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to other companies or individuals. We value every subscriber
and respect your privacy. Articles are written about this dilemma,
and people are looking for an answer. I feel I can provide that
answer. If you agree with what I'm saying, please help me get
my coaching methods out there. Refer people to my Website and
be in communication with me. Thanks. He told me how their shots have no arch, and how they tend
to move laterally, rather than up, when going to shoot.
They have no idea what to do with their arms as they shoot,
and the arms and hands move or jerk wildly in different
directions.
The video is being sent to him and will show him how to
coach my Swish Method, but we talked a bit about what he
could do in the meantime and in the next couple weeks to
effect some positive changes for the final push of the season.
Here are three simple areas to look at that you can introduce
to a team right now that could make a big difference in your
team's performance down the stretch. These focuses will
not be asking for major changes in technique. Rather they will
bring about changes that happen naturally. (If this is for your
own shot, just make the translation.)
--WHERE DOES POWER COME FROM? ARE THE SHOTS FLAT? Let's look at each one in more detail:
(1) WHERE DOES POWER COME FROM? ARE THE SHOTS FLAT?
Ask your players to note where power is coming from when
they shoot. Is it more from the UPPER BODY, or is it from the
WHOLE BODY, lower and upper working in unison? The
height of the shots will be an indicator of what the source
of power is.
Upper Body shooting tends to be flat and hot, with variables in
the arm, wrist and hand action that are hard to predict and
control. Whole Body shooting is generally higher and looks
and feels much more "integrated" and effortless. In Whole
Body shooting, the Release happens on the way up, not at
the top of the jump.
If you discover that they're shooting at or near the top of the
jump, invite them to experiment with shooting earlier in the
jumping motion and see what happens. For girls, it's
important to emphasize that they learn to go "up," rather
than laterally. The purpose is not to jump over people, but
to get the strong lower body energy moving upward so the
shot can be powered from it.
COACHING: One way to explore this is to note what "percent"
of the available upward energy of the legs and lower body is
used in the shots. With practice you'll know what I mean.
Shooting at the top of the jump would be "zero" percent, as you
are using none of the leg force. If you shoot immediately as you
start the upward motion, that would be 100%. If you wait to
shoot, the percent drops to 75, 50, or 25%, etc. A very few players
might even discover that they're shooting on the way "down,"
thus getting a negative percent.
From my point of view, all outside shots, including free
throws, will benefit if the percent used is 100% or close to it.
The exception would be the inside jumpers, from 6', 8' or 10'
or closer. With these shots, the player can wait a bit to shoot
because s/he is so close, the leg drive isn't needed as much,
and also the margin for error is greater. However, don't lose
it all, because the leg drive provides stability for the shot.
For stronger players, the Set Point can be raised for inside shots
to permit a quicker, stronger Release. A great example of this
kind of shooting is Rasheed Wallace of the Portland Trailblazers.
Note how high his Set Point is for all his shots. He's especially
noted for his wonderful, high, soft inside jumpers.
(2) IS THE RELEASE REPEATABLE, OR IT IS FULL OF VARIABLES?
Watch the Release action, how the arm, wrist and hand work
to propel the ball to the basket. See you can tell (and ask the
players to observe) if the motion has a lot of variables to it, or
is it pretty consistent?
The way to tell is to watch how the arm and hand end up in
the Follow Through. If the arm stays straight toward the basket
(aimed high above), that would indicate a pretty consistent
direction. If the hand stays pointed forward in line with the
basket, though dropping down, that would indicate accuracy.
But if the arm or hand move to the side or up or pull back,
then you know the release action is inconsistent.
Watch for any tension in the wrist and hand. If the shot is
being propelled by these muscles, they will be tight at the
end of the motion. The shot will also usually be quite flat
because a wrist-flip action is horizontal. The main problem
I see with this kind of shooting is that smaller muscles are
propelling and guiding the ball, and they are hard to control
and become less reliable under pressure. It's very easy to be a
little long or a little short, a little left or right with this kind
of action.
COACHING: I recommend shooting with a completely relaxed
wrist and hand, with a pushing action of the arm. If the wrist is
relaxed, the hand will actually bounce if the arm motion is
quick and strong. Note if the arm action is a "throwing" motion
or a "push." A throw means shoulder and arm muscles are
involved, thus adding variables and flattening the shot. If it's
more of a push, aimed upward, then the action can be simplified
into a constant motion, thus increasing the chances of
repeatability. Note that the Set Point location affects this.
