Basketball
4 pickup basketball tips to improve your game and hone your skills
Improve your skills, stay in shape, and challenge yourself by playing pickup basketball.
People of all ages and experience levels can enjoy a game of pickup basketball, making this a popular sport all around the world. You can find a pickup game happening at all hours at any park with a blacktop. Working your way up to an advanced level of pickup basketball skills helps you gain a competitive edge to keep the other team on their toes. Pickup basketball is a great substitute for basic cardio workouts at the gym as well, so if you improve your skills, you can stay in shape and challenge yourself.
4 Tips to Improve Your Pickup Basketball Skills
Believe it or not, playing pickup ball takes strategy, a strong basketball IQ, and plenty of training. Check out these pickup basketball tips to help you own it on the court:
01
Self-asses your strengths and weaknesses
Know your body. Find the muscle groups that work well and can help lead you to victory, then determine which aren't as smooth. If your back is easily sore, focus on toning it more in the gym or at home than you would other parts of your body. This helps you get your body evenly toned and ready to crush the competition.
Workouts to shred your body are lunges, pushups, deadlifts, and front planks. Total body workouts similar to these help you feel the burn as you build muscle and strengthen your arms, legs, and core. Lunges, pushups, and front planks are workouts you can easily do at home since no weights are required.
Participants compete at Red Bull 3X in New Orleans
© Layne Murdoch Jr./Red Bull Content Pool
02
Overload on workouts
It's time to take your workouts up a notch. Focus on weights and drill exercises to keep yourself toned and constantly moving. When you're practicing on the court, don't just stand and shoot from one spot. Move around to practice dribbling with quick footwork. Get the right pair of shoes that fit your playing style and protect your ankles.
When working on your reps at the gym, shoot for high-intensity workouts. This helps you maintain strong stamina so that you'll last longer during those long pickup games. Some exercises you can do to work on your cardio and footwork skills are karaoke steps with a ball in your hands, forward lunges, and air squats.
03
Get enough rest after training
Since you'll be training hard, match this with an appropriate amount of rest. Take a day or two to rest your sore muscles after an intense training session. If your body is feeling extra achy, calm it down with some stretches.
You can also improve your flexibility and reduce aches with yoga. Try the warrior pose to stretch your chest and thighs. To build strength in your lower legs and core, move from Warrior Pose to Triangle Pose. If you're looking for both a stretch and a challenge, the Dancer Pose works your hips, ankles, and quads.
Don't forget the importance of avoiding burnout. The best way to avoid it is by taking time off from training for at least a day or two. This helps both your body and brain take a break to re-energize so you'll be ready for the next pickup game.
Get Your Game On
© All Yazbeck
04
Work to improve your pickup basketball IQ
To stay on top of your pickup game knowledge, try to learn something new about pickup ball rules each time you play. Once you learn more about the game, you can find places to improve. Work with other pickup players who act like pros. Ask them to help you improve your abilities and knowledge on different pickup terms and skills, such as:
- How to communicate on defense
- Ways to set certain types of screens
- The rules of cutting others on defense
- How to perfect your mid-range jump shot
Differences Between Pickup Basketball and the NBA
If you're not too familiar with basketball or if you haven't played pickup before, you may feel tempted to hop onto the court and follow basic NBA rules. However, pickup is a whole different ball game. There aren't any referees in pickup basketball, so fouling is more lenient than in the NBA. It's a smart idea to hand-check an opponent on defense using your palm or forearm at all times.
Another big difference is the points you receive in pickup. While the NBA has two- and three-point shots, pickup ball has one- and two-point field-goal shots. You'll also notice that there may be fewer players on the court when playing pickup. Depending on how many people show up for a game, you can have four versus four, three versus three, or even one versus one. Get your strategies ready to use the extra space on the court.
Improving your basketball skills is all about challenging yourself and setting goals that make you a stronger and faster opponent. It's important to always push yourself to be better at the game, but don't be afraid to get plenty of rest when your body needs it.