Practise session 2 - Back swing phase of a basketball shot

"The back swing for the shot consists of the movements that occur during the
crouch and preparation for the shot" (mechanics of the basketball free-throw, 2012)

For the back swing phase of the basketball shot I wanted to work on 5 different techniques:

1. Knee extension

2. Keeping ball still

3. Angle between thigh and trunk

4. Body lined up vertically

5. Ball raised slowly. 

Knee extension: 

The bend and extension of your knee is where the power and upward angle come from when shooting the ball. I wanted to increase my knee extension to around 90 degrees so i could get as much power and drive as i could when i was shooting the ball.

Keeping ball still:

It is important to keep the ball still while bending knees and preparing to take the shot as it keeps your body in line and avoids creating a feeling of off balance.

Angle between thigh and trunk:

Because it is important to have the knees bent at around 90 degrees the angle between my thigh and trunk should be around 85 degrees. This angle is important to make sure my trunk is on the right angle to my legs in order to be well balanced.

Body lined up vertically:

My shoulder, hip, knee and ankle from the shooting side of my body (left) should all be lined up vertically. This is important because if one of these is not lined up the ball will not be going on the correct angle when i shoot it.

Ball raised up slowly:

It is important that the ball is raised up slowly when I am ready to take the shot, This is important because I need to keep trunk and knee flexion the same. If I raise the ball up quickly I could change the angle of my knee or trunk which would upset my balance and change the angle of release that the ball comes out at.

Information collected:

20 shots put up, 8 successful.

25 minute practise session.

Of the 12 shots missed, 3 were to the left, 1 was too the right, 6 were long and 2 were long.


Reflection:
The session went really well in terms of learning the impact the back swing has on the outcome of a shot. a lot of my shots ended up going to far, this could be because I was putting a lot of effort into the back swing phase as i was trying to improve it.


References:
mechanics of the basketball free throw. (n.d.). canadian sport center. Retrieved April 6, 2013, from http://umanitoba.ca/faculties/kinrec/research