How where you taught to shoot?

[pauk]

I'm pretty much in the same boat. I've been fortunate throughout my life to have many coaches who all more or less stuck to the core basics of shooting (feet square, elbow in, snap wrist, follow through). And contrary to a lot of fellow players, I never really had anyone telling me where to look when I shoot. In fact, I'm still not sure whether I aim toward the front of the rim or back of the rim. I feel like I just aim "in".

Anyhow, I think my biggest derivation from standard shooting form is my wide base. When I was in elementary school I used to try to model my shot after my favorite player (David Robinson) but I realized his J was a little too unconventional for my tastes (seemed like his off hand was on top of the ball). As such, I used his teammate Sean Elliott as my guide. Hence, the wide base and the slightly lower than conventional elevation.

We've had a thread about shooting happening in the Streetball forum for a few weeks, so here's a .gif I contributed over there of me shooting as a sophomore in high school.

Good form but you seem to raise up to shoot almost before even jumping which means you are using your legs/jump leverage to catapult the shot, a so called "push shot" rather than a "jump shot", this is a common thing amongst those who have not strength enough to shoot longrange shots comfortably.... or maybe its just a habit for you by now or maybe it looks like that because you simply dont like more elevation.

It should look like this:



Which means, jump before your form is set above, swing your arms up just as you jump, not before... this uses your arms for extra elevation, this gives you a better elevation because you are now using your arms to catapult yourself up instead of only your legs.... and then when you are upstairs you should start shooting the ball at the highest point, release should happen just as you are starting to come down.... now you are only using your arms and armstrength to shoot... and the jump is only for the elevation and should only be used for the elevation like that... not to push the shot...

You see, this is not just a "textbook jumpshot"... this will increase your accuracy to your maximum potential...

Many kids i sometimes coach i get furious at for doing "push shots", they want to immediately start shooting ranged shots, dont have the strength and so have to shoot it like that, i tell them to get under the basket and shoot as i tell them and slowly increase the distance, once your form/jumpshot changes even microscopically then that is your maximum range to you shooting a textbook jumpshot comfortably........

The secret to becoming a pure shooter is to always shoot it the same your entire life, even if its not a textbook looking jumpshot & form (watch Larry Bird).... BUT if you start of with the textbook form & jumpshot and keep it that way you will guaranteed become the best shooter you could possibly ever be.... Thats why i strongly advise the younglings to stick to this form and be patient with the distance they can shoot it from, it comes naturally as you get bigger & stronger... Shooting is kindof scientific that way...

If you want to model/patern a jumpshot from somebody then you should ONLY watch Ray Allen.... dont care about who your favorite player is.

PS: This is more like a message to others, not only you Rake, i just want to help you become the best you could ever become in the shooting department. But i think you have come to a certain age shooting a certain way and should then NOT change anything, that could mess up your accuracy (The elevation technique you have now is not so bad anyways)... then you will have to kindof start from the beginning, not the entire beginning but anyways...

[Pushxx]

Self taught. I had retarded coaches in every sport I ever played.

[macpierce]

Pete Maravich tapes on youtube, I use to shoot like shawn marion up until the age of 19

[fsvr54]

Good form but you seem to raise up to shoot almost before even jumping which means you are using your legs/jump leverage to catapult the shot, a so called "push shot" rather than a "jump shot", this is a common thing amongst those who have not strength enough to shoot longrange shots comfortably.... or maybe its just a habit for you by now or maybe it looks like that because you simply dont like more elevation.

It should look like this:



Which means, jump before your form is set above, swing your arms up just as you jump, not before... this uses your arms for extra elevation, this gives you a better elevation because you are now using your arms to catapult yourself up instead of only your legs.... and then when you are upstairs you should start shooting the ball at the highest point, release should happen just as you are starting to come down.... now you are only using your arms and armstrength to shoot... and the jump is only for the elevation and should only be used for the elevation like that... not to push the shot...

You see, this is not just a "textbook jumpshot"... this will increase your accuracy to your maximum potential...

Many kids i sometimes coach i get furious at for doing "push shots", they want to immediately start shooting ranged shots, dont have the strength and so have to shoot it like that, i tell them to get under the basket and shoot as i tell them and slowly increase the distance, once your form/jumpshot changes even microscopically then that is your maximum range to you shooting a textbook jumpshot comfortably........

The secret to becoming a pure shooter is to always shoot it the same your entire life, even if its not a textbook looking jumpshot & form (watch Larry Bird).... BUT if you start of with the textbook form & jumpshot and keep it that way you will guaranteed become the best shooter you could possibly ever be.... Thats why i strongly advise the younglings to stick to this form and be patient with the distance they can shoot it from, it comes naturally as you get bigger & stronger... Shooting is kindof scientific that way...

If you want to model/patern a jumpshot from somebody then you should ONLY watch Ray Allen.... dont care about who your favorite player is.

PS: This is more like a message to others, not only you Rake, i just want to help you become the best you could ever become in the shooting department. But i think you have come to a certain age shooting a certain way and should then NOT change anything, that could mess up your accuracy (The elevation technique you have now is not so bad anyways)... then you will have to kindof start from the beginning, not the entire beginning but anyways...

