Dribbling tips. Mastering Basketball Dribbling and Ball Handling: Essential Tips, Drills, and Techniques

How can you improve your basketball dribbling skills. What are the fundamental techniques for effective ball handling. Which drills can enhance your control and agility on the court. Why is proper dribbling crucial for overall game performance. When should you incorporate advanced ball handling techniques into your practice routine.

The Fundamentals of Basketball Dribbling and Ball Handling

Basketball dribbling and ball handling are often used interchangeably, but they are distinct skills that complement each other on the court. Dribbling focuses on controlling the ball while moving, whereas ball handling encompasses a broader range of skills, including dribbling, passing, and decision-making.

To excel in dribbling, players must master the following fundamental techniques:

• Dribbling with force to maintain control
• Keeping your head up to survey the court
• Using fingertips for precise ball control
• Practicing various dribble types (e.g., crossover, behind-the-back)
• Developing ambidexterity to dribble effectively with both hands

Ball handling, on the other hand, requires a deeper understanding of the game and the ability to seamlessly integrate dribbling with other on-court skills. This includes:

• Reading defensive positioning
• Making quick decisions under pressure
• Executing advanced moves to create space
• Transitioning smoothly between dribbling and passing

The Maravich Drills: Enhancing Dribbling Skills

Named after the legendary Pete Maravich, these drills are renowned for their effectiveness in improving ball control and dexterity. Some popular Maravich drills include:

1. Figure 8s: Dribble the ball in a figure-8 pattern around your legs
2. Spider Dribbling: Alternate dribbling between your legs from front to back
3. Drop and Catch: Release and quickly recapture the ball between your legs
4. Body Circles: Pass the ball around your body while maintaining control

These drills challenge players to manipulate the ball in various ways, enhancing overall control and coordination. By incorporating these exercises into regular practice routines, players can significantly improve their dribbling skills and ball-handling confidence.

How can you modify Maravich drills for increased difficulty?

To intensify Maravich drills, try these variations:

• Increase speed and repetitions
• Perform drills while moving or jogging
• Use multiple balls simultaneously
• Combine different drills in sequence
• Add defensive pressure from a partner

Pro Tips for Elevating Your Dribbling Game

Professional coach Don Kelbick offers nine valuable tips to enhance your dribbling and ball-handling skills:

1. Dribble with force to maintain better control
2. Keep your head up and eyes on the target
3. Use fingertips for precise ball manipulation
4. Visualize game scenarios during practice
5. Dribble with purpose, aiming for layup opportunities
6. Focus on lengthening your dribble for efficiency
7. Move in straight lines and exploit angles
8. Minimize unnecessary dribbles
9. Practice outside your comfort zone to improve

These tips emphasize the importance of purposeful dribbling, efficient movement, and constant improvement through challenging practice sessions. By implementing these strategies, players can develop a more effective and versatile dribbling skill set.

Why is dribbling with purpose crucial for game performance?

Purposeful dribbling is essential because it:

• Reduces turnovers and maintains possession
• Creates scoring opportunities for yourself and teammates
• Keeps defenders off-balance and reactive
• Conserves energy for crucial moments in the game
• Improves overall team offensive efficiency

Advanced Ball Handling Techniques for Game Situations

As players progress, incorporating advanced ball handling techniques becomes crucial for success in competitive play. Some key advanced skills include:

• Executing effective pick and roll plays
• Mastering the backup dribble to alleviate pressure
• Developing a change of pace dribble like Chris Paul
• Handling ball screens with precision, inspired by Steve Nash
• Incorporating hesitation moves and counter-moves into your repertoire

These advanced techniques require a combination of physical skill, court awareness, and strategic thinking. Players who master these elements can create significant advantages for their team during games.

How does the change of pace dribble benefit players?

The change of pace dribble offers several advantages:

• Keeps defenders guessing and off-balance
• Creates separation for shot opportunities
• Opens passing lanes to teammates
• Allows for better control in tight spaces
• Enhances overall offensive unpredictability

Integrating Dribbling Practice into Warm-up Routines

Efficient practice is key to improvement, and incorporating dribbling exercises into warm-up routines can maximize training time. Here’s an example of how to combine stretching with dribbling practice:

1. Hamstring Stretch with Dribbling:
   • Cross your right leg over your left while dribbling with your right hand
   • Bend at the waist and touch the floor with your left hand
   • Lower your dribble to shoe-top level
   • Hold for an 8-count, then switch sides and hands

This approach not only prepares the body for physical activity but also reinforces crucial ball-handling skills. By consistently incorporating such exercises, players can develop muscle memory and improve their overall dribbling proficiency.

