you hold back your arm motion, or if the arm jerks to the side or up or down, it won't work. What I coach is the "simplest" motion possible. Just bring the ball to the Set Point and pull the trigger. End of the arm, relaxed wrist, bouncing hand. Like a robot. I use the image of a spring-loaded mechanism in my clinics. It's like you pull the arm back to the Set Point with a length of rope holding it there. Then, when you cut the rope, the spring fires off at the same speed and force every time. See if you understand these things, Al, and then go master them to a small degree. You will have to shoot better when you do, and then you'll be better able to coach it, and your kids will be able to do it, and the critics will have to silence themselves (a nice way of saying "shut up"). Let me know what you discover. Keep it simple. There's nothing hidden! ---------------------------------------------------------- Q: "I am seeking your opinion on a dilemma that I face with my 12 year old son, whom I coach. He loves the game of basketball and has said that someday he would like to play in the NBA. Of course I don't discourage him because I believe it is good to have big dreams. My problem is trying to motivate him to do what it takes to get there. He does not want to put in the effort that is required. We have had many talks and he will be enthusiastic for awhile but then he gets lazy again. How much should I push him or should I back off? Your opinion would be appreciated. A: As to your son, I'm not much of an expert in child motivation, as I've not had kids nor coached a team in a season. My only advice is to determine with him what the key physical/mental things are that he needs to master to reach his goals, whatever they are, and then find some way to rate them over time. And, of course, mostly focus on the short term goals, like making his junior high team, etc. For example, if shooting is a skill that he realizes he needs to master, then ask him to rate for himself and for you, if he's willing to have you coach him on this, (1) how skilled he is at it now, and (2) how hard he's working at it to learn new things [asking for and following coaching would be part of that], and (3) how motivated he is to get better, to practice, to work at it, etc. Add your own things to rate... If he is honest with himself, he'll notice that he's not putting in the time and effort necessary to achieve his goals and he'll either change his goals or change his motivation and effort. If the goals are unrealistic, he'll see very early on that he's not going to make them. I know kids today want instant results and are probably prone to quitting once they look realistically at what's happening. There are many skills, both mental and physical, that he would need to master to reach the NBA, or even to make the starting five on his high school team. They include shooting, defense, passing, dribbling, rebounding and blocking out, conditioning, quickness, jumping, movement without the ball, working off picks and screens, setting picks and screens, penetrating, concentration, focus, court awareness, etc. He'll have to work hard at all of them if he wants to make it to a high level. The key, I guess I'm saying, is for him to get involved in observing and managing himself. If it's just you or a friend or the culture trying to motivate him, he'll not succeed. He has to take responsibility for his actions and non-actions. When he does, he'll see who he is "being" in this whole thing, and that will lead to change of some kind, either in the goals or in his actions. Awareness is the key, always. Self awareness. I hope this helps. It must be frustrating to you wanting him to succeed but helpless to coach him. Get the book "Mastery," by George Leonard. It's in paperback, ~$10. It is a short, fascinating book on what it takes to master anything and how the culture is against Mastery. If he reads it, you will have a common language to use to discuss this whole area of learning and development to a high level. ---------------------------------------------------------- Q: As to your statements: "Then he was confused about your statement that he should adjust height to the distance...it didn't came instinctively to him - or, better to say, he was too worried about should his arm go straight up...or little bit forward ( I think that he's still confused about this)...and thinking too much stood in his way of learning (I guess...)... A: Yes, to control distance you simply change the direction (angle) of your Release. It depends on how much UpForce you are generating, and how far away you are and how quickly you have to shoot. Adrenalin and fatigue are part of the equation, too. With practice and trust, you will know what angle to give it so that you can go "full out" every time, without holding back, and simply adjust the height. Your arm will not go straight up unless you're under the basket. It has to go up and forward, whatever's appropriate. Think of your right arm (I'll assume you're right handed) as the hand on a clock. Think of the center of your chest as the center of a clock. And think of it as someone is looking at you from in front of your body, so if your right arm is out horizontal to the right, that's 9 o'clock to your friend, and if you raise it, it becomes 10 o'clock, then 10:30, 11, etc. A flat shot would be something like ~10 o'clock, and a very high shot might be 11:15 or 11:30. 