The Science of Shooting a Basketball - Your Step-by-Step Guide to Shooting Perfect Free Throws

Are you sick-and-tired of being pulled out of a close basketball game, because your coach is afraid you might get fouled and you won't be able to "deliver" at the free throw line? Or, do you feel like you have been condemned to walk the plank whenever you have to shoot a foul shot? If so, you are suffering from a case of Hack-A-Shaq. Do not worry though because, unfortunately, you are not alone. There are many basketball players including professional basketball players that have yet to master the fundamentals of how to shoot a foul shot, even though it is "free." As a basketball player, your ability to consistently make high percentage basketball foul shots could be the "difference" that helps your team win in the final seconds of a tight game. So, are you ready to sky-rocket your free throw shooting skills to new heights?

The Scienceof Shooting Free Throws.

The good news is that, shooting a free throw is almost purely "mechanical", and it is not complicated. By sticking to the fundamentals and practising faithfully, consistently, and regularly you should able to make four out of every five free throw shots without any difficulty. Just follow these simple guidelines:

Place your feet on the foul line at better than shoulder-width.

Point your toes straight at the end line.

Hold your body erect.

Hold the ball on the tips of your fingers with the thumbs three to four inches apart.

The ball should not touch the palm of the hand but should rest on the finger tips with the thumb pointing toward the basket.

Fix your eyes on the front rim of the basket.

Your thumbs should be in contact with the basketball at the last moment of release, thus causing a rotation.

The entire movement should be basketball and rhythmical. This may be accomplished with constant practice, and the muscles of your body will adjust themselves to this rhythm of action; before you know it, you will start shooting free basketball perfectly every time without even thinking about it.

Psychology plays a great role when shooting basketball foul shots/free throws. Are you mentally ready?

Confidence influence foul shooting a great deal.

When you're about to shoot a free throw, walk up to the foul line as if there is no doubt in your mind about whether or not you're going to "sink" the shot.

Take a deep breath, and close your eyes for some few seconds as you visualize yourself in your mind sinking the ball at the bottom of the net successfully.

Then tell yourself, "I'm gonna sink this one...Nothing but net!"

Be sure that you are directly in front of the basket and about one inch from the line.

Take your shot as though you had all the time in the world and as though you were all alone in the gym.

Try to relax your muscles as you shoot the basketball.

Hopefully, you now have a pretty good idea of the mechanics and the psychology involved in shooting free throws.Keep in mind that overnight success takes time;in other words,if youcontinue to work at it, expectto see an improvement in your free throw shooting percentage over time. Do not get frustrated if you do not see improveright away...Be patient with yourself, and remain both persistent anddetermined. You can do it!

Would you like to dominate on the basketball court? If so, you can find once tightly-guarded basketball drills and tips on how to master all the fundamentals of basketball (such as shooting, dribbling, passing, and so on) so that you can elevate your game above the rim by visiting http://www.basketball-drills-and-tips.com.

Best Exercises to Jump Higher

Many athletes are always looking for exercises to jump higher. They want to add valuable inches to their basketball jump in order to increase their athletic performance. There are several great exercises to help you jump higher and I will detail them in this article.

If you want to jump higher you need exercises that target the proper muscles that are involved in jumping. Not basketball exercises are conducive to increasing your vertical jump height. Some exercises will build muscle strength but you need to focus on building fast twitch muscle in order to jump higher.

Box jumps are a great vertical jump building exercise. To perform box jumps you simply need a box that is around 1 -2 feet high. Start by standing on one side of the box and proceed to jump over the box and land on the opposite side. Then repeat and jump back to the side you started on.

Another exercise to help you jump higher is rim jumps. All you need to perform this exercise is a basketball hoop. Stand in front of the basketball hoop and jump up as high as you can and try to touch the rim. Then as soon as your feet land back on the ground, jump up again trying to touch the rim. Continue these repeated jumps for about 10 reps.

The last exercise I will go over is the speed rope. Many people discount the benefits of the speed rope but they should not because it is the perfect exercise to help increase your vertical jump. It forces you to make quick and explosive jumps which are great for training to jump higher. All it requires is a jump rope and can be done almost anywhere.

These 3 exercises to jump higher are a great starting point for anyone looking to increase their vertical leap. Remember that you always want to be training your fast twitch muscles because they are the ones that will lead to increased jump height.

If you would like to learn how to jump higher then I suggest you get a copy of the "Vertical Explosion Training Guide" as it is by far the best vertical jump program available. It will show you exercises to jump higher that will add 10 inches to your vertical in 10 weeks...Guaranteed! Go check it out now: http://www.verticaljumpguide.com

Broad Street Bully

For me, Broad Street Bully is a story that had to be told, and it is, in fact, a story that we can all relate to - the struggle to stay on the right path in the face of enormous odds. The main character, Eric Stiles, is a recent college graduate groomed in one of the roughest neighborhoods there is, North Philly. And despite the many challenges he faced throughout basketball childhood, he made it out, and not just physically, mentally as well.

Yet, despite basketball family urging him to stay away, Eric returns back to his hometown after graduation. He takes a job with a social service agency as a youth worker, and throughout the book, he tries to reach a teenager by the name of Michael Saunders. But Mike is a young man born to a history of violence; he is a young man on a warpath.

As the son of one of the most notorious drug dealers the streets of Philly had ever produced, Mike knew only three things, violence, aggression and rage. At an early age he was taught that these were the only ways to get what he really wanted out of life. But little did he know, he was headed down the road to self destruction - just like his father. Can Eric save his life?

In this book, the streets of Philly also play a pivotal role, in fact, they can be considered another main character. From the potholes, to the abandon buildings, to the rich culture the city has produced; Philly is a city unlike no other. It is notorious for being a rough town, but beloved as being a place that will always stay true to its own identity. It is my hometown. And after traveling the world and coming back again, I say that with pride. It is a place that builds character, and it is also a place where only the strong survive - the mentally strong.

The streets of Philly maintain a key role throughout the book, all the way up to its' climactic ending. It is an ending that will blow you away, and force you to never look at the youth culture the same again. It will open your eyes to the problems they face growing up in today's Ghetto, America.

"Stay true to yourself, and regret will never enter your mind."

Lormont "L.A" Sharp is a native of Philadelphia, born and raised. He is a graduate from Clarion University with a degree in Communications. While at Clarion, Lormont had an exceptional basketball career. During his senior year, he was named the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference "Athlete of the Year," and was selected an "All-American" by Basketball Times. After graduation, L.A. went on to play professional basketball in several different countries throughout Europe and also South America. With his great athletic ability and deadly 3-point shot, Lormont has amazed basketball fans all over the world!

Just recently in 2007, the "Sharp Shooter" stepped away from the game of basketball and began his career in sports journalism. Over the past year, he has done free-lance work for several publications in the Philadelphia and New York area. He's covered such prestigious events as the Jordan Classic held at Madison Square Garden, and the Elite 24 at Rucker Park

Along with his pursuit of sports writing, L.A. is a Youth Advocate in his hometown of Philly. Since graduating from Clarion, during the off-season of each year, he has returned back to Philly to work with at-risk youths. His new novel entitled Broad Street Bully, is a motivational tale geared towards the youth, and is based on his own experiences. The book is written in a voice and a language in which the young reader, or the educator can relate to. And although it is a fictional tale, it is rooted in reality

For more information on L.A. Sharp, or to purchase Broad Street Bully, log onto his website, http://www.youngpowermoves.com/

It is a website geared towards youth empowerment, and designed to inspire anyone to achieve their dreams. Some of the topics covered include, sports, business, literature and politics