What are the benefits of combining stretching with dribbling practice?

Integrating stretching and dribbling offers multiple advantages:

• Maximizes practice time efficiency
• Improves multitasking abilities
• Enhances body awareness and coordination
• Prepares muscles for game-like movements
• Increases focus and mental preparation

Developing a Comprehensive Ball Handling Practice Regimen

To truly excel in ball handling, players must develop a well-rounded practice regimen that addresses all aspects of the skill. A comprehensive practice plan should include:

1. Basic dribbling drills for technique refinement
2. Maravich drills for advanced ball control
3. Game-situation drills to improve decision-making
4. Partner exercises to simulate defensive pressure
5. Conditioning drills that incorporate dribbling
6. Regular skill assessment and goal-setting

By consistently engaging in a diverse range of exercises, players can develop a complete ball handling skill set that translates effectively to game situations.

How often should players practice ball handling skills?

The frequency of ball handling practice depends on several factors:

• Player’s current skill level and goals
• Overall training schedule and commitments
• Access to facilities and equipment
• Physical recovery needs
• Game and competition schedule

Generally, daily practice is ideal for significant improvement, but quality always trumps quantity. Even 15-30 minutes of focused, high-intensity ball handling work can yield substantial results when performed consistently.

The Role of Mental Preparation in Ball Handling Excellence

While physical practice is crucial, mental preparation plays an equally important role in developing superior ball handling skills. Key aspects of mental preparation include:

• Visualization of successful dribbling sequences
• Developing a growth mindset for continuous improvement
• Building confidence through positive self-talk
• Studying professional players’ techniques and decision-making
• Practicing mindfulness to enhance focus during games

By combining physical practice with mental preparation, players can accelerate their progress and perform more consistently under pressure.

How can visualization improve ball handling performance?

Visualization techniques can enhance ball handling in several ways:

• Reinforces proper technique and muscle memory
• Improves reaction time in game situations
• Boosts confidence in executing complex moves
• Helps players anticipate and read defensive strategies
• Reduces performance anxiety during high-pressure moments

Regular visualization practice, combined with physical training, can lead to significant improvements in overall ball handling proficiency and on-court performance.

Basketball Dribbling and Ball Handling Video Clips, Fundamentals, Drills, and Tips

Most coaches use dribbling and ball handling interchangeably. Though they are linked, the 2 skills are definitely separate.

Dribbling and controlling the ball is a skill that can be practiced alone and is separate from the other ball skills on the court. Ball handling, however, involves knowledge of the game and integrates dribbling, passing and decision-making.

Practicing and improving your dribbling is a simple task. There are innumerable dribbling drills that are in use today that are challenging and effective. The set of drills that have come to be known as “Maravich Drills,” (after the late ball-handling wizard Pete Maravich) are widely known. They include drills such as passing the ball around your body, dribble figure 8s, spider dribbling, drop and catch.

Practicing and improving your ball handling requires imagination, as you have to put yourself in game situations.

One of our favorite series of ballhandling drills that helps develop better ballhandlers is the Maravich series! Watch it below.

9 Tips To Improve Your Dribbling & Ball Handling

Here are 9 tips from pro coach Don Kelbick.

1. Dribble the ball hard. The more time the ball spends in your hand, the more control you have of the ball. The harder you dribble, the quicker it gets back in your hand.
2. Head up at all times. Look at the rim or a spot on the wall during all practice.
3. Use your finger tips to control the ball, not your palm.
4. Use your imagination. Picture when and how you would use each of the dribbles.
5. Teach mentality. There is too much dribbling for no reason in our game today. I like to teach that the primary purpose for putting the ball on the floor is to get a lay-up. If you don’t have an opportunity, don’t put it on the floor.
6. Basketball is a game of length. Work on lengthening the dribble. Work to get your opportunities with 1 dribble. You don’t beat defenses with your dribble. You beat people with your feet; you SEPARATE from your defense with the dribble.
7. Basketball is also a game of angles. Try to move in straight lines. Whenever you make an “East-West” move (something that takes you toward the sideline), re-capture a “North-South” path (direct line to the basket) as quickly as possible.
8. Don’t do things in 2 dribbles that you can do in 1.
9. Practice outside your comfort zone. Experiment; go faster than you are used to, use your imagination. When working on new skills, don’t be concerned with losing the ball. Just pick it up and do it again. If you practice only things that are comfortable, then you will never improve.

