How Can I Develop A Left Handed Shot?

[Dean]

Hey,

just wondering if anyone knew anyways i could develop a left handed shot..its non existant at the moment, and id like to develop one so i have more options on offence...

and also, anyone know that site that had all those basketball drills etc on it?

[Andrew]

The Mikan Drill is very effective in strengthening your weak hand. Stand under the basket and shoot/catch/shoot, alternating hands so you develop a good rhythm with both hands. The usual shooting drills you'd use to develop your normal jumpshot are also helpful. Practice lefty layups too, you'll soon find that your left hand is much more effective.

[Fresh8]

Yep. Left hand layups when you drive in on the left.

Andrew, Is ur drill where if your on the right, under the hoop you shoot, then catch the rebound and shoot from the left under the hoop with your left and keep alternating?

Our coach had another drill, where we did that, except also did hook shots too with either hand.

Hope this helps Dean.

[Andrew]

Andrew, Is ur drill where if your on the right, under the hoop you shoot, then catch the rebound and shoot from the left under the hoop with your left and keep alternating?

That's the one.

[J@3]

I actually shoot better with my left hand, despite being right handed... I just shoot right handed in games by instincts.

I don't really believe in drills or whatever to learn to shoot with your left hand, when I started playing basketball at about 11 I had a coach who taught me to shoot properly with my right hand. Simple things like standing at the free throw line with my left hand behind my back and the ball in my right hand... just getting the action right with the right hand before even introducing the left hand. To shoot with my left hand, I just did the same... spent a few months doing the exact same exercises only using my left hand to shoot instead of my right. Has great results.

[Andrew]

Simple things like standing at the free throw line with my left hand behind my back and the ball in my right hand... just getting the action right with the right hand before even introducing the left hand. To shoot with my left hand, I just did the same... spent a few months doing the exact same exercises only using my left hand to shoot instead of my right. Has great results.

Ah yes, the "waiter position" drill. I'd recommend that one too.

[Dean]

thanks alot guys. i appreciate it...ill be working on so much of my game this offseason...then i will DOMINATE!!

[Fresh8]

When you play in pick up games, try to dribble and shoot as much as you can with your left hand too... It will make your left hand stronger and more coordinated!

[Bang]

One time I had a minor injury in my right hand so I was forced to use my left hand, so I was able to shoot better with my left...but then after my injury I stopped being able to shoot well with my left! I guess it's just practice practice practice.

[Cloudy]

I can shoot with both hands.. I practiced left by lying on the bed
With the ball on the left hand, I shoot it up with one hand and catch it...
Do it until you sleep. Then when you wake up, go practice... And try shooting in front of a mirror to make sure u dont look weird

[Jing]

shoot with left hand, and repeat thousands of times

[hipn]

How do you do left-handed layups and left-handed finger-rolls?

[Chris.]

the same as your right-hand but just use your left hand

[hipn]

Well yeah I know that, but it just feels awkward.... doesn't feel normal you know? how can I make it feel like doing a right-handed finger-roll, because I cant control the ball with my left hand as good as my right

[nbalive744]

Yea, same for me, feels very awkward, except for me it's my right hand thats bad, cause I'm a lefty.

[Its_asdf]

How do you do left-handed layups and left-handed finger-rolls?

Practice. Any basketball-related question involving improvement in an area or skill has a pretty simple answer. Practice.

[Andrew]

No doubt. The motion becomes much more natural and fluid if you keep working on your weak hand.

[Fresh8]

It's called muscle recognition... sorta like swimming, riding a bike and as I'm told; ice skating. Once you practise a lot it comes naturally to you.

Now I do my lay ups left handed and it doesn't feel awkward anymroe. Problem is since I haven't played in ages, I missed one or two a few days ago when we were playing some pick-up... but overall, it still feels noprmal to go left handed.

[Doobie]

Yea , I'm used to left lay-ups . Am I the only one here who shoots two handed?? Is that a problem , because I can say I'm a good shooter , except it looks disgusting when i shoot it .

[Drex]

Marion & Reggie can shoot. It's not about how they look, it's about the result.

[hipn]

Its about form. If you shoot with both hands underthe ball the thats awkward.... unless you are a good shooter, but just remember NOT to shoot like Mario becasue your chances of being blocked is higher.

[Doobie]

I dont have a form though , I literally just throw the ball at the basket. I got good at it though , so basically , its my shot . I hit 3's , midrange , freethrows like that . I literally just throw the ball towards the rim. Put it this way , My shots are like a two handed pass towards the rim , sometimes I don't even have to jump to shoot . I make shots while walking , standing , sitting (did it once) . I want to make my shot normal because I have a feeling that with the right form I'll have better accuracy , even though I still make most of my shots this way.

[Cable]

Over the summer I worked on my shot and my form by shooting in my driveway, and when I started playing this year, I noticed a huge improvement. I tried to watch NBA players like Dirk, Kobe, and Michael Jordan who have good shot mechanics and copy their shot, to a degree. I'm sure you've been taught the proper way to shoot, I think the best thing to do is to stand in front of the basket and shoot with one hand, and then work your way towards taking longer shots with two hands.

[hipn]

There are a lot of different forms... I used to shoot kind of like Marion but during the summer I changed my shooting form to more of a Ray Allen/Allen Iverson type of shot. The best type of shot is a mid-range jump-shot. When I started doing jump-shots, my shots started to fall and my FG% went up to like .900, it worked a lot.

Form is good, so try to keep your main shooting hand under the ball and the other hand beside the ball to keep the shot straight. When you are about to shoot, carry the ball up from your starting position and carry it up to above your head, not a lot, but just a bit above your head, and then flick your wrist and release the ball and make sure you put a spin on the ball.

When playing games, take more mid-range shots and shots around the key.

[Cloudy]

That's what I do! Bam! Player of the Game
But I still can't do jumpshots.... I heard pushups help.