Free throw shooting is one of the few areas of basketball where your talent level is only a mild indicator of success. Regardless of your inherent skill level, you can still improve your free throw shooting by leaps and bounds with some tried and true practice. Shooting free throws is a skill that is learned in two phases; mental preparation and repetition. These two areas of free throw shooting work directly with one another, and can be mastered with plenty of practice and a good base to start from. Here is a step by step guide for how to improve your free throw shooting that covers all of these aspects from top to bottom.

Getting Started

The first thing you need to learn is the proper way to shoot a free throw. This will be the base that you build on from now on. If you are not doing it correctly to start with, repeating that wrong shooting style will not help you much. When you shoot a free throw, you should have your feet spread about shoulder width apart. Some people like to slightly put one foot forward, and that is okay if you need a little extra push to get the ball up to the rim easily.

Next, you will want to remember to keep your elbow tucked in tightly on your shooting hand. This will ensure that the ball gets good backwards rotation. This rotation is the best thing that you can learn to get better free throw shooting results. The ball should spin in reverse fashion…Not side to side or forward. If you are getting that awkward rotation it is due to your elbow popping out to the side during your stroke. Keep that elbow in tight.

Your off hand should be used only as a guide. In other words, you do not shoot the free throw with two hands. You use the off hand to simply keep the ball in line. Some of the best free throw shooters of all time do not even use the other hand when you look closely. They simply have that hand up there for balance.

Next, focus on the rim. Some people focus on the front of the rim, and some on the back of the rim. The important thing is to focus in the same spot every single time. (More on this later)

Bend your knees and send the shot up to the rim, never taking your eyes off the rim. Make sure that you follow all the way through the shot. When the ball leaves your hands, you should still be focused on the rim. You do not shoot with your knees as much as with your momentum. The knees do support the shot, but do not attempt to use your knees for all your power. The shot should flow naturally through your body.

Mental Aspects of Free Throw Shooting

People do not realize just how much free throw shooting is a mind game. You are standing on the line with every eye in the gym looking at you, and you start to break down your fundamentals. This is the mental aspect. You need to visualize the ball going into the hoop in the same way every single time. Always clear your mind before taking the shot. Just imagine the ball leaving your hands and gently swishing through the net. Pressure only comes when you allow it to.

Repetition and Free Throw Shooting

When you are shooting free throws, it is absolutely vital that you do the same routine every single time. This repetition will create good shooting habits over time. When you step to the line, you should take the ball the same way, bounce the ball the same number of times, and take the same amount of time to focus before shooting. Then you should shoot the ball with the same form and skill set that you always do. Creating this habit comes through constant practice. Great free throw shooters keep shooting even after becoming great. It is not like riding a bike. You will lose it if you do not use it.

If you follow the tips in this guide, you should increase your free throw shooting ten fold over time. Stay patient and keep practicing, and you will be a great free throw shooter in no time flat.

Image Courtesy of Wikipedia Commons User Compujeramey