Basketball drills for technique warming-up

• Players are spread out in the room; everyone has a ball.
• The ball is held between the legs with two hands. The right hand is in front of the body and the left hand behind the body.
• The ball must be prevented from falling to the floor by changing hands very quickly.

• Circle the ball alternately around: hips, thighs, knees, calves, ankles, chest, head.
• Foot Stride; circle the ball first around the different parts of the front leg, then the back leg.
• Spreading stance; same as previous exercise.
• As previous exercise. After each circle alternate with the other leg.
• Eight circle.

• Alternate between squatting and standing while dribbling.
• Dribble while sitting down and standing up again.
• Dribble while lying on your back; stand up while dribbling at the signal.
• Dribble while lying down and standing up again.

• Divide the group into two teams.
• From both teams 2 children stand on the mats belonging to their team.
• Also 2 children per team stand in front of the cupboard, these are the goalkeepers.
• The children who stay over, go to the throwing square (see drawing).
• When the balls come into play, the children in the box are supposed to throw the balls against the cupboard.

• Divide the players into two groups.
• The group without the ball tries to tap the player in the other group with the ball.
• As soon as they have touched the player with the ball, the ball is theirs.
• The player with the ball therefore tries to pass the ball on to a teammate as quickly as possible.
• Touching someone with a ball gives a point. The team that scores ten points first wins.
• They are simple but fun basketball games for children with a number of advantages:
  • The children get more ball feeling
  • The children learn how to aim the basketball
  • The children learn to dribble well
  • The children develop team spirit and learn to work together
  • The children move in the indoor gym or on the outdoor sports field

Ideal for training, lessons and fun activities.

Feint exercise

• Walk towards the defender, move your left foot to the left, as if you were passing the defender on the left
• Immediately afterwards, move your left foot to the right and get the ball very low from your left hand to your right hand, so that your back is facing your opponent
• Now dribble on and score with the lay-up

• Make two teams and provide two thick mats.
• The goal is to push the thick mat with your team to the other side.
• After each push you have to return to the starting line.
• So the smartest thing to do is to make a run for it with your whole team and push against the mat at the same time.

• Make two teams.
• The goal is to get the ball to the other side of the line.
• You do this by standing in plank position and then pushing the ball to the other person who is standing further down in plank position.
• Then you run to the front and stand in a holding position and wait for the ball to come.
• The team that gets to the other side first wins.

• Players start at the bottom of the baseline.
  • The red cones are sprint.
  • The green cones are step-slide.
• Then we either take the ball on the right side of the court or the left side.
• We start with the ball on the right side anyway.
• Do a lay-up, then lay the ball down on the left side of the court and sprint to the end line,
• and then start again,
• now laying down on the left side of the court, taking the ball there
• and then do a shot on the left side of the court,
• rebound and
• put the ball on the right side of the court
• and do the round again with the right side
• and then lay up there again.
• This exercise we repeat first round 3x, 15'' rest, 5x 30'' rest, 7x 45'' rest, 5x 30'' rest and finish again with 3x

End of exercise.

We keep on walking and don't walk. Rest period is provided between drills.

• Stand in pairs in the middle of the room.
• You do with this pair 'stone - paper - scissors' and who loses must tap the winner as soon as possible.
• The winner must try to tap the wall on his side of the room as quickly as possible.

This drill can serve well as a warming up drill (passing / finishing) but is also a good breakdown for a "scissor" play, or "split the post". You can expand the drill to include other options that may or may not be used in your set play. You start off basic, simple, and as your team is ready, you expand the exercise further and further.

• The exercise starts with two rows on two spots (e.g. 2 guard spots).
• If you have a larger team, you work on 2 baskets. Again, we would like to see everyone finish as many balls as possible.
• So make the groups as small as possible, but at least 4-6 players per basket.
• #1 starts the exercise by making a preliminary move ("setting up" the defender) and cutting tightly over the pawn (or chair).
• As a trainer you can also stand here for a while as a high-post so that it becomes recognizable for the players.
• #4 passes the ball to the cutting in #1 and after his pass he immediately makes another pre-move and cuts across the pawn in the same way, then gets the ball from #2.
• Rotation: Each player catches his own ball, and joins the line from which he received the ball. The exercise continues in this manner continuously.

Variations:

• Vary speed. The players must first master the technique of cutting in. Set up a man, push off and accelerate, etc. (see teaching points). Then increase the pace.
• Receive and shoot the ball;
• Make a pop-out (when a defender passes underneath) and shoot;
• Train aggression with pad, unbalance players when cutting in;
• After cutting in, offer the ball at the low post and finish with a post move (also think of countermoves), use pads here too;
• Work with a high-post player (trainer or one of the players): Pass the ball to the high-post first and then: hand-off / hi-lo, etc (depending on your own options);
• Eventually work with defenders involved as well;

Teaching Points:

• Set up defenders;
• Push off on the outer foot and accelerate (change of direction = change of speed)

Aggressive cutting in!

• Cut straight over the pawn, do not make wide turns ("shoulder to shoulder");
• Communication in the passing game, seeking eye contact, clearly asking for the ball with the front hand, asking in front of the man and running into the ball;
• Finish from the left side with the left hand, and the same applies for the right side;

1. Start in the starting position facing the running ladder.

2. Step with your left foot into the first compartment of the walking ladder and join your right foot (make sure your heels don't touch the ground).

3. Then move forward through the step ladder in the above manner.

4. Alternate the starting foot in turn.

5. Also try to do the exercise the other way around, so you start with your back to the ladder.

1. Start in the starting position facing the step ladder.
2. Jump forward with both feet at the same time. Your left foot ends up next to the first square of the ladder and your right foot ends up in the first square. You're making a ski movement.
3. Keep on jumping, your left foot now lands in the first square of the step ladder and your right foot lands next to the second square of the step ladder.
Make sure you are at full speed at the end of the ladder.


1. Start in the starting position facing the running ladder.
2. This exercise is performed with one foot only. Jump with your left foot into the first square and then hop forward diagonally with your left foot landing next to the second step of the ladder.
3. Hop to the second compartment and hop forward diagonally, landing on the right side of the third step.

4. At the end of the ladder, make sure you're at full speed, but watch your posture and land on the ball of your foot only (so the heel doesn't touch the ground).
5. Alternate the starting foot.

1. Start in the starting position with your face towards the ladder.
2. Jump with both feet into the first compartment of the ladder and immediately jump forward where your feet land next to the second step of the ladder.
3. You sprint to the second step of the ladder and jump forward but now land on the right side of the step. So you make a zigzag movement.
Make sure you're at full speed at the end of the ladder.

1. Start in the starting position, facing the ladder.

2. Step with your right foot into the first square of the ladder.

3. Pass your left foot behind your right foot and place it next to the first compartment of the step ladder diagonally behind your right foot.

4. Place your right foot next to the first box on the step ladder next to your left foot.
5. Step with your left foot into the second box of the step ladder and now step with your right foot behind your left foot and then place your left foot again next to the right foot.
6. Follow these steps for the whole ladder.


1. Start in the starting position, facing the ladder.
2. Step with your left foot into the first compartment of the step ladder and join your right foot in the first compartment of the step ladder.
3. As soon as your right foot is in the first compartment of the ladder move your left foot next to the first compartment of the ladder.
4. Jump with your right foot straight forward so that it ends up in the second compartment of the step ladder and join your left foot.
5. As soon as your left foot is connected, jump with your right foot next to the second compartment of the step ladder.
6. Follow the above steps for the rest of the step ladder.