More Ball Handling Tips and Articles

Executing The Basketball Pick and Roll

The Importance of the Back Up Dribble and How It Reduces Turnovers Against Pressure

A Secret to Chris Paul’s Success – Change of Pace

Handling Ball Screens Like Steve Nash

Chris Paul Hesitation Move & The Importance of Counter Moves [VIDEO]

Other Blog Posts About Ball Handling

Dribbling Practice

“Maravich Drills” are very good at getting players comfortable with the ball. Below are some examples.

• Dribble Figure 8’s – Spread legs about shoulder width. Dribble the ball through and around legs in a figure 8. Can be done multiple ways – front to back, back to front, low dribbles (as many dribbles as possible with dribble about shoe height), as few dribbles as possible (high dribble about waist high), can even be done walking. For even more of a challenge, try the drill with one hand instead of two.
• Spider Dribble – Feet spread about shoulder width. Dribble the ball between your legs in the following manner – left hand, right hand in front of your legs; left hand, right hand behind your legs. Work to as fast a possible.
• Drop and Catch – Hold ball between your legs with right hand in front of your body, left hand behind. Drop the ball and exchange you hand position and re-catch the ball before it hits the ground.

These are just examples. There are too many of these drills to list here. Pete Maravich devised these drills out of his imagination, his need for challenge and his drive to improve. You do not need to be bound by other people’s drills; challenge yourself to come up with your own drills.

Dribbling Warm Ups

I prefer to practice skills in combinations that are relevant to multiple aspects of the game. It saves time and instills a great sense of urgency.. It
saves time and has a great sense of urgency. One of the ways I do this is to add dribbling into my stretching exercises.

• Hamstring Stretch – While dribbling with your right hand, cross right leg over left. Bend at the waist, touch the floor with your left
  hand and bring your dribble down to shoe top level. Hold for an 8 count. Reverse position and switch hands.
• Lower Body and Achilles Stretch – Dribble waist high while standing up. Step as far forward with your right leg as you can, keeping
  your back straight and your left heel on the ground. At the same time bring your dribble forward of your right foot, keeping the ball at
  shoe-top height. Hold for an 8 count and then stand up. Switch legs and dribble hand.
• Crossover – Same as above except, step forward with left leg. As foot goes to the floor, switch hands, right to left, keeping
  dribble shoe top height. Cross back when standing up.
• Through Legs – Same as above except instead of crossing over, put ball through legs at shoe top height.
• Multiple Through Legs – Same as above except put ball through legs 3 times (left, right, left) on quick, successive dribbles
  shoe top height.
• Torso Twist – Spread legs outside of shoulder width, dribble with right hand. Keeping legs straight, bring ball across body to
  left side, outside left foot and dribble at shoe top height behind left foot.

These are just samples. You can develop a dribble stretch for any part of the body.

Two Ball Dribbling Drills & Videos:

I think the most effective way to improve your dribble, however, is by using 2 balls. Any dribble or drill you can do with 1 ball, you can do with 2.
Stationary practice at first will build confidence. Stand on the baseline and try to control both balls. Then start to move. Go half court, then full court. Follow
the lines around the court or in any route you can come up with.

To see more DRILLS & VIDEOS Click Here.

The difference between dribbling and ball handling is intent. Dribbling is the skill of controlling the ball as you bounce it to the floor. Ball handling (at least 1 aspect of ball handling) is what you do with that dribble.

Whether you use it to go to the basket, make a passing angle, escape from pressure or anything else, those situations have to be imagined and practiced.

