7 Responses for "Why Is It Harder For Me To Shoot A Basketball?"

1. dude August 31st, 2009 at 7:07 pm 1

   use less power. that’s what i did and i made like a lot more shots. since your getting older your getting stronger and your using the same amount of energy but your stronger so it is more powerful.

2. gaskems August 31st, 2009 at 9:15 pm 2

   Just keep practicing. Focus on form. KEEP THE RIM AT 10 FT. Watch some video of Ray Allen shooting jumpshots. Try to use similar form to his(his is perfect). And again, just keep practicing and know that down the road, you will become a good shooter even if it doesn’t seem like it now.

3. Noy_Pi August 31st, 2009 at 11:30 pm 3

   maybe your handling of the ball is not correct. you have to make sure the ball does not touch the palm of your hands, only your fingers when you shoot. also, dont forget the follow through via the flick of the wrist and dont forget that the power comes from the knees, bend it and jump.
   work it up and im sure you will improve
   and last thing, dont pressure yourself. shoot from shorter distances and work your way out. celebrate small victories. you’re young and you have alot of basketball ahead of you so just enjoy it

4. Basketball Junky September 1st, 2009 at 4:41 am 4

   Certainly there are many aspects to shooting the basketball successfully.
   But one overlooked aspect is aerobic fitness.
   For me, I find that when my aerobic fitness is top notch, I can easily make 20 shots in a row from anywhere on the court, including from the NBA 3-point line.
   The reason for this is because aerobic fitness allows a person to maintain a higher level of motor control throughout his/her body. You feel more in command, thus your brain and nervous systems are more connected (almost becoming one) with the muscles in your body.
   For typical adults, I’d recommend running 5 times a week for 30 to 45 minutes. The goal should be to run at full speed (I am able to sprint for this time period without stopping). If you can achieve this then you are 70% of the way to shooting basketball very well into the hoop.
   For those who are younger than adults, I’d recommend seeing a health professional to determine what is equivalent for your growing body.
   Hope this helps!

5. me and just me September 1st, 2009 at 8:41 am 5

   Dont put so much force in your shot. When you shoot to hard it hits off the backboard and comes off but not in the basket.

6. stratman September 1st, 2009 at 11:59 am 6

   There is a school of thought that you should set the rim at the height above your head at which it will be when you reach your full growth. Let’s say you will be 6’5″ at maturity and you are 4′ 11″ now. The rim will be 10 feet at maturity, but you need to set the rim at 8′ 6″ for your current height. Obviously, adjust the numbers to your actual current and future height.
   Once your rim is adjusted, you will develop the proper arc and trajectory on your shots to maximize your game later in development.
   Bear in mind that I am not a great shooter myself.
   Good luck.

7. phil_che September 1st, 2009 at 12:17 pm 7

   Don’t lose faith. You’re 12! You’re growing and getting stronger… you’ll have to adjust your shot as your body changes. You said the ball feels light so you’re probably just not used to your new strength. Lighten up on your shot. A good adjustment you can make is bringing the ball higher in your shot. It will help take some of the power out of your shot, and it will also make your shot harder to defend when you are playing.
   Another thing to consider is that you’re shooting from the side. Sometimes when you shoot from the baseline on the court, you have trouble picking up how far to shoot the ball (depth perception). Your ability to see how far away it is can be affected by the time of day and how much light there is.
   Practice, practice, practice, and I’m sure your touch will come back!