If the ball is brought overhead, a throw is required. For a push,
the ball has to be more forward. I suggest the back of the ball be
somewhere near the front of the head for a simple, upward
pushing action.
Ask the players to note what's going on with the arm, wrist and
hand. Ask them to do less with these muscles and more from
the bigger lower body muscles. They should start to feel an
"effortlessness" when shooting this way, and their improved
shooting will motivate them to explore this further.
(3) IS THE FOLLOW THROUGH "CONNECTED" TO THE BASKET?
One last thing you can point to that could make a big difference
quickly is what happens in the Follow Through. The Release
and Follow Through are the major determiners of shot direction.
If these actions are in line with and "connected" to the target,
accuracy will be high. If they're unstable, then accuracy will be
inconsistent.
"Connection" means that you know where the basket is, you
intend to make the shot, everything is aligned to ensure success,
and the body's shot motion fulfills that desired result, that
expectation. It's part mental, part physical. It `s a "knowing."
It involves awareness and trust.
Watch the direction of the arm and hand at the end of the shot.
If they pull away or jerk to the side, chances are slim the shot
will fly true. But if they are held straight in line with the basket,
results will be more successful. Of course, you need the things
discussed above, the power coming more from big, lower body
muscles and less from the arm, wrist and hand. But a focused
Release and Follow Through can make up for a lot. Watch the
great shooters and scorers in the game, and you'll see a
tremendous "connection" to the basket as they go to shoot
and a great sense of "completion" as they finish the shot motion.
COACHING: You can't really see all the aspects of Connection
and Completion, though you can kind of "sense" what's there.
Ask your players to report to you how connected they were as
they went to shoot, and how strongly they completed the
connection in the finish of the shot. By awareness of different
levels of these aspects, they will grow and develop. You might
ask a player to report on Connection or Completion by giving
a 1 to 10 rating after a shot, with `1' being very low and `10' being
very high. Just the awareness, if sincerely given, will lead to
improvement. As the coach, you'll start to see when a player
has a high level of these qualities and likewise when it is weak.
A WALL - A GREAT PLACE TO DEVELOP A SHOT MOTION
A great way to practice and learn the above stuff, especially the
first two, is to work against a wall. Stand just 5-6 feet from the
wall and start first with no leg power. Shoot upward, with the
goal of having the ball glance the wall on the way down, rather
than at the top of the arch or on the way up. Without the
distraction of a basket, you can observe much better the Release
motion and how your arm and hand work. Observe if there is
tension, and feel what it's like to relax the wrist and hand.
Observe spin and ball flight. Then have your players start adding
more leg power and shoot higher and higher (without moving back).
Ask them to experiment with bigger and smaller upward motions
(with a jump off the ground or not) to feel the powerful upward
energy and connect their shot motion (the Release) to that energy.
Connecting to the powerful leg drive can be like "catching a wave"
in surfing. There's a surge of power in the beginning that
gradually dissipates. Catch the wave early and you get a lot of power.
THE FREE THROW - SEE EVERYTHING IN THIS SHOT
With the Free Throw you can see all of the above going on
more easily since the body motion is small and relatively
constant, and there's more time to see and feel everything.
Note if the shot is powered by the Lower Body or the Upper
Body. Observe the arch ... flat, medium high or high. Observe
spin. Watch the Release and Follow Through. Is the Release
tense and variable, with a potential for a different hand action
every time, or is it controlled, measurable and consistent? Do
you get the feeling that the Release is going "to the end of the
arm" with each shot, thus the same distance each time and
more repeatable, more of a "sure thing"? Or does every shot
look like a guess.
START A CONVERSATION ABOUT SHOOTING
I hope these simple things lead to improved shooting for you.
When players go to the free throw line at critical points in
games, they can have a plan. They can "know" what they
have to do to produce a good chance of the ball going in.
The long pre-shot routines you see these days and the obvious
attempts at"psyching" oneself into success are not working.
Unreliable technique defeats them every time.