12 o'clock would be straight up, not appropriate for shots except from under the basket, as I said. As you shoot, don't try to get a certain "time." Just know you want to go as high as possible, based on how much power you're getting from your middle and lower bodies (UpForce, "Leg Drive," "Leg Lift," whatever you want to call it). I say it's "instinctual" because you'll just "know" what angle to push your arm at from practice and experimentation. For most shots you want to "catch" all of the UpForce (100%), because it stabilizes the shot, the higher the percentage, the more the stabilization factor. You will feel an effortlessness when you connect to that power. Don't "under-jump!" Always give it at least enough to get the ball there with high arch, and if you give it too much, you can always go higher. If you're under-powered, you'll be short or have to add extra muscles, thus adding variables. (One thought: From what your coach is saying about hitting the trees, it's possible you could be shooting "too" high. More than 6 or 8 feet above the rim gets a little hard to control, I feel. If you have that kind of strength, then raise your Set Point up higher, thus making it harder to block, and also allowing you to go more quickly and more full out, without worrying about being too strong, and that will lower the arch, too, if that's desirable. Most players' shots are too flat, and very few players shoot too high, but it could be happening. Just check it out. If you go too high, then gravity starts to accelerate the ball when coming down, and it's a little more difficult to control ball flight. Again, check it out. If you're draining everything with the height you have, then keep it that way. Note: Please observe your typical height and tell me what it is. Thanks. Also, if you can video tape your shot [in VHS format], send me a tape and I'll give you my comments. I'd love to see your shot.) Key is the mastering of the "pure" Release motion. Always start your shooting practice from what I call the "Zero Point" in the video. I don't like that name any more. It's not a point. It's a semi-circle, and I call it the "Pure Release Distance" (PRD) now. Find that distance where, with no legs or just a small "triggering" motion of the lower body, you can do your "full out," to-the-end-of-the-arm Release motion and the ball flies high and true, dead center, every time. Your Release will be aimed upward at a high angle, and the bottom of the ball will get to 11 1/2 or 12 feet above the rim, then descend softly, dead center. By "full out," I mean about 70-75% of max. speed and force. It's a motion you can do comfortably all day long without strain or pain. Develop this "AUTOMATIC RELEASE," a no-brainer, no-thinking kind of motion. The speed and force do not change, only when you fire the Release and the angle you shoot at. From the PRD, the angle stays pretty much constant. If it feels awkward to have no leg action with it, then add a little horizontal rocking motion or an up-on-the-toes kind of action, if you want, to trigger the motion. Start every practice like that, and spend a lot of time there. Don't just do it well a couple of times and then think you "have it!" When it's getting more and move consistent and repeatable, then move back slowly and incorporate the UpForce. When you master the Release, you will always shoot beautifully with little time needed to warm up. The "full out," to-the-end-of-the-arm Release is totally predictable. Did you read my story about the 15 year old boy, Conner, making 150 in a row in the May 2001 Newsletter? If you didn't, here's a link directly to it: http://www.swish22.com/Nltr_305.html. ---------------------------------------------------------- Q: If the release is always up, and if the release is always full out, HOW (mechanically) do you change the arc for shorter or longer shots in order to control distance? The concept seems very sound, but we don't seem to understand how you can vary the arc if you're always releasing the ball up and the extension is always full out. Help! A: If your power and distance are exactly the same for two shots, then you would not vary the height (or arc). But if, for the same distance, you generate additional leg power (jump quicker, feel stronger, just decide to jump more strongly), then you will have to shoot higher or you will be long. It's an instinctive thing. You will know to shoot higher if you have extra energy and lower if you do not. You aim upward at different angles to give you that variation in arc, not always "up" at the same angle. The goal is to develop a "constant" Release motion, "full out" (about 70-75% of max), but because distance and power are usually varying, you have to change arc to compensate. I think most shooters try to have the same arc and vary the power in their arms, wrist, hand and fingers. That is very difficult to do, especially under pressure. The free throw can be managed by practice to be about the same UpForce (leg drive) every time, plus the same, practiced Release, so the arc will be about the same. But if you are fatigued and feel less power as you go to shoot, you can lower the arc. If you are excited or nervous and feel extra energy, you can raise the arc. Varying arc is how you control distance! It will all be instinctive, not something you create a formula for. ---------------------------------------------------------- Q: Tom - I have a couple of kids (High School) that I am having trouble with. They all release at the top or just after which makes their shots more of a throw than a push. I have tried to get them to release on the way up to get the push motion, but they find it difficult to break old habits. Any suggestions on drills I can run them through to break old habits? A: First, do they "know" they release at the top or even on the way down? I realize you and others are telling them they do that, but do they actually feel it? If yes, then half the problem is solved. If not, then they must learn to feel it. To help them feel it, ask them to tell you each time they shoot what % of the available leg drive (what I call UpForce) they used in each shot. 0% means it's at the top. 100% means they shot early enough to use every ounce of the energy. If they shoot on the way down, it will be a negative number, -10%, -25%, etc. Once they can feel, things should start to shift. Suggest to them a goal of 90-100% for outside shots* (on the way up, very early), and see what they do with each shot. They will probably start to report 25%, 40%, 50%, etc., gradually approaching 100%. If you can demonstrate it, all the better. As one of them starts to get it, point it out to the others. (* For inside turnaround type jumpers, 100% is not required. It can be much less, 50%, 25% or less, just so some of the UpForce is utilized to increase stability. Raising the Set Point for these close-in shots allows the player to shoot quicker and go "full out" with the Release. The shots become easy this way. It's how Rasheed Wallace shoots.) Awareness and feedback is the way to do this, not by just