Seriously, this blog is about feet. Your feet when shooting a basketball. As many of you know I’m very particular about shooting and the form it takes to be successful. Your entire shot starts with your feet- and you don’t want start off on the wrong foot. Get it?
OK, so where should you have your feet. First they should be pointed at the hoop. The feet are the compass of your shot and the ball tends to follow where your feet are pointed. What happens is your feet will turn your knees, hips, core and in turn your shoulders to where they are pointed. If they are not straight then you have to fight everything else back to square.
Your feet should be shoulder width apart, not too wide and not too close together. You should think of about doing a squat in the weight room. You know what a squat is right? I hope kids are still doing those. If you squatted with your feet too wide or too close and your feet crooked what would happen? You’d be at the doctor’s office. There is a reason why you squat with your feet straight ahead and shoulder width apart. It’s where you are the most powerful. Wouldn’t you want to be the most powerful in your jumper as well?
Most people know the ½ inch rule, where your shooting hand foot is ½ an inch in front of the other. I think whether your feet are equal or ½ inch is doesn’t matter but you definitely don’t want to be over two inches from each other. That will start to throw off your shoulders and everything else.
Lastly and probably the most important part- your weight placement. Your weight needs to be balanced and equally displaced. If your weight is too far forward it will push you off balance and make everything lunge forward and push the shot path flat. If your shot is flat you have a much lower chance statistically to make the shot- that is a fact. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anyone shooting off their heels but if you do, don’t. From a balanced position you rise up through your toes. A great tip is to jump stop before your shot and think about your feet, notice where your weight is and then correct it to be balanced. Close your eyes and think about your feet and how that balanced position feels- then lock in that memory and repeat it.
It’s important to start out your shot right and everything starts with your feet. Build from the ground up and start with the right processes. There is a completely separate topic about feet and that is footwork, this blog is about feet placement. Stay tuned in the future for shooting footwork and the process of developing solid footwork. When it comes to feet placement be balanced, just as in life a balanced approach is usually the right way to go.
Keep hooping. #FeetPlacement #ThePocketShootingSystem #SquareisBetterThanCrooked #IKnowIUsetoShootCrooked #AskRose
Josh Wilson Basketball 