The absence of power from the leg drive and the excessive use
of wrist and hand muscles are major causes of the poor
shooting you see in the game today. And the solutions can
be very simple. For example, just shooting earlier and earlier
in the jumping (or free throw) motion can, I feel, lead to major
changes in the rest of the shot: higher arch, less dependence
on smaller muscles, quicker release, more consistency, etc.
Start a "conversation" about these ideas. As one player starts
to "get" it, ask her or him to demonstrate to the others and
talk about what's been learned. Check it out and let me know
what you experience and discover.
To learn more about my Method, go to my Website
(http://www.swish22.com) and read what I've written there.
Read the remarkable reviews, endorsements and testimonials.
Consider getting my video, as it very clearly instructs how
to learn this way of shooting. Her emails started out with, "Thanks for sending the video
so quickly, we are looking forward to view it. As I can see
that you are very interested in feedback from `your students,'
I thought you may be interested to hear why I decided to
order your video among all the others (there are over 700
instructional videos at U.S.A. coaches site!).
"I love basketball, but all I know about it is from some school
playing lots of years ago and watching clubs and Championship
games (European, World, Olympics and NBA, when there is an
occasion) - so I am far from being 'an expert' in choosing valid
instructional material :) My son is 12 years old and as most of
Yugoslavs (we live in Italy but we are from Belgrade), is
growing into a real, passionate fan of the game (hoping to
become a good player some day :).
"During their games I was always confused about how is it
possible that they miss over 50% from the free throws line!
I kept telling him that at least that one can be learned because
the distance is always the same and there is no defense to
make it difficult. They should practice more, 'cause in their
games, free throws are more often than in 'bigger' games
(to lots of them, defense still equals fouling.
"But, as their coach is not a very good shooter himself, he was
obviously not able to teach them how to do it...
"Well, what happened? My son is one of the best shooters in
his team, but when it comes to free throws it was always kind
of 'let's pray that this one will go into the basket'. Until his
last game... In this game he made 100% of his free throws and
I noticed that suddenly he had a very high arch (I was not
paying attention on arch ever, but this was so different from
what he did before that I 'had to notice' the ball flying very
high). I paid more attention on arch during the game and
noticed that lots of boys (especially the taller ones) have a
very low arch and have a lots of problems in getting a ball
in the basket. Better shooters (usually the smaller ones) have
somewhat higher arch and more precise shooting.
"After the game I asked him what happened and he said:
`I don't know...looks like I've got it!' He couldn't explain what
exactly he did differently than before, but he said: `Suddenly it
was so easy!'
"Then I went to Internet to try to learn more and to find some
explanations, 'cause I wanted to find a way for him to
understand and remember what was he doing. Among
all the sites I've found, yours was the only one that explained
the exact thing that I saw happening on my son's last game.
So, I already have the confidence in your method and really
hope it will make an essential difference in my son's shooting
ability : )
"One small update, even before the video gets here, regarding
his free shots. Last two games he managed to maintain his
`new skill' and as a consequence he started to drive much
more to the basket, even when he had three boys in front of
him -- looking to get fouled. :))) Of course, he drew lots of
fouls ... and made his free shots :). At one point I heard the coach
from the other team shouting to his player: `I've told you,
DON'T foul HIM!!!' You can imagine what this does for his
self confidence!"
I replied that her son is lucky to have a mom like her looking
out for him...
Her reply: "Well...I am not sure HE thinks so :))) He always
says that other moms tell their sons how `great' they did in the
game, while I use to tell him what I didn't like as well...
Actually, he is quite angry with me these days, 'cause after
last game, when I noticed that he was selfish twice and instead
of passing the ball went for the shot, I told him that basketball
is team sport and if he thinks he should be a star and show-off,
he'd better train for tennis! I must admit that he usually doesn't
act like this, but I wanted him to think about it...
"By the way, I have to tell you that I liked very, very much your,
I think September 1999, Newsletter - the one in which you talk
about winning and losing and about the life itself. I think
THAT'S most important... and I hope the game will help my
boy understand some very important things about life itself.
Thank you for pointing that out, 'cause in our 'competitive'
world some basic values are almost forgotten..."
I then asked her the following question for her son: "Where
did he get the idea, or was it, as you implied, just a 'gift' to
him? Did he see something or read something about arch?
I'm curious about how he learned this."
