Top 10 Drills to Improve Your Basketball Skills at Home
Basketball success doesn’t only happen during team practices or games—it’s what you do on your own time that separates great players from the rest. Working on your game at home can improve your fundamentals, sharpen your skills, and build confidence. In this blog, we’ll cover the top 10 basketball drills that you can do at home to boost your performance on the court. And for our Invictus Basketball members, we are thrilled to announce that starting in October, our Skills Lab homework will be available in video format, exclusively for our members! Stay tuned for details.
How Much Time Should You Spend on Drills at Home Every Day?
Consistency and dedication are key to improving your basketball skills at home, but it’s also important to manage your time effectively. As a general guideline, young athletes should aim to spend 30 to 60 minutes a day on basketball drills outside of team practice. Here’s a breakdown of how to structure that time:
Ball Handling: Spend about 10-15 minutes working on your stationary dribbling and cone drills. Ball handling is a skill that requires constant repetition, so daily practice is essential. Focus on control and speed as you build up your skill level.
Shooting: Dedicate 15-20 minutes to shooting drills, working on form, spot shooting, and layups. During this time, focus on technique over the number of shots made—quality is more important than quantity when building good habits.
Footwork and Agility: Set aside 10-15 minutes to improve your footwork with defensive slides, jump stops, and cone dribbling drills. These exercises will enhance your lateral quickness and balance, essential for both offense and defense.
Strength and Conditioning: Spend 5-10 minutes on strength-building exercises like planks and squats. Core strength and conditioning drills are crucial for maintaining stamina and stability throughout the game.
Rest and Recovery: While daily practice is important, rest and recovery are equally critical. Make sure to incorporate at least one rest day each week to allow your muscles to recover.
*If you’re just starting, aim for 30 minutes a day and gradually increase the time as your skills improve. As you become more comfortable with the drills, feel free to mix in additional exercises or extend your sessions to 60 minutes for an even deeper focus on different areas of your game.
1. Ball Handling: Stationary Dribbling
One of the simplest but most effective ways to improve ball control is through stationary dribbling drills.
Instructions: Stand in an athletic stance and begin dribbling at waist height. Work through different variations, such as:
Pound dribble: Dribble the ball as hard as you can in one spot with your right hand, then switch to your left.
Crossover dribble: Quickly dribble the ball from one hand to the other.
Between-the-legs: Dribble between your legs from front to back, alternating hands.
Behind-the-back: Dribble the ball behind your back from one hand to the other.
Do each variation for 30 seconds, focusing on control and speed. Keep your head up, eyes forward, and practice switching between moves quickly.
2. Shooting Form: One-Handed Shooting
Perfecting your shooting form starts with the basics. This drill focuses on developing proper hand placement and follow-through.
Instructions: Stand a few feet from the basket and shoot with just one hand, using your dominant hand for this exercise. Keep your guide hand (non-shooting hand) out of the equation to focus on your shooting form. Make sure to:
Align your elbow with the basket.
Snap your wrist on the follow-through.
Focus on your shooting mechanics rather than distance.
Make 10-15 one-handed shots before incorporating your guide hand into your shooting routine.
3. Footwork: Jump Stops and Pivoting
Strong footwork is essential for getting into scoring positions and avoiding turnovers. Jump stops and pivoting drills help improve your balance and quickness.
Instructions: Set up a small space and start dribbling. Every few steps, come to a jump stop—planting both feet firmly on the ground. Once stopped, work on your pivoting. Pivot with both your left and right feet, imagining you’re keeping your defender off balance. This will help you maintain control in tight situations.
Do 3 sets of 10 pivots on each foot.
4. Agility: Defensive Slide Drill
Agility and quick lateral movements are key to becoming a strong defender. This drill works on your defensive slides.
Instructions: Set up cones (or markers like shoes or water bottles) about 5 feet apart. Start in a defensive stance with knees bent and arms out, and slide laterally from cone to cone without crossing your feet. Focus on staying low and maintaining control.
Do 3 sets of 10 slides to improve your defensive quickness.
5. Finishing: Layup Drills
Mastering layups with both hands is crucial for becoming a versatile scorer.
Instructions: Practice layups from different angles, focusing on both your dominant and non-dominant hand. Start at the right block and complete 10 layups using your right hand. Then switch to the left block and practice 10 layups with your left hand.
For added challenge, practice reverse layups to develop creativity around the rim.
6. Shooting Range: Spot Shooting
Improving your shooting range requires repetition from various spots on the court.
Instructions: Pick five spots on the floor (corner, wing, top of the key, opposite wing, and opposite corner). At each spot, take five shots, focusing on consistency and shooting mechanics. Track your makes and aim to improve your percentage each time you do the drill.
Repeat this drill for 3 rounds, working on your stamina and accuracy.
7. Speed and Agility: Suicides
To build endurance and agility, incorporate suicide drills into your routine.
Instructions: Start at the baseline and sprint to the free-throw line, touch the line, and sprint back to the baseline. Then sprint to the half-court line, return to the baseline, and continue to the far free-throw line and far baseline.
Repeat the entire drill for 3-5 rounds. This will improve your speed and stamina, crucial for both offense and defense.
8. Rebounding: Toss and Grab
Rebounding is all about timing and positioning. This drill helps you develop your rebounding skills at home.
Instructions: Stand close to a wall or basketball hoop. Toss the ball against the wall or backboard and jump as high as you can to grab the rebound. When you catch the ball, focus on securing it with both hands and bringing it down into a strong position.
Repeat 15 times, focusing on timing your jump and landing with good balance.
9. Core Strength: Planks
A strong core is essential for maintaining balance and power in all aspects of basketball. Planks are a great exercise for building core strength.
Instructions: Get into a plank position with your elbows on the ground and body in a straight line from head to heels. Hold the position for 30 seconds to 1 minute, making sure to keep your core tight.
Repeat this for 3 sets. As you get stronger, try adding side planks to target different areas of your core.
10. Foot Speed: Cone Dribbling
Improving your foot speed and ball handling can be done with cone dribbling drills.
Instructions: Set up 4-5 cones (or household objects like cups) in a straight line, about 2 feet apart. Dribble the ball as quickly as possible in a zigzag pattern between the cones, using both hands. Focus on control and quick footwork.
Repeat for 3 rounds, alternating between your dominant and non-dominant hand.
Exciting News from Invictus Basketball Club!
We’re thrilled to announce that starting in October, our Skills Lab homework will be available in video format, exclusively for our members! These videos will guide you through at-home practice drills to improve your basketball skills. Stay tuned for more details, which will be sent out directly to our club members.
Consistency is key when it comes to improving your basketball skills. These 10 drills will help you develop critical aspects of your game from the comfort of your home. From ball handling and shooting form to footwork and agility, incorporating these exercises into your routine will help you elevate your performance on the court. And remember, Invictus Basketball Club is here to help you every step of the way with our upcoming Skills Lab video series.