BASKETBALL SHOOTING COACH
THIS IS BRAIN TRAINING - TRAIN YOUR BRAIN TO SHOOT !!!
THE MOST INNOVATIVE AND CONTROVERSIAL APPROACH TO SHOOTING A BASKETBALL SINCE THE ONE-HANDED JUMP SHOT
- DEBUNKING BASKETBALL SHOOTING MYTHS AND LEGENDS -
Shooting Myth; some players just can’t shoot.
While it’s true some players are better shooters than others, ALL players can shoot 50% or better from the field. Shot selection and shot timing (when to take a shot) are integral to every shooters scoring percentage. If you find specific shots that simply don’t FEEL natural, don’t shoot ’em. High percentage scorers have favorite shooting positions on the court and find a way to shoot these favorite shots as often as possible, that’s why they’re high percentage scorers.
There are six shots every basketball player should be able to shoot at a 90% clip, shoot these six shots as often as possible (see "Basketball - It's All About The Shot"). What six shots? Patience Grasshopper, patience (see "Basketball - It's All About The Shot").
Shooting Myth; square yourself (shoulders, feet, hips) to the basket.
Do you know why basketball coaches, players, announcers and analysts all talk about the importance of squaring up to the basket before shooting? Someone told them it was necessary. So what do they all do? They blindly repeat everything they’ve been told.
Why do baseball coaches tell batters they must step into the pitch? Someone told them it was necessary.
In 1993 Paul Molitor won the World Series MVP Award and tied a World Series record by batting .500 (12-24) in the six-game series. Paul Molitor never stepped into one single pitch!
Does stepping into a pitch work? Yes. Does not stepping into a pitch work? Obviously.
There’s always more than one way to skin a cat. What you learn about shooting mechanics in "Basketball - It's All About The Shot" should be called ‘Popular Mechanics,’ but that name is already taken. Drat! Hmmmm, how about ‘Popular Shooting Mechanics?’
Some of the greatest scorers in basketball history had the most horrendous looking shots ever seen. Some of the greatest shooters in basketball history had the sweetest looking shots ever. Were the shooting percentages of the pretty shooters higher than the ugly shooters No.
Shooting mechanics can be defined as muscle memory. Muscle memory creates consistency. If you consistently hit your target using the world’s ugliest shot who cares if your shot is ugly? It’s still muscle memory. Granted, your shot will come around faster if you utilize solid shooting mechanics, but having your shoulders, your toes, your hips or your nose square to the basket have nothing at all to do with solid shooting form and "Basketball - It's All About The Shot" proves it!
Thinking about squaring your shoulders to the basket before shooting, or while shooting, gets in the way of what you should be doing while taking a shot. OK. What should I be doing when going up for a shot?
Tweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet.
Coach calls time out and draws up a play to get you open at your favorite spot on the floor. As both teams take the floor every player on the court knows the play's designed to get you the ball. Only your team knows how that’s gonna’ happen.
Tweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet.
The ball is inbounded – you run by one pick, cut by another and just like that you’re at your favorite spot. In one motion you receive a pass and you’re up in the air wide open and - and - and - what are you thinking?
Right now! What are you thinking?
IF YOU’RE THINKING ANYTHING - ANYTHING AT ALL - IT’S WRONG!!!
OK. Then what should I be doing when going up for a shot? Well, that’s what "Basketball - It's All About The Shot" is all about; what you should be doing when going up for a shot or standing on the free throw line and shooting.
I’ll tell you right now what you should avoid doing while shooting… You should avoid thinking about squaring your shoulders; avoid thinking about your follow through; avoid thinking about your opponent; avoid thinking about how your feet are positioned; avoid thinking about the score; avoid thinking about your hand positioning, avoid thinking about backspin.
YOU SHOULD AVOID THINKING. Thinking is the worst thing you can do while shooting. "Basketball-It's All About The Shot" will spell out specifically what to do while shooting, but we have to take it one step at a time. Once you understand it’s easy. I promise.
Shooting Myth;
Adjust your shooting form if you missed your last shot. If you try adjusting your shooting form or shooting mechanics while taking your shot what does that mean? It means you’re thinking. Thinking about your shot. Thinking is the worst thing you can do while shooting. If you find yourself missing consistently you need only adjust your focus. That statement will be explained and repeated in "Basketball - It's All About The Shot" time and time again.
Shooting Myth;
Concentrate on your shot. WRONG, you concentrate only on your target. What target? Again, that’s what "Basketball - It's All About The Shot" is all about, but we have to take it one step at a time. Once you understand it’s easy. I promise.
Shooting Myth;
Aim for the back of the rim. Aim for the space just beyond the front of the rim. Aim for the tape on the back of the rim. Aim for that imaginary spot smack dab in the center of the rim. Aim for the front of the rim. All of these ideas are better than having no target at all but all these targets are too large or too ethereal.
It’s like telling a baseball player to keep their eye on the ball. Granted that’s better than not looking at the ball at all, but it’s too general a statement. Looking for the seams on the baseball is shrinking the target or your focus of attention. When the mind has a ‘specific’ target, the brain/body connection, or eye/hand coordination improves.
