Short shots are often a leg problem, not an arm problem. If your knees do not load, your arms try to make up the power, and your form gets rushed.
Why knees matter
- The legs start the energy that travels up through the shot
- A smooth dip keeps the rhythm the same on every shot
- Strong legs help late in games when you are tired
Too little, too much
| Problem | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| Too shallow | Shot falls short, you push with your arms |
| Too deep | Slow release, tired legs, flat shot |
| Uneven | One knee bends more and the shot drifts |
A simple way to find your dip
- Stand with feet shoulder width apart.
- Bend like you are about to sit on a low chair, then stop halfway.
- Drive up and shoot from that same depth every time.
Drill
Take 10 shots from 5 feet and count "dip, rise, release" out loud. The goal is the same depth every shot.
Check it with your phone
HoopArea measures your knee bend on each filmed shot and scores your shot out of 10, so you can see if your dip stays the same from shot to 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