Her reply: "He told me that several months ago his coach
told him that he should try `to shoot higher,' but he never
explained how exactly to do that...so he tried to accomplish
that by himself for some time and then forgot about it...
(obviously not completely :)
"He saw or read nothing about the arch...he has no time
whatsoever these days (they will have their tests next week,
so all he does is study and go to his trainings). We don't have
basketball material around house, and he was not able to go
to Internet lately (besides, his English is worse than mine, so
I don't know how much will he understand of your
newsletters from the archives, that I plan to give to him
once he gets his school votes :)
"He keeps telling me that 'it just happened,' and the only
difference he was able to register (after his last training today
where he did 19 of 20 free throws, as I kept insisting that he
should try to remember how does it feel) was that he did
'that jumping movement, but without jumping' (so looks
like he used his UpForce) and he had his hand `more relaxed.'
He says: `It looks like my hand does nothing...no effort...
I don't know where the force comes from!' That's all he
could say..."
I wrote her back that her son had a remarkable, self-discovered
"Breakthrough." After a suggestion from his coach, but no
instruction as to how to do it, he tried for awhile and then
gave up. Months later, totally out of the blue, his body did
something and he was awake and aware enough to see what
happened and learn from it. As more power came from his
legs, his arch went higher and his Release muscles (wrist,
hand, fingers) could start to relax. As he put it, "It looks like
my hand does nothing...no effort...I don't know where the
force comes from!"
I'm fascinated with how we learn. From the training I've had
in coaching, I know learning is related to awareness. The
greater the awareness, the greater the learning. In fact, I
believe that awareness (kinesthetic feel, sound, and visual
observation) is the only thing that teaches us physical things.
n this case, a little suggestion lead to a physical experiment
(not even consciously performed) that lead to a completely
new way of shooting.
The young man discovered what I learned many years ago and
now coach in my Swish Method. If he weren't "aware" of what
happened, the breakthrough might come and go. The coaching
in my video will now serve to help him "confirm" what his body
learned naturally, thus making it more permanent. Plus the
video will give him additional key distinctions that can help
him improve even more.
I'm indebted to this remarkable Yugoslavian mother for her
determination and hard work to find coaching to help her son. New Mexico vs. Stanford
I watched the University of New Mexico Lobos, a fine team
with a good record at the time (12-5 or something like that),
play Stanford recently on TV. Stanford was ranked #1 in the
country at the time, and New Mexico was hoping for an upset.
The Lobos started out very powerfully, with great defense and
tremendous offensive movement to the basket. They made
their jump shots, including a couple 3's, and they dominated
floor play. Their "athleticism" was amazing. About 10 minutes
into the game, they lead by a couple points. It looked like
Stanford was in for a tough contest. But then, for the rest of
the game, the Lobos' shooting went cold.
The emotional "high" they had started with was just that ...
a high. It was followed by the lowest of lows, once their
excitement and adrenalin wore off. There was a period in the
middle of the game when they made ONE FIELD GOAL IN
10 1/2 MINUTES!!! They missed short shots, medium-length
shot, 3's. They missed just about everything! Stanford's defense
is tough, but due to their speed and quickness the Lobos were
getting open jumpers. They just didn't know how to shoot,
once the "High" wore off. From the line they shot 7 for 16!
That was due to one player, mostly, who went 0 for 6.
Butler upsets #10 Wisconsin
On January 30th, I read that Butler "stunned" Wisconsin 58-44.
The #10 team in the country got only 44 points?!! I didn't see
the shooting stats, except for a line in the article that said the
Badgers shot 6 for 16 from the free throw line!
North Carolina upsets Duke
I read that Brendan Haywood, the Tar Heels center was a 48%
free throw shooter for the season but managed to hit two free
throws with 1.2 seconds left to win the game. Bravo, Brendan,
but 48% for the year?!!
The key statistic was that the Blue Devils shot only 13 for 27
from the free throw line for the game! That is also 48%. They
shot in this one game, as a team, as badly as Brendan had
previously for the entire season. Prior to this game they were
72% as a team.
Hornets 65, Heat 56!