telling them, insisting, yelling, etc. Telling them what they "didn't" do is of no value. And even telling them what they "did" do it is no help if they can't feel it, too. Set up the coaching so they do most of the talking, telling you what happened. You can give feedback occasionally, to confirm what they say or to challenge it. If, for example, a player (I assume they're boys) says 75% but you can see it's only 25%, gently say that it didn't look like that to you. You don't even have to say what you see all the time. Suggest he look more carefully, feel more precisely. Once he's reported a percent, then it's fine to tell him what you saw, but make sure he's doing honest reporting, not just trying to please you. Once they really feel what they do and really feel the changes that happen (the easier, quicker, higher shooting with greater consistency), they will choose shooting earlier. They may say they can't feel it. Don't buy that. Touch an arm and ask the player if he felt that. Of course, he'll say yes. It's easy to cop out and say you can't feel. It isn't true. ---------------------------------------------------------- A great way to practice to learn to shoot is to work against a wall a lot, without a basket. Stand just 4-5 feet away to do this practice. (The wall needs to be clear of things, overhangs, bulletin boards, indents, etc.) There you can observe yourself shoot without the distraction of a basket, without the "lure" to make the shot to look good. You can note how you use your body, how you set and release the ball, you can observe the use of your wrist and hand. The hand will bounce or flop if the wrist is relaxed, and that's the goal. Shoot upward against the wall at a very high angle, having the ball "glance" the wall on the way down, not hit it on the way up or at the top. The latter mean you are wristing or flipping or throwing the ball. Aim high and watch how you do it. The hand will flop directly forward, toward the imaginary goal. Start with no legs, and then slowly add the UpForce, shooting higher and higher, staying in the same position. The idea is to shoot up. Observe what happens as you add leg power. Are you getting 100% of the U/F energy? That's the goal with most shots. Observe your Follow Through. You can even start to observe your "accuracy" by picking a line or a spot to shoot in line with, and see what happens. You will find the more you depend on the U/F to power your shots, the easier it is to be accurate and consistent. Everything is very visible when you shoot against the wall. Master these simple things and shooting will get easier and easier. ---------------------------------------------------------- Q: I don't understand your method of not flipping your wrist. When you shoot the ball, you have to flip your wrist to propel the ball up. Could you explain this better to me? A: The wrist flips or bends, but it is not FLIPPED intentionally. By that I mean that the wrist flexes and the hand bounces if they are relaxed, and that is the goal. When you do that, you have the fewest possible variables. The "flip" or "flopping action" is created by the arm straightening quickly. Note the power is coming from the legs and from the arm straightening, not any wrist or hand power. It's a different way to shoot, but you'll find it's the way most great shooters shoot. Yes, you can get more power by flipping (intentionally) the wrist, but it is a horizontal power source and adds variables. Q: What could I do to better align my elbow to the rim? A: I don't advocate aligning the elbow. Align, instead, your shooting hand, the palm, get that pointed directly on line with the target. When you do, the elbow will be out to the right a bit. That's normal. Forget the elbow. If you have the hand in line and push it directly on the line, the elbow will start to the right and just normally straighten. Test it. Q: Could you give me all the steps of a correct follow-through? A: Just relax the wrist and hand, straighten the arm directly in line with the target, and hold the follow through until the ball gets to the basket, approximately. The "completion" of the shot is very important for that last bit of power and control. The hand will flop forward, if wrist and hand are totally relaxed. If they are doing anything else, then you are doing extra stuff and it will interfere. Q: When I shoot, do I have to bend my knees a lot to achieve the UpForce? A: Just intend to get more or less UpForce and see what the body does. It doesn't have to be a huge bend to get a large source of power. A great force can be generated with a small or medium sized bend. Play with it. Don't make rules out of this. Q: Should I shoot in the middle of my jump or the beginning? A: For all outside jumpers and free throws, aim to shoot quickly on the way up, in the "beginning." I like to look at a "percentage" of available leg power. 100% just means you are catching all of it. If you are just 5-6 feet away, then you don't need all the U/F and can hesitate a bit before shooting, but don't wait until the top of the jump. You need to use some of that power source to stabilize the shot. Q: When I shoot my body is kind of to the side(30 degrees), is this okay? A: That sounds like it will work. I'm not into rules as to exact degrees of rotation, etc. Q: Should I extend my arms all the way to get a correct follow - through? A: I believe so, because then it is more predictable, more repeatable. If you short-arm, it will tend to make the shot more wristy (flippy), and is not repeatable. Test all this stuff out. It's not hidden stuff. It's right out there. Most coaching instruction leads you away from the natural. Keep it simple and observe carefully what happens. Your experience will teach you. ---------------------------------------------------------- The key to runners, I feel, is the "full-out" Release, always full-out to the end of the arm, same speed and force (about 70-75% of max.). When your Release is totally predictable, then all you're judging is the angle, the height. That simplifies it down, so it should be easily learned. Of course, you shoot on the way up, from a good percent of UpForce, to give you stability. If in very close, then you can have hang time before releasing the