Here are some situational drills:

• Full Court Lay-ups – Start on the baseline. Dribble full court with right hand in 5 dribbles and make a lay-up, come back with left hand. Then reduce the number of dribbles to 4 and then to 3.
• Chair Changes – Place a chair about 21 feet from the basket. It can be on top, on the wing, or in the corner. Start about 8-10 feet beyond the chair. Dribble straight at the chair. At the chair, use a change of direction dribble (crossover, inside out, behind back, etc) to go beyond the chair and make a lay-up. Try to get to the point where you only need one dribble to get to the lay-up. Practice all the changes.
• Two up – Two back – Set a chair such as in the drill above. Take 2 hard dribbles at the chair. When reaching the chair, take 2 backup dribbles. After the second dribble, push ahead into 1 dribble lay-up or pull-up jumpshot.
• Dropstep Dribble – (works on footwork and ballhanding)
• Chair Curl – This is another great multi use drill. It combines shooting, ball handling and speed and high intensity change in direction.
• Chair Curl Phase 2 (With 2 Chairs)
• Two Ball Dribbling Drills & Moves – Excellent way to improve one on one moves.
• Basketball Pick and Roll Drills

Shooting drills can also be adapted to work on ball handling aspects by adding changes of direction and pivoting to create 1 and 2 dribble opportunities for either jumpers or lay-ups.

Once you have developed a feel for the ball, it’s very important that you practice your ball handling in competitive, game-like situations with defenders present. In the DVD 30 Competitive Skill Development Drills, you will find 12 drills that are specific to improving your ball handling skills in game-like situations.

More Dribbling and Ball Handling Drills

Coaches, go here for more Dribbling & Ball Handling Drills

Players, go here for more Dribbling & Ball Handling Drills

Recommended Training Resources:

Youth Ball Handling & Workout App – Over 200 ball handling and footwork drills. 24 Different Levels.

Attack & Counter Workout App – Ball Handling, Shooting, Guard Play, & More

Recommended Training Material:

15 Basketball Dribbling Drills to Improve Your Handles

On the court, Orlando Magic point guard Cole Anthony is electrifying. He makes the highlight reels for his game-winning shots and his ability to compete on both ends. But the foundation of Anthony’s game is his strong handle, or dribble. Two years into his NBA career, his hesitation moves, signature combos and ankle-breaking crossovers are still evolving.

“I recognized that there are levels within the NBA. And to get to that highest level, you really do need that insane, intense, consistent work ethic and discipline,” said Anthony.

How do players like Anthony and Arike Ogunbowale improve their ball-handling skills? With a regimen of drills designed to build stronger and more nimble hands. Whether you’re training for the playground or the Red Bull Pro-Am Classic, we’ve got a drill here that will help you take your dribble to the next level.

Arike Ogunbowale

© Sean Berry

15 Basketball Dribbling Drills to Improve Your Handles

Beginner Drills

01

Full Court Dribbling

To perform this drill, all you need are cones and a basketball. The cones should be set up in different spots on the court. Start with the ball and simply dribble to each cone, make a move at the cone, and dribble to the next cone. There are a variety of moves you can perform when reaching the cone including a crossover, between the legs, or a behind-the-back dribble.

02

Figure 8

Performing the figure 8 drill is fairly simple. Start with your feet spread apart and the ball in your right hand. Then dribble the ball through your legs to your left hand, and immediately dribble it back to your right hand. This drill helps to crossover your defenders quickly.

03

Pound Dribble Drill

To perform this drill you choose which hand you want to dribble with and place the ball in that hand. Next, you’ll bend your knees in an athletic position and dribble the ball repeatedly with that hand. Your head and eyes should be upright looking straight ahead as you dribble. This drill helps players keep their heads and dribble the ball hard.

04

Crossover

The crossover drill is another classic beginner dribbling drill. You’ll start with the same stance as the pound drill, but instead of dribbling with the same hand you’ll alternate hands and crossover repeatedly. The crossover is one of the most basic dribbling moves and this drill will help improve it.

Cole Anthony is a rising star in the NBA

© Cassy Athena/Red Bull Content Pool

05

Ball Slaps

Ball slaps are another good simple drill. To perform ball slaps you’ll simply pick up the ball in one hand and slap the ball into the other hand. Repeat this transfer from hand to hand for one minute. Ball slaps are a good warmup and build stronger hands.

06

Finger taps

Finger taps are very similar to ball slaps. The one difference is instead of slapping the ball back and forth, you’ll be tapping it back and forth on your finger tips. You can perform this drill with your arms straight out, or above your head. This drill serves as a good warmup and will also help your fingers get stronger.

Intermediate Drills

07

Cone Touch Drill

To perform the cone touch drill you’ll need about 10 cones. You’ll spread the cones out wherever you choose. Next dribble the ball to a cone and reach your hand down and touch the cone and head to a new cone. You must keep your head and eyes up during the entire drill. Cones can be placed laterally or diagonally. This drill will help you to dribble without looking at the ball.