Damn, I never knew this, I have to try it out. Isn't it easier to block that way though?

[inclinerator]

self taught, thru watching vids and improving, my first jumper was ugly as *** lol, now its beautiful

[inclinerator]

How good or how the stroke/form/release/jumper looks like?

Stroke is textbook, i made sure it is, looks something like this when i shoot (which is what i consider extremly textbook):


How good, i can firmly say around a 88-95% FT shooter and just a pure shooter overall, dont know my ingame percentage from 3's but i would assume its somewhere 40-50%, in practice / open shots / set shots i hit higher than that and can go in rythm of hitting plenty of them in a row.

Its no braging really, i am just honest, i am a true bball addict that spends up to 8 hours almost everyday mostly just shooting, in rain, in snow, who cares, have warm clothes and am taking a shower later anyways no matter the weather condition, there is a rim and a ball and as long as those work there is no trouble.

Said this many times here before, some didnt believe me, i can record myself shooting and upload the video here if anybody is interested. :)

u said ull record urself many times, but never do

[plowking]

Good form but you seem to raise up to shoot almost before even jumping which means you are using your legs/jump leverage to catapult the shot, a so called "push shot" rather than a "jump shot", this is a common thing amongst those who have not strength enough to shoot longrange shots comfortably.... or maybe its just a habit for you by now or maybe it looks like that because you simply dont like more elevation.

Actually if you watch his gif again, and look at the Ray Allen timeline, you'll see that they leave the ground with the ball at approximately the same place in their motion.
Only difference is, Rake was doing a set shot with no dribble. Extremely similar timing.

I was always taught the less moving parts in the air, the better. Its like a machine. The less moving parts there are, the less there is to break, hence the less to patch up, worry about, and have to fix. If you get everything set, just worry about the flick of the wrist.

[Rake2204]

PS: This is more like a message to others, not only you Rake, i just want to help you become the best you could ever become in the shooting department. But i think you have come to a certain age shooting a certain way and should then NOT change anything, that could mess up your accuracy (The elevation technique you have now is not so bad anyways)... then you will have to kindof start from the beginning, not the entire beginning but anyways...

I appreciate the kind words of advice. And not to negate anything you said, but that clip is from when I was 15, which was approximately 13 years ago. So in terms of diagnosis, it might be a little out of date. There is in fact more elevation on my shot these days, though the form itself I reckon has remained. It has served me very well throughout the years.

As I mentioned in my original post, the stiff/bow-legged fashion of my shot back then was by design. That was my interpretation of how I thought Sean Elliott shot. In reality, there's clearly a number of differences between the two of us, but for reference, this is what I was going for: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1EL38SKyX8#t=1m30s.

[G-train]

Basically my first coach taught me to shoot, you stand 3 feet from basket, hold ball on finger tips of one hand, feet slightly wider than shoulders, bend knees slightly and flick ball in one handed. Eventually introduce support hand, keep the same motion but bend knees more as you go further out.

[G-train]

I'd say Rakes shot is more technically correct in a pure sense than Ray Allen's, as it has no hitch.

[G-train]

Good form but you seem to raise up to shoot almost before even jumping which means you are using your legs/jump leverage to catapult the shot, a so called "push shot" rather than a "jump shot", this is a common thing amongst those who have not strength enough to shoot longrange shots comfortably.... or maybe its just a habit for you by now or maybe it looks like that because you simply dont like more elevation.

Technically that is the correct way to shoot, your strength coming via your legs.

[ZenMaster]

Technically that is the correct way to shoot, your strength coming via your legs.

Your strength comes from your legs, elbow and wrist. Your legs and lower body should be moving forwad when you shoot, don't bend your knees too much, also your feet should come rather close when shooting as it gives you balance along with your off-hand.

[pauk]

I appreciate the kind words of advice. And not to negate anything you said, but that clip is from when I was 15, which was approximately 13 years ago. So in terms of diagnosis, it might be a little out of date. There is in fact more elevation on my shot these days, though the form itself I reckon has remained. It has served me very well throughout the years.

As I mentioned in my original post, the stiff/bow-legged fashion of my shot back then was by design. That was my interpretation of how I thought Sean Elliott shot. In reality, there's clearly a number of differences between the two of us, but for reference, this is what I was going for: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1EL38SKyX8#t=1m30s.

Not criticizing my man, im just a shooting perfectionist so to speak, kindof nitpicking everything. You have a very nice shot, keep on doing the good work!

[pauk]

u said ull record urself many times, but never do

Haha yea i remember now, i just feel a bit dubious about this whole thing of avertising & proving myself for internet boys, dont want to come out like a show off afterall. That is not my intention.... but i will do it, if i dont have an oppurtunity to do it in the gym i will wait for good weather and try use my iphone4s to record.

[therammingman]

How did your (former) coach teach you how to shoot? What kind of method did he want you to use?

Do you feel you were taught to shoot in a manner which resembles the pros?

watching MJ growing up