ball, but don't lose it all. Check it out. Is your Release full-out, the same each time, or is it varying? The judgment of the angle (height) is instinctive. You'll know what is appropriate with practice and experience and trust. I'm even considering adding "Runners" to my coaching of kids, even beginners, as it will show them how accomplished they are becoming, even with this supposedly very difficult shot. I've had coaches tell me, "Oh, you should never tell the kids to shoot runners. They're too difficult." Well, maybe, but maybe not. ---------------------------------------------------------- All you need now is awareness of what's happening!!! Try to minimize your analysis what should be or shouldn't be. Just watch your body figure it out. The keys are to shoot from the powerful leg power, early, quick, aimed high, and then to relax the wrist and hand and shoot with a pushing action, upward, full-out (about 70-75% of max.), to the end of the arm every time, with a bouncing hand, it's so relaxed (and predictable). Stay connected to the target throughout the whole action, and hold the Follow Through to complete the action. Swish! Swish! Swish! If you're in close, you can raise the Set Point so you can shoot more quickly and full out without worrying about being too strong. You can also hesitate before shooting when in close, since you don't need all the strength and stability of the leg force. Higher is better. A suggestion: Never "under"-jump. Jump at least strongly enough for a high shot and, if you feel it's too much, just shoot higher. If you're underpowered, you're either going to be short or you'll have to add variables with the arm, wrist and/or hand to make up the difference, and your percentage will go down. Sure, you can make any shot once in awhile, even with terrible technique, but to be a great shooter, you need repeatability! ---------------------------------------------------------- My video shows how to shoot all shots, but I do not specifically show the 3 pt shot. The omission wasn't intentional and if I were to do it again, I would address that shot. To me, the "three" is just a big jump shot or set shot. The 3 Pt shot just requires "maximum" leg drive (what I call UpForce). If you concentrate on shooting as early, as quickly as possible in the jumping motion, you'll find a lot of power. You should have enough to shoot pretty easily from there if you're strong enough. Test it out. Start your jump and shoot as quickly as possible to "catch" all the energy you can. I think you'll find you have plenty of range. The arch you choose depends on how much strength you feel, so be ready to vary that. For 3's, you also need to be powerfully focused on the basket, before, during and after the shot. Hold the Follow Through powerfully to get that extra bit of accuracy. ---------------------------------------------------------- I didn't even mention bank shots in my video, and I often forget to address them in my clinics. That's because it is an easy shot from a very small area of the court. It might be only 5% of the shots or fewer. But I do need to talk about them. My coaching for this shot is that it requires a different kind of Release, so it's not at all like the jump shot or free throw that I coach. It requires a flipping motion or a throwing motion, the antithesis of what I suggest for the other shots. It's an important shot but I don't feel there is the failure in this shot that there is in the jumper or free throw. Anyone can coach it. It just requires learning in what zones of the court it's appropriate and how and where you need to hit the backboard and then practicing it a lot. There's no mystery to it. It's not a beautiful shot like the high arching swish shots I focus on. But, as you can see from the San Antonio Spurs Tim Duncan, who has revived attention to it, it's a very effective shot. If that's all you practice, however, you could lose some the pure Swish technique I coach, which requires a relaxed wrist and hand, not the flipping or throwing action that the bank shot demands. ---------------------------------------------------------- To summarize my coaching for shooting off the dribble is: (1) Catch the UpForce or Leg Drive. Shoot powerfully from the strong, stable force of the legs and middle body! You need it more than ever, with all the variables of movement when shooting off the dribble. (2) Get aligned as well as you can quickly, but then "let go," trust, and fire the shot off. Don't take the time to get exactly aligned as you do with catch and shoot and free throws, especially when moving toward your strong side. Just get the center of the hand (the palm) in pretty good alignment with your shooting eye and the basket to help ensure accuracy! With movement left and right, it's not possible to be as aligned with the shooting eye as with a free throw or standing jump shot, so you have to do your best and then pull the trigger. For right handers moving to their left (vice versa for lefties), alignment and an open body position is easier, it's there instantly. But when going to the right, you probably don't have the time to rotate all around to be "open" to the target as you've learned. My coaching is just to turn as much as possible, get as "aligned" with the palm, shooting eye and target as you can, and let it fly! "Catching the UpForce" and having a great Follow Through are more important than getting the body aligned just so. (3) Have a powerful "Finish" to the shot. With your constant and automatic Release, have a Follow Through that is powerfully connected to the basket. The ball will then fly true toward and into it. A strong, quick Release with a powerful and connected Follow Through will make up for all the movement and chaos. The UpForce at the beginning, the automatic and "full-out" Release in the middle, and a great Follow Through will get your ball flying true to the target, high and soft. Repeatable. ---------------------------------------------------------- Most players are guessing when it comes to free throws! I feel the problem is that most players are guessing when they shoot, be it jump shots or free throws. The key is to get your motion to be "repeatable," something you can do over and over, almost in your sleep. With