How to Get Better at Basketball in the New Year

Is Improving at Basketball a part of your New Year’s Resolution?

As the new year kicks off, there are so many people that will begin to work on their new year’s resolutions. Some resolutions may consist of getting a raise, becoming more organized, becoming happier, or even healthier.

How many basketball players are truly working on getting better this year?

Not just your ordinary workouts! How many of you are going to push yourself to accomplish something amazing this year? Have you created your vision board?

Let me explain the vision board, go to Walmart and buy a decent sized cardboard. Visit Google.com and type in any keyword related to basketball, for example, type in shooting.

Print off a player that is shooting a basketball, paste that image on to your vision board. Write next to that image, what you would like to accomplish, like improving your shooting percentage by 20% this year, compared to shooting 32% from the field last season.

That is a real goal that you can visually see and accomplish in the new year!

Check at the example vision board above, add different images to the vision board and place it somewhere you can see it on a daily basis. Take this a step further and grab a notebook and document your training reps in the new year.

For example, on Monday you performed a shooting drill and you made 50 out of 100 jump shots. The following Monday you perform the same shooting drill and made 60/100 shots, did you have more focus as you were shooting, were you more determined to beat 50 jump shots or what else can you evaluate to determine why you made more jump shots.

Evaluate what you do, write them down and reflect on your accomplishments. That is how you get the best out of your new year goals!

In order to get better at basketball, you have to practice regularly! You guys know that, but I see too many young players, play off of talent or think that consistent hard work isn’t necessary to be good at basketball.

In all reality, your resolution should be to practice everyday! Take 2-3 hours to practice, there is something you can cut out of your daily schedule that can be replaced with daily practicing, that’s if you want it bad enough.

Practice your shooting, passing, dribbling, running up and down the court, and playing defense. Without these assets on the basketball court, you will not become a better player in the new year.

You should practice shooting set jump shots from various spots on the court. By shooting from different spots and angles, you will get a good feel for the court. Have you ever tried practicing passing, playing defense or any other basketball skills that players do not like to work on?

Most players like to dribble and shoot and that is typically what they will work on.

You must run and workout regularly to keep yourself in tip top shape. Basketball is a demanding sport as it requires you to run up and down the court. You are obligated to play offense and defense, which can take a lot out of you if you are not properly conditioned.

Some efficient exercises that you can do is run long distances and sprints. Both of these exercises will keep you in tune with yourself and others on the court.

Are you truly becoming a better basketball player this year?

You should ask yourself this question! You should also determine where you want to be at the end of the year! Vision your success and the put it on a vision board and or notebook.

As a player, you want to look back and see what you have accomplished throughout the new year, that’s how you don’t become a statistic by just setting goals and not accomplishing them. Become a better basketball player this year!