08

Wall Toss

To perform the wall toss you’ll stand about 10 feet from the wall. You’ll start by dribbling between your legs left to right, then right to left behind your back. Next you’ll throw the ball against the wall, catch it, and repeat the drill. Performing this drill will help when it’s time to catch a pass and make a move in traffic.

09

U Dribble Drill

To perform this drill you’ll form a square with four cones. First you’ll dribble to the cone in front of you. Next you’ll dribble sideways to the next cone and backwards to the last cone. You’ll need to use the same hand for each cone. This drill will help you learn to move in different directions while dribbling.

10

Double Ball Dribbling Suicides

You’ll need two basketballs to perform this drill. Start at the baseline with a ball in each hand. Start by dribbling both balls to the near free throw line and return to the baseline. Then dribble the balls to half court and return back to the baseline. Next dribble to the far free throw line and back to the baseline. Lastly, you’ll dribble baseline to baseline. This drill improves ball handling while changing directions at different speeds.

11

Chair Drills

There are a series of drills that can be performed with the use of a chair. Place the chair anywhere you want. Dribble towards the chair and crossover or go behind the back as you advance past the chair. The chair serves as a defender and this drill will help you get better at making moves on defenders while moving at full speed.

Advanced Drills

12

1vs1

To perform this drill you’ll need a partner. Your goal is to dribble from one side of the court to the other while your partner slides and defends you. This drill will help when a player faces backcourt pressure while trying to advance the ball.

Cole Anthony

© Cassy Athena

13

1vs1 (One Hand Only)

You’ll need a partner for this one too. The goal is to advance from one side of the court to the other dribbling with the same hand. The defender will slide and attempt to stay in front of you while you work to advance past them. This drill will help when a defender takes away one of your hands and forces you to use the other.

14

3 Ball Dribble One Hand Pass

To perform this drill you’ll need three basketballs and a partner. Start by dribbling two basketballs. Pass the ball in your left hand to your partner, and dribble the one in your right to your left. Your partner will then throw you a ball and you’ll dribble that with your right and continue to repeat. This drill helps improve your crossover, explosiveness, and ability to switch hands mid-play.

15

Tight Spaces Ball Handling Drill

This drill is much like the 1vs1 drill but you won’t have the whole court to operate with. You’ll need six to eight cones. The cones will be placed in a straight line, 3 or 4 on each side, 6 to 7 feet apart from one another to create a straight line. The goal is for you to dribble past the defender without going outside the cones. This drill will help you create space and also aid in dribbling through contact.

Dribbling a basketball is one of the best skills a player can possess. Whether you’re a point guard dribbling through a full court press, or a center catching it in the post, dribbling is imperative.

Take it from Arike Ogunbowale, guard for the Dallas Wings, who uses drills like these to warm up. She said, “Before games, I do a two-ball dribbling drill. That way, I know I’m good.”

Just don’t forget about the other basketball skills you need to perfect your game!

Learning to Dribble the Ball in Football: Techniques, Exercises

Whatever they say about the beauty of football tactics, the variety of combinations on the field and the wonderful goals of the century, there is another attraction in the ball game that some fans love even more. At all times, football has also been famous for its techies – football players who perfectly mastered the art of dribbling and dribbling. In many ways, this quality is like an innate, beautiful and skillful handling of the ball – this is a talent. Almost all famous football players had their own dribbling technique, which many later tried to repeat, but no one was able to fully succeed.

However, the method of teaching dribbling still exists. And if a young football player works out this technique with diligence in training, you can almost always achieve some success.

• What is dribbling
• Types of dribbling in football
• Dribbling of space
• Dribbling of time
• Dribbling of retention
• Dribbling in football

90 009 Basic development

• Optimal distance
• Focus
• Speed ​​
• Dribbling drills
• Tips for improving your dribbling
• The best dribbling masters in football

What is dribbling

9 0002 Dribbling in football is a maneuver by a player with the ball that allows him to get around a defender and move into relatively open space or score a goal. In Russian this is called stroke .

Directly in football, this is also the name for dribbling the ball in the immediate vicinity of the foot of a football player. And the types of such a maneuver are called feints. In the history of football, Pelé and Maradona, Eden Hazard and Garrincha brilliantly mastered the stroke technique. In modern football, Lionel Messi has a very peculiar technique.