practice, your motion will become accurate and consistent and all you'll have to do is "do your thing" and the ball will travel the same, practiced distance every time. Accuracy comes with the Release being an arm push with a relaxed wrist and hand, directly in line with the target. If the wrist and hand don't interfere, the ball goes exactly in the direction the arm creates. Consistency comes from the bigger muscles of the lower and middle body driving and stabilizing everything, high and soft. And Repeatability comes from a Release being a simple, end-of-the-arm, pushing action that you can do the same every time over and over, without thinking or judging. A "no brainer." In this way the free throw can become an easy shot! It can become a "sure thing," rather than a "guess!" Since everything can be constant, you can learn to do the same thing over and over. Constant distance, constant leg drive (with practice,) constant Release action, and constant approximate height will give you a ball flight that is predictable. Since there may be fatigue to weaken you or adrenalin to strengthen you, height can be the final adjustment, but otherwise it can be a simple, completely repetitive action. ---------------------------------------------------------- Q: Coach, how to you get the shooter to get the UpForce you talk about? A: It's what's called leg drive, leg lift, leg power, etc. It's a force generated when you bend your knees and straighten them (plus using hips, pelvis and back) to drive your body upward. I like to look at the percentage of that force that is utilized in the shot. To teach your players to shoot FROM that energy, ask them to tell you what percent of the available upward energy is IN their shots, from zero % to 100%. As they get familiar and aware of how they're using (or not using) that energy, they will naturally start to use more and more, and the Release gets quicker and the shots fly higher ... and truer. Suggest that they play around with that energy, experiment with it. To get a higher percent, just shoot quicker, and that may mean getting the ball to the Set Point earlier so they can do that. Close-in jumpers can use a lower percentage because (1) you're probably needing to elevate to get over defenders, and (2) you are in so close there's a big margin for error. You can also raise the Set Point for close-in shots, which allows you to shoot quicker and more full out. Q: I really believe you're right on with the UpForce, high follow thru and high arc on the ball. What about the shooters elbow? Where should it be? I believe it should be under the ball and in the natural alignment with the body." A: I'm not concerned with the elbow. My focus is on the shooting hand, the center of the palm. If that is in line with the target, and if it's in line with the shooting eye (either above the eyes or below for younger kids), then the elbow will be out to the right a little (from 3-6 inches, depending on the length of the player's arm). That's the way the hand, wrist and arm are built. That's natural! If you force it under the ball, it tilts the hand off the target. This idea that the elbow has to be under the ball is some adult's notion of alignment that doesn't jive for me with the reality of how we're built. The hand over the elbow over the knee over the foot is even more restrictive. Try my suggestions and see what you discover! Q: We start teaching with one hand holding the ball just outside you right foot on a right hand shooter and then bring the ball up into a good u shape with the wrist cocked and a relaxed grip and bend legs and shoot the ball with one hand working on a high follow thru and good arc on the ball. Please comment on your feeling about this. A: Just don't make it a "formula!" That they "have" to do this and do that or it's not right. That puts them in their head. I don't talk about "u shapes" and "wrist cocking." If your intention is to bring the ball to a Set Point that is generally in front of the head (the back of the ball) and above the eyes (higher up for stronger, bigger kids), they will have whatever arm bending and wrist cocking they need. If they try too hard to cock the wrist, they will probably over tighten those muscles. Keep everything relaxed and simply show them where you want the ball to be set, and they'll figure it out. ---------------------------------------------------------- Q: I am a middle school girls basketball coach. I was a shooting guard back in my day, I played for Towson Catholic under the most amazing coach, Gus Grason. I also played for Curry College. I am having a problem teaching lay ups is there any advice you could give? A: I'm sorry, but my specialty is with coaching jump shots and free throws, not layups, hooks, jump hooks, etc. I could suggest that you use awareness with your kids. If you get them to observe what they do, what foot they take off, how they shoot, where the ball hits the backboard, how hard or softly they shoot, then they will learn. If it's just about performance (good if it goes in, bad if it doesn't), then there is usually little learning. Just break down the shot as you know it, convey that to the kids, and then find ways for them to give you feedback as to what happens. There's nothing mysterious about the layup. I would imagine most misses are caused by anxiety and fear or doubt. Along with the physical awareness I was getting at above, you could ask the girls to rate their "fear" or "self doubt" on a scale of 1 to 10 each time they shoot a layup. With patience and practice, I'll bet the number gets lower and lower. It's an easy shot. They know that, and they've shot and made hundreds or thousands of them. But fear of failure can be huge at that age (and any age). The observation and reporting of the fear or doubt will lead to its disappearance. Awareness, from what I've learned in my life, is "developmental," and, in fact, it's the ONLY THING that's developmental in a physical activity. The more the awareness, the more the learning. When you have a specific intention (way of shooting), that gives focus for the awareness. ---------------------------------------------------------- Q: Knowing your Method, how do I get a "constant" Release? A: As you are beginning to