On Dec. 20th of last year, in the second lowest scoring game in
NBA history, the Charlotte Hornets and the Miami Heat scored
only 121 points combined. The last time teams scored that
poorly was in 1955. With field goals, the Hornets shot 37%,
the Heat 29%. From the line, both teams shot 52%. You might
be able to blame the defense for a part of the field goal demise,
but what about from the line? With 3's, the Heat shot 5 for 15,
33%, better than they did from the field in total, but the
Hornets shot only 1 for 10.
Orlando 103, Denver 93
On Dec. 7th going into the fourth quarter, the Denver Nuggets
held a 3 point lead. After shooting 1 for 18 in that last quarter,
they lost, deservedly, by 10 to the Magic.
I mention these statistics because I know there is a more
effective way to shoot, not to embarrass the teams, coaches
or fans. When you've developed a "repeatable" shot motion,
pressure is less likely to alter your shot. If the motion varies
and you're never quite sure what's going to happen, then
pressure is your worst enemy. Very few players these days,
have developed a repeatable shot. The instructions to shoot
at the top of the jump, and to flip (or "snap") your wrist create
hot motions that are variable. The little wrist, hand and finger
muscles, "fast twitch" muscles, I believe they're called, are less
reliable than our bodies' bigger muscles. If you can minimize
the use of the little muscles, then the motion can become more
predictable and pressure-proof.
(To balance out this report a little, let me mention that I just
read that Michigan State, rated #5 in the nation, whipped its
big rival Michigan, 91-64. For the game Michigan State shot
57.9 percent, and 18 for 18 free throws, while holding the
Wolverines to only 33.9% shooting. Also, in a game Dec. 22nd,
the Utah Jazz and the Indiana Pacers almost broke an NBA
record for free throw success. For the game they shot a
combined 96.8%, with the Jazz shooting 21 for 22 and the
Pacers shooting 40 of 41! The previous record was 97.3%, but
I doubt it was for as many free throws as this was, 61 for 63! Wow!!!) As your season is winding down, I hope it was a good one for
you and that you had lots of fun, learned some things, and
enjoyed being part of a team. Some of the factors you can't
control (the makeup of the team, the skills, talents, who the
coach is and how effective and caring he or she is, injuries,
illness, etc.). But you can control your attitude about things,
how you react to success and failure, how much you
appreciate and accept people and circumstances. If you
lose a game, you can choose to think about yourself and
how disappointed you are, or you can choose to applaud
your opponents and congratulate them heartily and sincerely.
It's your choice. I mentioned in a recent newsletter how the
New Zealand team at the Olympics stunned everyone by
performing a dance to honor their worthy opponents, the
American team, who had just crushed them, scorewise.
If you saw that expression of respect and love, I'm sure you'd
rethink who actually "won" that game.
Remember basketball is just a game! It's not that important
who wins! What really matters is what is learned and what is
enjoyed. In my life and from working with great mentors,
I've come to realize that life could be viewed as a balance
between Learning, Enjoyment and Performance (call it the
"L-E-P Triangle"). Sometimes you want to focus just on
Learning, and other times just on Enjoyment. It's healthy to
focus on Performance, sometimes, too, to test yourself under
pressure. Much is to be gained by seeing how you handle
obstacles, how strong you are, where you have weaknesses,
how you perform under pressure. But too much emphasis on
just one of these three goals for too long is unhealthy. And as
one of my coaches put it, he feels "Learning" and "Enjoyment"
are really one word, "Learningandenjoyment," because when
there's learning, there is enjoyment. Learning always is joyful
to me.
Look at your game and your season and start thinking what
You need to move to the next level. The season is over in a
few weeks. Start now to plan when you're going to work on
improving your basketball skills like dribbling, passing,
rebounding, conditioning or shooting. Ask for help from
coaches, parents and friends. Ask them what they think you
need to be a better player. Offer to help your friends. Plan to
get together to work on the game. What you do in the "off"
season will determine how prepared and effective you are
next year. By taking a "pro-active" role in this, you will
progress much further than if you just leave things to chance.
Feel free to email me (Email Tom) and tell me what's
happening with you and your basketball experience. I'd love
to hear from you. Please tell others about my site and my
video. Send them the URL (http://www.swish22.com) and let them
know there's hope for better shooting. (More than "hope,"
it's a proven Method.) See my Website for news about Clinics, Camps and Private Sessions. Here's a direct link to that respective page: http://www.swish22.com/clinicsetc.html
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