Form shooting means shooting close to the rim with perfect mechanics, before you add distance. It is slow on purpose. These five drills cover the main parts of the shot.
Drill 1: One-hand shooting
Hold the ball with your shooting hand only, close to the rim. Focus on elbow under the ball and a full finish. 3 sets of 10.
Drill 2: Wall elbow drill
Stand with your shooting-side shoulder near a wall. Shoot form shots without touching the wall with your elbow. This builds a straight, tucked arm.
Drill 3: Knee-bend drill
Start with your knees bent and the ball at your set point. Rise up, extend and release. This teaches your legs to start the shot. 10 reps.
Drill 4: Hold-the-finish drill
After every release, freeze your follow-through for two seconds. Check your wrist snap and finger direction. 15 shots.
Drill 5: Step-back distance drill
Make 5 shots from close. Take one step back. Repeat until your form starts to break, then stay one step closer.
Sample 10-minute session
| Time | Drill |
|---|---|
| 0-2 min | One-hand shooting |
| 2-4 min | Wall elbow drill |
| 4-6 min | Knee-bend drill |
| 6-8 min | Hold the finish |
| 8-10 min | Step-back distance |
Tips
- Slow down. Quality beats the number of shots.
- Film one set each week to compare.
- Stop a drill if your form gets sloppy.
See if it is working
After a few weeks, film a few shots. HoopArea measures elbow extension, knee bend, wrist snap and arm alignment, then scores your shot out of 10, so you can see which drill helped.
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