understand, it's critical to master the Release! If it's shaky and can't be counted on to do the same thing every time, you're in trouble, especially under pressure. To solidify your Release, you need to start every shooting practice from what I call the "Pure Release Distance." From just 3', 4', 5', 6', whatever your strength allows, stand there with no leg action (or just a horizontal rocking motion to "trigger" the motion) and learn to drill high-arching shot after high-arching shot, over and over and over. You will be training yourself to fire off your Release the same, an upward pushing action, to the "end-of-the-arm," in what I call a "full out" motion. By "full out," I mean about 70-75% of max. speed and force, something that is quick and strong, but not so quick and strong that it can hurt your elbow. Your wrist and hand are TOTALLY relaxed!!! NOTE: It's assumed that your body is "open," not square, and that you have a solid Set Point, above the eyes if you're strong enough, and it's pretty much "in line" with the shooting eye and the basket. Your hand is pointed in line with the basket. That's what critical as far as grip and hand. When the center of the palm is aligned with eye and target, the elbow of your shooting arm will be to the side 4-5 inches. That's normal! That's expected. (Elbow is NOT under the ball!) From there you can push your arm directly in line with the target and the ball will fly true every time. And when working off the dribble and, if right handed, you are moving to your right and turning counter-clockwise to shoot, you probably won't have time to turn all the way to have the open stance and everything aligned. You have to just turn as much as you can, get as aligned as you can, then connect to the UpForce and let it fly! It's much more important to connect to the target and trust yourself and have a great Release and Follow Through with this kind of chaotic shot than to get exactly turned, aligned, etc., which take time. The UpForce and a great Finish will work wonders for your shot! When you can go to the PRD (a semi-circle) and immediately start drilling shot after shot, dead center, no-brainer, then you will start to have a Release you can rely on. Then, since the Release by itself goes only 3', 4', 5', you HAVE to shoot from the leg power, which is a nice symbiotic relationship to have. You WANT to do that. You WANT to need that. It gives you power, a quick release, high arch and a stable action. With a truly "Constant" Release, you should then be able to apply this method to your various shots. Catch-and-shoot shots and free throws are the easiest, but even off the dribble, if you "Catch" the UpForce powerfully and trust yourself when you pull the trigger on your Constant Release, the shots will start to drop. All you're thinking about when you go to shoot, then, is (1) when you shoot, and (2) how high to aim. The rest of the mechanics can go on automatic. Check this out and let me know what you discover. Keep it simple. Watch the video over and over. ---------------------------------------------------------- One major Key for the girls is to teach them to get the leg energy moving upward and strongly and then shoot from that. Girls tend NOT to jump upward powerfully, as boys do, so they have to be encouraged to do so. The other main Key is to learn to master the Release motion. They can learn to fire off the Release quickly and strongly, what I now call a "Full out" Release motion, a pushing action, to the end-of-the-arm, at the same speed and force each time, with relaxed wrist and hand, as you see in the video. It's like a "spring-loaded mechanism." You cock the arm to the Set Point, and then "pull the trigger," letting it fly, aimed high, full out. By full out, I mean about 70-75% of max. speed and force. It's a manageable motion that will not hurt their arms, but it IS quite quick and strong. It's not a slow motion thing. That gives them a quick Release. The hand will "flop" when the Release push is done strongly, since aim is to have the wrist totally relaxed. The Release is learned at the "Pure Release Distance" (PRD), where, with just a little bit of UpForce for girls of this age, but the same amount every time, they can practice and learn the full-out Release over and over. Don't make the U/F a variable, but I think most of them, especially the younger ones, will need to use some legs to give them the necessary power, along with the Release, to get the bottom of the ball up to 11 or 12 feet. It needs to be an automatic, repeatable motion, sending the ball high and soft to dead center. They should find the Release motion they want first, and then adjust their distance so it flies high and true. Practice it over and over. They should be able to make 5, 10, 20 or more in a row once they have this down. Then remind them to return to that PRD every time they practice shooting, learning and re-learning the Release over and over until it becomes the default, automatic, a no-brainer. Once the Release is mastered to some degree, then, as they move back, they will need to add leg power or the always-the-same Release will not be enough. The use of U/F will become a necessity, which is great because it gives power, the quick Release, the height they want ... and it STABILIZES! I hope this helps a little more. Keep it simple. Explore it with them. Help them discover the great shooter within each of them. Let me know what works for them. Even if a girl is small, she can generate a lot of force with those strong muscles of the middle and lower body. It might have to be kind of explosive, but it can be learned. Once the power is there, then it's just a matter of direction and varying arch to control distance. ---------------------------------------------------------- Advice to a coach who wanted to know how to coach a girl in getting a quicker release: To get a quicker release, all you need is an intention to catch more of the leg drive energy and put it into the shot. As one goes to jump, the knees are bent and then straightened as the lower and middle parts of the body generate power. As this "upward" force is happening, the most force is available at the beginning, and then it dissipates as the jump occurs. You could say there is 100% of