In Soviet and Russian football, representatives of the south were special technicians: Mikhail Meskhi, Vladimir Gutsaev, David Kipiani. Now in the RPL, one can single out the special stroke technique of Zelimkhan Bakaev and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Types of dribbling in football

Messi beats 4 opponents with his dribbling

There are three main types of dribbling that are distinguished by methodologists. They have their own characteristics.

Dribbling space

Here the main task of player – not rapprochement with an opponent, but on the contrary, the ability to keep him at a certain distance. For this, the so-called vertical stroke is used with the help of certain movements. It depends on the following factors:

• the number of rivals in the immediate vicinity;
• a specific place on the football field;
• available space.

Usually feints in such cases are performed in combination with a quick exit to a free area of ​​the field or with a subsequent hit, cross or pass of the ball. Spatial dribbling is especially good with an equal number of attackers and defenders in a position, say 4v4.

Time Dribbling

Ronaldinho Dribbling

Sometimes when attacking, you need to buy a little time to wait for the support of other players on your team or to re-form for a positional attack. Then a slightly different technique of possession of a football sports equipment is used:

• leaving the defender with a change in the direction of running;
• combination of several feints;
• false feints with passing the ball to a free player.

Such variations are effective in the 2×4 position. Nor they must necessarily be supported by teammates.

Save Dribbling

This is perhaps the most difficult form of dribbling. It is used during active pressure from the opponent. The following options apply here:

• exit to free territory at speed using circling feints;
• active movement across the field in different directions;
• using feints to get the ball into the free zone.

As a rule, such possession is applied in positions 1v4 or 2v4.

Football dribbling training

Dribbling training

Any, even the most outstanding footballer, is constantly working to improve his technique. Many movements are brought almost to automatism.

Basic development

This is considered to be the ability to simply hold the ball. You need to learn how to control a football projectile with a lot of touches in order to initially confuse the opponent. Typically, learning this skill occurs in stages:

• first, at a slow pace, the ball is simply shifted from foot to foot;
• then the speed of the exercise increases;
• In the third stage, holding the ball becomes natural, almost effortless.

Increasing the number of touches and the speed of both legs will lead to the gradual development of the first, very important, basic skill.

Optimum distance

Now you need to learn how to control the ball so that the minimum distance between the feet is maintained. In this case, you need to take the correct position of the whole body. The knees should be slightly bent.

It is important that both legs work in sync, while running speed should not drop. You should touch the ball not only with the inside of the foot, but also with the outside. This skill will greatly expand the range of deceptive maneuvers.

Focus of attention

Beginners, as a rule, focus their attention exclusively on the ball, this does not give them the opportunity to correctly navigate in space, assess the situation on the field and see the movements of other players.

It is very important to learn to follow the ball with only peripheral vision. The main focus of attention should be directed to what is happening around.

Speed ​​

It also needs to be constantly improved. Moreover, it is necessary to work out not just the ability to run fast, but to run with the ball, changing the pace and direction. If this becomes a mystery to the opponent, feints will be much more effective.

Watch this video on YouTube

Drills for practicing dribbling

A set of exercises has been developed to help improve dribbling technique:

• just running with the ball is also very useful as a warm-up;
• gradually start acceleration;
• then you should learn to act in the presence of opponents, – cover the ball with the body;
• the ball is then dribbled around the placed pieces;
• all exercises should be performed not only with both legs, but also alternately with each leg;
• Simultaneously, immediately after dribbling between the chips, an exercise is practiced on the strength and accuracy of the strike.

Each of these exercises should be performed with increasing speed and several times.

Watch this video on YouTube

Tips for improving dribbling

• if a football player has a working leg and a second one that is not leading, it is the latter that needs to be developed more;
• it is useful to carefully study the game of the leading masters on video;
• it is better to practice feints in tandem with a teammate, usually a defender acts in this role;
• strokes should always be combined with strikes or crosses;
• Tricks of any difficulty can be learned starting at a very slow pace.

And most importantly, you need to improve your dribbling constantly and regularly.

