Coaches charge for shot analysis because it works. But a phone camera and the right checklist get you most of the way there.
How to film
- Side view, camera at hip-to-chest height
- 8-12 feet away, full body in frame
- Good lighting, steady phone (lean it on a bag if you have no tripod)
- Film 5 shots, slow-motion if available
The four angles to check
- Elbow extension: does your arm fully straighten at release?
- Knee bend: are your legs loading and driving?
- Wrist snap: does the wrist flex through the shot?
- Arm alignment: are wrist, elbow and shoulder stacked toward the rim?
Doing it by hand
Pause the video at the release point and sketch lines through shoulder, elbow and wrist. It works, but it is slow, and it is hard to compare shots week to week.
Doing it automatically
HoopArea uses pose detection to track your joints through the whole shot. It measures those four mechanics, gives you a score out of 10, shows an animated replay, and tracks your progress as you train. Pro adds a four-week plan built from your own numbers.
What to do with the results
- Pick one fix per week
- Re-film after 3-4 sessions
- Trust the trend, not a single shot
See your own shot scored. Film one jump shot and HoopArea maps your joints and scores your form out of 10, with the exact fixes. Download HoopArea free on the App Store