One of the most important shots to be able to make in a basketball game is the free-throw.
Obviously, these shots are completely open, without interference, and rely solely on the player's shooting ability, and nothing is more conducive to a head smack is a player who consistently fails when put in the position of those "free" points.
As a lower level player, you can quickly add to your value on the team by perfecting this skill.
1.
Maintain Correct Position The first thing you need to do is get the right position for making the shot-you must make sure you are actually facing the basket directly and not gauging it incorrectly because of angling from the distance.
Many amateur players just walk out to the free throw line and stand wherever, but you can line yourself up for a straight, easy shot by looking down at the lines at your feet and standing directly in the center of the circle.
2.
Elbow Alignment In order to get the correct body alignment, you want to line your elbows up with your shoulders.
It is commonly intuitive to allow your elbows to veer slightly off to the sides at an angle, thinking this will gather more power, but this often results in less power and a ball that goes in the completely wrong direction.
Tuck those elbows in and keep them aligned in order to maintain complete control over the distance.
3.
Think Positively You always need to be in a positive mental state to make this shot, and this is where many younger players fail.
Often, you are making this shot because you were fouled, and maybe you're angry about that-or maybe you are embarrassed about what happened.
Finally, you are dealing with one of man's greatest fears, stage fright.
Calm your mind down and think positively.
Forget about the crowd and make full use of the allotted time.
Remember that this shot is completely free of defense, so take your time and keep yourself in the right state of mind by visualizing a successful basket.
Positive thinking is the most vital component of a skillful player in any sport.
4.
Harness Momentum You are not heaving the ball toward the basket with the palms of your hands, which many new players assume gives it more power.
You need to flick with your fingers and give it some wrist action.
Always follow-through to give the ball that extra momentum and ensure your position does not falter prematurely.
5.
Practice Finally, the key to successful free throws is practice, practice, practice.
It is more fun to just play ball with your friends, but you need to learn the art of shooting from a straight up position with no pressure as well.
The more baskets you shoot, the better you will get.