the force available at the start of the jump and zero % available at the top of the jump. Many players wait to shoot until late in the jump, I guess so they can elevate a bit to prevent the shot from being blocked. I know a lot of coaches advocate shooting "at the top of the jump." But, to me, you want that upward energy created by the lower/middle parts of the body to power and stabilize shooting! This is for most shots, including free throws, and especially for threes. There is a place for shooting at the top of the jump, but it's relegated mostly to the bigger players who are doing turnaround shots from in close and need to elevate to prevent a shot from being blocked. There, the margin for error is big, so the stabilization factor of the legs is less needed. To set this learning up, ask your player to jump up and down and feel the power of the leg drive or leg lift (whatever you call it). Have her do a big jump and a small jump and a middle sized jump. Describe to her and then have her feel what 100% of the force feels like (whatever size she decides to create) and what zero % feels like and different percentages in between. Then ask her to take a shot and tell you what percentage of the available leg power she used. (Note this is not how "big" the force is, just what "percentage" is utilized.) Let's say she says, "50%." Then suggest she shoot from a higher and higher percentage and tell you what happens, what it feels like. She will start reporting that the higher the percent, the quicker the release, the higher the shots, and the more "effortless" they feel. This is one of the key ways to improve shooting. Now she's into learning, and she can do it a lot on her own. The awareness and feedback of this approach lead her to discover for herself what works best, and it will surely be to shoot quicker from more of the upward, leg-driven energy. ---------------------------------------------------------- Q: What is the best angle for the ball to approach the basket? A: I've heard that 60° above horizontal is the most optimum angle, other studies say 50°. Which is more optimal is not relevant. Just get it up higher and you'll see the ball comes in more softly and the landing area is larger. Five or six years ago I tried to do a calculation of how big the landing areas are for different angles coming in. I just sort of estimated where on the rim shots could hit and still go in for angles of 30, 45 and 60°. I drew ovals of the rim and then drew ovals over that of where the balls could land, and then I tried to calculate the area of the ovals. Not very mathematically provable, but I came up with these estimates: A ball coming in at 30° has a certain
sized landing area. (X) These are just my crazy estimates. If these statistics are true or even close, a ball coming in at a very high angle (~60° above horizontal) has a landing area over twice as big as for a flat shot of only 30°. (Note you also get a softer landing because gravity has had a chance to slow the movement of the ball upward.) Bigger target, softer landing, who wouldn't want to shoot this way if she or he knew? ---------------------------------------------------------- Response to a girl who asked about how to perform better under pressure: As to performance under pressure, just train yourself to be very connected to the basket as you go to shoot, and make the Release strong and full out, snapping and held strongly through the Follow Through (driven by a strong UpForce, of course). I know there will be fear, but see if you can make the Release "fearless." If your Release is affected by the doubt and fear, you'll miss, and usually short, as the Release won't be completed well. Remember that all you need to do is fire the Release off quick and strong, to the end of your arm, connected to the target. It's an easy motion. You KNOW you can shoot now. It's just a matter of believing in yourself and having a way, under pressure, to do what you know you can. A parent recently told me of this coaching idea he had for his son. The son was worried about missing his shots, as he had started to do after learning my Method and having great success. As the son was about to play in a key tryout, the dad told him his first job was to watch and perform the elements of your video on Thursday. He begrudgingly agreed and his shot came back. "The only thing I added to what you were showing in the video was that I told him I couldn't wait to see him miss a shot, because I wanted to see his form after a miss. He seemed to like that - a miss was not important anymore. He knew the pressure was on without me telling him. Before the tryout I threw him a few balls and asked him to miss so I could see the next shot. He was playing with some of the best 16's in the state. His floor game was superb, but he missed 3 of the first 4 shots. From then on, he made 14 of the next 15 shots and made the team. I credit his willingness to miss, along with the technique you taught him." ---------------------------------------------------------- As far as confidence, just observe it. As Haley "gets" the pure Release, can she trust herself to pull the trigger and fire it, full-out, (No holding back!) as she goes to shoot? (Of course she can!) It takes all the guessing out, and she should start to feel better about shooting as they start to drop. She still has to to these things: · Find her opening and decide to