OK, so what’s a good target? Well, that’s what "Basketball - It's All About The Shot" is all about, but we have to take it one step at a time. Once you understand it’s easy. I promise.
The point here is shooting mechanics have gone through too many magnifying glasses over the years and have grown too complicated. One legendary basketball coach after another has labored to refine and tweak how to teach basketball shooting form. Why? I’ll tell you why, because consistent shooting mechanics will improve a shooters performance, and the most important aspect of basketball is scoring. But no matter how good your shot is mechanically, mechanics cannot eliminate game distractions. Game distractions are the number one culprit to poor shooting. Game distractions can be eliminated but not by shooting mechanics.
How can I eliminate distractions experienced during a game? Again, that’s what "Basketball - It's All About The Shot" is all about, but we have to take it one step at a time. Once you understand it’s easy. I promise.
Shooting Myth;
You must have perfect backspin on the ball.
Sometimes your shot will have backspin and sometimes it won’t, but you should never know if it does or not. You should have your eyes focused on your target. Again Coach, what target? Ahhh... Well, that’s what "Basketball - It's All About The Shot" is all about, but we have to take it one step at a time. Once you understand it’s easy. I promise.
Shooting Myth;
Your shot needs to have a nice high soft arch, in case you miss your shot will be easy to rebound.
Of all the shooting myths this might be the craziest. Why in the world would you ever want to be thinking about missing while your shooting? Read "Basketball - It's All About The Shot." Learn how to shoot and enjoy being a shooter and what being a shooter brings to your game and your team.
OK, I get it. Basketball is a mental game. But that means I’m supposed to be thinking. Thinking about what, thinking when? How am I supposed to think about when and what to think? Didn’t you just say I’m not supposed to be thinking?
These are all good questions that will be answered to your complete satisfaction in the book "Basketball - It's All About The Shot."
"Basketball - It's All About The Shot" is about brain training. We, you and I, are training your brain to shoot, and should you learn other things along the way, well so much the better.
Shooting Myth;
Imagine your shot going in before you shoot.
At the free throw line you have time to do that and anything else you can conjure. However when you miss, your mind perceives these misses as an exercise in futility and stops believing in wishful thinking.
Learn how to shoot or submit to the myths... Your choice.
Shooting Myth;
Concentrate on your shot. WRONG, you concentrate only on your target. What target? Again, that’s what "Basketball - It's All About The Shot" is all about, but we have to take it one step at a time. Once you understand it’s easy. I promise.
Shooting Myth;
Aim for the back of the rim. Aim for the space just beyond the front of the rim. Aim for the tape on the back of the rim. Aim for that imaginary spot smack dab in the center of the rim. Aim for the front of the rim. All of these ideas are better than having no target at all but all these targets are too large or too ethereal.
It’s like telling a baseball player to keep their eye on the ball. Granted that’s better than not looking at the ball at all, but it’s too general a statement. Looking for the seams on the baseball is shrinking the target or your focus of attention. When the mind has a ‘specific’ target, the brain/body connection, or eye/hand coordination improves.
OK, so what’s a good target? Well, that’s what "Basketball - It's All About The Shot" is all about, but we have to take it one step at a time. Once you understand it’s easy. I promise.
The point here is shooting mechanics have gone through too many magnifying glasses over the years and have grown too complicated. One legendary basketball coach after another has labored to refine and tweak how to teach basketball shooting form. Why? I’ll tell you why, because consistent shooting mechanics will improve a shooters performance, and the most important aspect of basketball is scoring. But no matter how good your shot is mechanically, mechanics cannot eliminate game distractions. Game distractions are the number one culprit to poor shooting. Game distractions can be eliminated but not by shooting mechanics.
How can I eliminate distractions experienced during a game? Again, that’s what "Basketball - It's All About The Shot" is all about, but we have to take it one step at a time. Once you understand it’s easy. I promise.
Shooting Myth;
You must have perfect backspin on the ball.
Sometimes your shot will have backspin and sometimes it won’t, but you should never know if it does or not. You should have your eyes focused on your target. Again Coach, what target? Ahhh... Well, that’s what "Basketball - It's All About The Shot" is all about, but we have to take it one step at a time. Once you understand it’s easy. I promise.
Shooting Myth;
Your shot needs to have a nice high soft arch, in case you miss your shot will be easy to rebound.
Of all the shooting myths this might be the craziest. Why in the world would you ever want to be thinking about missing while your shooting? Read "Basketball - It's All About The Shot." Learn how to shoot and enjoy being a shooter and what being a shooter brings to your game and your team.
OK, I get it. Basketball is a mental game. But that means I’m supposed to be thinking. Thinking about what, thinking when? How am I supposed to think about when and what to think? Didn’t you just say I’m not supposed to be thinking?
These are all good questions that will be answered to your complete satisfaction in the book "Basketball - It's All About The Shot."
"Basketball - It's All About The Shot" is about brain training. We, you and I, are training your brain to shoot, and should you learn other things along the way, well so much the better.
Shooting Myth;
Imagine your shot going in before you shoot.
At the free throw line you have time to do that and anything else you can conjure. However when you miss, your mind perceives these misses as an exercise in futility and stops believing in wishful thinking.
Learn how to shoot or submit to the myths... Your choice.