Shooting the basketball is such a unique journey and experience, because there are subtle differences between the way everybody shoots the ball.

You can look at the greatest shooters of all time in nba history like Ray Allen, Klay Thompson...

Almost all of them shoot a little bit differently, but they own their mechanics. They are able to repeat those over and over again.

The warriors star point guard gives guidelines about how to shoot, and there’s things that you can copy and that you can work on, but you don’t want to fall into the trap of comparing yourself to other great shooters.

What you want to compare yourself to is how many shots did I make yesterday versus today. Am I getting better? Am I challenging myself? Am I pushing myself to the next limit?

The best way obviously, is to count your makes.

Steph Curry shooting workouts end always with 100 threes. He knows based on how he shoots the ball everyday if he can get better, and he sets a goal for himself. 

Don’t leave the gym until you get better.

Being able to track those stats, and track your progression and give yourself a goal to reach is the best way to compare yourself to yourself and get better.

SET HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR ACCURACY

The reason we have such high expectations for perfecting this form when we’re shooting wide open shots close to the basket, or as we step out into deeper ranges. It’s translating that to the game where there’s so many other variables going on: defenders, teammates, speed of the game. 

For Steph Curry, he says if he shoots 100 shots and makes 87, he knows it will probably translate to about 60 or so in a game. This is why you have to set for yourself high expectations and a high bar for when you’re out there by yourself to really get better, so when you’re out there in a game you are able to up your accuracy and consistency as a jump shot maker and not a jump shot taker.

Of course along the way you’re going to have days where you miss a lot of shots.

You miss shots, you lose games, but the best way to get better is to learn from those bad days. Why did I miss those shots? You can’t get discouraged, you have to understand that misses are going to happen, but there is always room for improvement and a chance for you to learn something about yourself and as a basketball player.

START CLOSE TO THE BASKET

When Steph comes into the gym to start his workout, he starts in close and starts with his form shots to work out his mechanics. It’s great to start every workout with some wins.

It builds confidence to see the ball go in, so it’s good to build that confidence early in the workout for the rest of that time you have in the gym. It’s important to start with those perfect makes. If you aren’t perfect from right in front of the basket, you can’t think that you’re going to be perfect behind the 3 point line, or even further out.

If you’re missing shots left and right, it’s gonna be a long day in the gym.

BUILD TO 100 MAKES

The way Steph practices his form shooting and getting reps up to work on his mechanics is to start in close to the basket as we said prior, ending his work outs with long distance shots. He locks in on his target and has the perfect follow through and release point.

Steph Curry Shooting Form 

• Hand Position: Steph uses a relatively relaxed hand position on the ball, with his index finger and thumb making a V-shape
• Off-Hand: Curry is a palm shooter.
• Alignment: Steph Curry´s form keeps his shooting shoulder, elbow and hip aligned.
• Steph´s Curry Shot is a One Motion Shot.
• Follow Through: On his follow through, his elbow is right above his head and his arm is completely straight.

Start in front of the basket, and make about 5 perfect makes.

Take a big step back and repeat that process shooting 5 perfect makes.

Do this 4 times in a row.

Repeat this process from all 5 angles of the basket.

This is the best way to start your workout, is to get your 100 perfect makes in from the start.

Don’t move on until you get your 5 perfect makes from each spot.

It might seem simple, but this is something that you should do every single day.

Steph Curry says “I can’t stress enough how important it is to practice these basics, until they’re as close to perfect as you can get them.” 

The worse thing you can do as a basketball player Is to go into the gym and start firing shots up from the three-point line.

You need to warm up and calibrate your mechanics  in close to the basket or even shooting free throws.

This can be tough, you don’t want fatigue to change your mechanics. Sometimes you need to build up your endurance so that you don’t fatigue after the 30th or 40th shot.

Practicing this helps you to build the muscle memory needed to be able to rely on it in a game setting. It takes time, but it’s worth it.

HOW TO PRACTICE SHOOTING ALONE

Sometimes you might be sitting at home alone wondering how to get better.

You can’t let that be an excuse to not get better.

A simple drill that you can work on if it’s just you, a basketball, and a rim, is perfecting the toss back to yourself to be able to get into that shot ready position and work on your mechanics and shooting accuracy.

It may seem simple, but the art of being able to throw the ball out with a little bit of backspin and get into your shot is very key to be able to take advantage of being in the gym alone, but still getting those reps up.

You can do the rollouts from all different angles as well. Maybe even throw in some step backs, but this technique helps to simulate a game time  pass.

LEARN FROM YOUR MISSES

Stephen Curry has shot countless shots in his life, from the time he started playing, and even now in the NBA, and even he doesn’t make every shot that he takes. Misses happen whether it’s in practice or in the game.

The best way to know if your mechanics are off or that something needs addressed is if you’re missing left or right. 

Steph Curry says that the best way to miss, is to miss short and long, because then it’s just a matter of finding your rhythm.

When you start missing left and right that’s where you really have to take a look at your mechanics from the ground up, and see where it feels off.

Missing short is usually a result of not using your legs, and so when you see that miss start to happen, look at your balance and your shot readiness (catching the ball) form a lower body standpoint to help you correct that miss. 

We will talk again in a couple of days but for now...

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