The best dribblers in football

If we talk about the XXI century, we can distinguish the following techies in world football:

• Mohammed Salah – he is called the pearl of the Egyptian team;
• Douglas Costa – this Juventus midfielder is not only an excellent dribbler, but also a master of free kicks;
• Belgian Eden Hazard , playing in Real Madrid, calmly dribbles around several defenders at once;
• Argentinian with Italian citizenship Paolo Dybala one of the best dribblers in Serie A;
• Andres Iniesta is now ending his career in Japan, but he surprises with beautiful tricks there too;
• Frenchman Kylian Mbappé dribbles fast and recklessly like Pele;
• Cristiano Ronaldo no introduction required;
• the same can be said about Lionel Messi ;
• the list of techies of world football would be clearly incomplete without the representative of Brazil – he became Neymar .

Watch this video on YouTube

Of course, the list can be continued: in almost every country there is at least one master of tricks, yes there is. The art of possession of the ball can be learned even in a not very strong team – this quality is still individual and its development depends entirely on the diligence and abilities of a football player.

7 tips for practicing dribbling

Experts with experience working with NBA, NCAA, European, Chinese and Russian pro leagues share secrets

Dribbling used to be something difficult, but now every day we look at crazy crossovers and practice dribbling ourselves. In this article, you will read 7 tips from different people that will help you make your workouts more useful.

Advice from Nick (@nikyamschikov), founder of Ball In.

I see a lot of guys who are trying to train dribbling, learn how to do a new movement, it is better to pass on the weak side, but they do not succeed. They try too little and in comfortable conditions. Nothing works out in the game, because of this, frustration happens, and then they return to the usual things.

When you were just starting to play and you were still very young, there was no such comfort zone for you, and you developed easily. If you’ve been in basketball for more than a couple of years, then one of your keys to development is to learn how to do unpleasant things and endure until you see the result.

Tip from Bone Collector (@bonecollector6), streetball legend from AND1. Currently working with NBA players.

If you try to single out one thing for young players, then I advise you to work on your body. If you want to play professionally, treat your body like a pro. This will allow you to perform more movements, do them more efficiently and always be competitive.

are what Bone Collector said during an interview. I asked him to reveal the secret of great dribbling, to which he replied: “There is no secret, only hard work every day. ”

Advice from Vasily Prokofiev (@basi_training), basketball skills coach. Worked with NBA, NCAA players and professionals from Russia.

An experienced defender does not look at the ball, but at the player’s body, so if the center of gravity is not shifted, then the opponent will not move anywhere. No matter how you do transfers, without transferring weight, you can’t go anywhere with the ball. If you want to beat – learn to shift the center of gravity.

Advice from Igor Zabelin (@saint_handles), personal trainer.

I see coaches doing a lot of basic things with players. After that, the players become templates. Guys who have been training for 3-5 years do the same thing. They lack variety.

It is necessary to build a foundation, but something unusual must be added to it, which will highlight and help , because from a certain level, without it, nowhere. It will be necessary. If you look at the youth teams of Russia and the United States, it is easy to see that the guys from across the ocean have a much wider arsenal.

Advice from Ruslan Marinsky (@0neanddone), Basketball Skills Coach at Playground Basketball Center.

I often notice that people spend a lot of time practicing dribbling and just tapping on the spot. I think dribbling is an essential skill for any player to get them to do something on the court, like finishing from under the basket or setting up a shot. Therefore, in my training, I add the task of attacking the ring after a beat.

At a certain level of training, especially for children, you need to devote a lot of time to working on the spot, but do not forget that basketball is movement, especially now, when in basketball in any position you need to be able to control the ball and at least cross the middle of the court with dribbling.

Advice from Alexander Glisic, Head Coach of the Basketball Academy Ilona Korstin, winner of the Junior Euroleague and coach of the NBA San Antonio Spurs Summer League in 2016.

There is a lot of dribbling in the game and practice today. Yes, this is important and you need to train it every day in order to better feel the ball, see the court and partners, attack the defender. Usually dribbling training involves a lot of shots and repetitions on the spot, which is why most people get lost in the game. There aren’t that many hits. In the game, you are not alone on the court and you need to share the ball. This is completely different.

Dribbling training should help you feel confident and also include the ability to make decisions and think quickly. Dribbling should be useful, not just pretty.

Advice from Coach Nick (@coach_niks).

There are many stories and examples of players standing still and hitting the ball. They make transfers on the spot, different moves, but they don’t know how to play. Dribbling is a dribble tool, so every action should have a goal : move yourself, move a defender, attack somehow, and not make a combination because “you are handsome”, so most streetball players with their crazy dribbling did not get into professional sports.