shoot But then she can just pull the trigger and let it go. The judgment of how high is an instinctive, last-second adjustment. Her confidence will naturally grow as she learns to trust herself and do this simple shot. If she panicks and reverts to old habits, no big deal. It's to be expected! But at some point she'll really believe in this, trust herself and start to make a lot of shots. Then her confidence will soar, and the greater confidence will result in more calm and relaxation under pressure and she'll perform even better. I call it an upward spiral of success: improved performance leads to more confidence leads to improved performance leads to more confidence leads to improved performance, etc. etc. Please ask her to write me with what she is getting from all this. How does she feel about her shot and what does she notice about her confidence, trust and willingness to "Let it fly!" ---------------------------------------------------------- As to your question about streaks, I feel they are caused by a flaw in the technique, usually the "wrist flipping" thing, where the shot is powered by the smaller muscles of the wrist, hand and fingers. The source of this may be shooting at or near the top of the jump, when all you've got left as far as power is the arm, wrist and hand. If you drive or guide the ball this way, it flattens the shot for one thing, but more importantly, the muscle action is harder to control (relatively) and can also vary with the slightest thought or fear. The result is little variations in distance and direction, a little long, a little left, etc. Once you start to miss, then the fears and doubts make it harder. I know this because I'm almost always "on." My motion is so stable and controlled, coming from large muscles, that it is very reliable. Once in awhile my mind can interfere with the simple, connected and automatic action, but it's easy to get back on track. ---------------------------------------------------------- Q: Hello, I've been shooting a lot lately and making most of my shots during practice, but when it comes game time my shots just don't drop. They are almost always short but right on line. I think that my shots have enough arc. My problem might be that I can't tell how far away the basket is from where I'm shooting. I have complete confidence in my shot so that's not a question. Is there any thing you could tell me that would help me? A: It sounds like it's just a matter of loss of focus. You KNOW how to shoot, but your fear of missing (or doubt in yourself -- same thing) cause you to lose focus, to hold back, to try too hard, etc., whatever it is. I recommend you just keep hanging in there, and start to notice what interferes. When it's a "game," do you have fear or doubt, or do you start thinking too much? It's natural for you to have those interferences. A way to approach them is to just notice, on a scale, like from 1 to 10, how much fear or "craziness" you notice in you as you play games. Just the awareness will help calm your mind. Keep reminding yourself that you are a fine shooter. One of the great things about my method is the "full out" Release motion. That is, you fire it off at the same speed and force all the time. Thus, when you're under pressure, you can still just go full out and the ball will fly pretty much the same. But you need to be connected to your basket mentally, and aligned physically (as much as possible), and then connected in the follow through and completion. Also, you need to trust and let it fly. Don't hold back. Note if your focus on the basket before, during and after the shot wavers. If it does not waver, and you shoot on the way up from powerful UpForce, and you have a strong, quick, aimed-high and full out Release, your shots should start dropping, even under intense pressure. You are, of course, just letting it fly and varying the arch to control distance, I presume. Observe exactly how you are shooting. Are you wrist and hand relaxed? Does your shooting hand bounce in the follow through? If not, then you must be adding wrist and/or hand muscles, which introduce variable and causes variation in the result. ---------------------------------------------------------- It sounds like you both are getting the idea, and I hope you can see it's quite simple. It's more like "remembering" what to do than "trying" to do something new. Once you have the basic idea, I believe your level of performance is a function of your focus, concentration, intention, and commitment to the target. As you go to shoot, and you're all set to start the UpForce, connect to it, align with the basket, pull the trigger, etc., note how "connected" you are to the basket before, during and after the shot. I feel if you are totally connected and trusting and focused, your shots will just drop like pennies from heaven, over and over, dead center, Swish. The Follow Through is a big part of this, as it helps guide the ball in the latter part of the shot. Note how strong your intention is in the Follow Through. ---------------------------------------------------------- Q: Tom, From your experience, how long does it take to adjust to a gym where the depth perception is different than what you are used to? Any tricks to faking out your body's natural instincts when you don't have much pre-game practice time? A: When I played, I never had any problem adjusting to different gyms. I'm not sure why, but maybe it's because my method is so "automatic," all I had to do was connect visually with the basket and let it fly, varying height for the distance. Very simple. If a motion is complicated and variable, then the slightest doubt or fear can magnify the difficulty. Maybe your son and his teammates just let it bother them. If you "think" there's a problem, then there probably is. Ask them what they noticed. Were they bothered by the different appearance or the background? Was it a vision problem? Maybe all they needed was to connect more powerfully to the basket and trust themselves a little more strongly. ---------------------------------------------------------- Q: Hi, I am a university women's basketball player I was wondering, do you think it is beneficial to be using a shooting machine, rather than shooting on my own? (As long as I concentrate on shooting with proper technique) My goal this summer is to shoot 500-600 shots a day (besides the scrimmages that I participate in). A: I have mixed feelings about the shooting
machines. They are sold because people think You can learn more from one shot, if truly
aware, than you can from 100 or 1,000 shots. And once you truly learn how to apply awareness,
you don't need 500 shots a day to learn Again, awareness is the key. When you're aware of what you're doing with your body, arms and hands, you will get better and better in less and less time. When you know where you want to go (my video shows that), then learning is really accelerated. Once you "know" what you're doing, you don't need thousands of repetitions to groove it. That's what most players are doing, trying to groove an unknown and/or unreliable stroke. |