HOW TO HANDLE THE BASKETBALL ON THE MOVE

Becoming a confident ball-handler will give you the skills to create space from your defenders, pave driving lanes to the basket, take contact from any defender, and make effective shots at the rim without losing your grip on the ball. Controlling your body in tandem with the basketball is key when ball-handling on the move.

Once you build a solid stationary foundation, begin introducing simple footwork drills into your workouts to practice ballhandling in motion. Keep your heels lifted and remember to step
on the balls of your feet to make yourself as mobile as possible. To avoid hitting your foot with the ball, avoid dribbling too close to your feet. Instead, push the ball out in front of you and follow it with your body. Remember to keep your eyes up at all times to continually survey the court, and train yourself to resist the urge to glance at the ball in your hands. Above all, when in motion, always let the ball guide your footwork: lead with the ball, and follow it with your feet.

TRAINING: PHASE

• Moving ball-handling circuit: Start at the baseline and walk while dribbling the ball to the free-throw line. Then walk backward as you return to the baseline.

• Angled ball-handling circuit: Starting at the baseline, zigzag towards the free-throw line. Take two steps at an angle to your right, then two steps at an angle to your left. When you reach the free-throw line, walk backward at an angle to the baseline.

• Only add the angled movement circuit when you can comfortably move forward and backward in a straight line for the entire moving ball-handling circuit.

your training should look like this:

• Warm-up and stretching
• Stationary ball-handling circuit (3 minutes total)
• Moving the ball-handling circuit:
• One-ball pound left, forward and backward:
30 seconds
• One-ball pound right, forward and backward:
30 seconds
• Crossover, forward and backward: 30 seconds
• Between the legs, forward and backward:
30 seconds
• Behind the back, forward and backward:
30 seconds
• Angled ball-handling circuit:
• One-ball pound left, forward and backward: 30
seconds
• One-ball pound right, forward and backward: 30
seconds
• Crossover, forward and backward: 30 seconds