FOOTWORK
HOP STOP
Feet a little wider than shoulder width
Shooting foot in front about six inches
One sound stop with both feet
Bend at the knees at point of impact
Drop your rear along with the bend of knees
Head between the midpoint of your feet
Always explode out with positive footwork
HOP STOP-SHOT
Straight up into an imaginary shot
Land in your footprints on your toes
HOP STOP-FRONT TURN
Free your shooting foot
Lead with your Face
stay low, foot that moves is the foot that goes
HOP STOP-REVERSE PIVOT
Free your shooting foot
Lead with your Rear end
stay low, foot that moves is the foot that goes
V-CUT
Plant outside foot during a small stride
Pivot on the ball of planted foot
Arm swing through on side of the planted foot
Big step to explode on the change of direction
DRILLS
1. Five line-footwork drills
2. King drill-mass footwork & pivot drills
3. Breakdown drills
FOOTWORK TIPS
Balance
Balance is one of the most important things to remember in the game of basketball. To have good physical balance you should have a wide base of support by keeping your feet at least shoulder width apart. A good bend at the knees and the waist will also help. Now, try to keep your head just above the midpoint between both feet . In this position you have the most physical balance possible.
How To PivotThe pivot is a fundamental skill that can get a player relief from pressure defense, and can be a great skill to have to begin an offensive move. To pivot, turn on the ball of your foot. Once you choose your pivot foot, it must maintain contact with the ground until you dribble, shoot or pass. (You can go airborne to shoot or pass) If your pivot foot moves and you do not dribble, shoot or pass, it is a violation called traveling, and the ball is awarded to the other team. A reverse or back pivot is when you turn backwards and when you turn forwards it is called a forward or front pivot.
L-CutWhen executing an "L-Cut" you start at the block on the edge of the free throw lane and walk your defender up the side of the lane. When your teammate is ready to deliver the pass you step into the defender, make contact, and change speeds quickly by pushing off of your inside foot to pop out to the wing.
Positive footworkOnce you have recieved a pass and faced the basket, you have probably established a pivot foot. That foot may no longer move until the ball leaves your hand when you dribble. POSITIVE FOOTWORK is a term that describes your "free" foot. Regardless of the manner in which you square up, your free foot should remain slightly in front of your pivot foot. This allows the offensive player to remain in charge and gives the ability to attack the defender. A player should not allow the free foot to end up in a position BEHIND the pivot foot, as this will give the defender an opportunity to apply pressure and "belly up" to the ballhandler, putting the ballhandler on his back foot and retreating from the basket. Once a foot is free, that is the only foot that the player can fake or step with. "The foot that moves is the foot that goes!"
Quick PivotsWhen you are wanting to make quick pivots or fast cuts, and keep your balance at the same time, it is important to keep on the balls of your feet. Since you have to be on the balls of your feet to move anyway, by playing on them, you will make your move more quickly.
V-CutA "V-Cut" will help you get away from your defender to catch a pass. To make a V-Cut you should take a couple of steps in one direction, and while your feet are a little closer together,plant your foot, and QUICKLY push off in the other direction with a BIG step to get away from the defense.
5 LINE DYNAMIC BASKETBALL WARM UP
I prefer to gradually ease into a workout or a practice by using a series of footwork drills that mimic many of the movements in a basketball practice. This is also a way to get some additional “basketball” practice during your warm up period. Start with players on one end of the court, and in 5 lines. Players will go in groups of 5 at a time.
SPRINTS– Players should jog to when end and back, concentrating on long strides and moving their arms.
FORWARD/BACKWARD-Jog to half court, turn 180* on the move and backpeddle the rest of the way.
HIGH KNEES– Lift the knees as high possible while jogging down court and back.
BUTT KICKS– Players should kick heels all the way back and actually hit their own rear end. This will stretch out their quads.
CARIOCA- Move laterally, taking one step in front of the body, then take another step behind the body. The arms balance the body to move in the desired direction. This movement is coordinated to maintain timing and rhythm. . Keep the head focused up and forward in a natural athletic position. Move and push off the balls of the feet and rotate the hips for the assigned distance.
POWER SKIPS- Players should skip and explode as high as possible. Use their arms to mimic the appropriate fundamentals of a layup. (ie: right leg up, right arm up)
V-CUTS– Players will take a few small steps in one direction, plant the outside foot , and change directions with a BIG stride. Their path on the court should draw the letter V
HOP STOPS—Players should run and execute a hop stop at each quarter of the court. Also called a “jump stop” , but I don’t want players to be as airborne as the word “jump” implies. I would rather have a short and quick, two-foot, one sound stop.
PIVOTS-Players should run and execute a hop stop at each quarter of the court. Execute a reverse pivot followed by a front turn. Maintain a pivot foot, stay low and proceed to the next quarter court.
ZIG ZAG DEFENSIVE SLIDES (3 times)– Defensive slide sideways At angles and change directions, never crossing the feet and always facing the baseline. The knees should be bent and the butt kept low in a good, athletic defensive stance. 1st rep.-low & slow, 2nd rep.-1 slide, 3rd rep.-2 slides.
SLIDE-CLOSE OUT-SLIDE– Defensive slide a few strides, then chop step to close out with high hands to trace the basketball.Get in stance and slide again in the opposite direction.. Continue to the end.
SLIDE-SPRINT-SLIDE– Defensive slide a few strides, then turn and sprint to a spot up the floor and get in stance again. Continue to the end.
At he end of these drills a player should be on his way to a good “sweat” and ready to go 100% during the workout or practice.
