You should try deliberate practice for basketball if the regular way of training isn’t helping you improve quickly enough.
In the 1960s and 1970s, Bill Bradley -whom you probably have never heard of- was one the best players in college and in the NBA.
He won two championship titles with the New York Knicks (in 1970 and 1973) and was selected as an All-Star in 1973.
But Bradley wasn’t good at basketball when he first started to play. He couldn’t dribble the ball well and was not athletic. Let’s just put in like this -he wasn’t a gifted player.
However, what helped him develop his skills quicker than so many others was his work ethic.
Bradley had an insane practice schedule, where he trained for three and a half hours daily after school.
And to make the drills more difficult, he invented apparatuses that challenged his vision and motor skills.
All of this -the gruelling schedule and tools- forced him to be focused on the task at hand or the skill he was trying to improve. He didn’t think about anything else.
All that was on his mind during that moment was doing that movement and doing each repetition better than the last one.
This is called deliberate practice.
What Is Deliberate Practice?
Deliberate practice, according to James Clear, is “a special type of practice that is purposeful and systematic.”
It is meant to force you to be mindful and attentive to what you are doing.
Rather than mindlessly shooting free-throws, for instance, you would be focusing on each step of the shot and seeing where improvement or adjustments can be made.
In the case of Bradley, he knew that he needed to work on his ball-handling and peripheral vision.
So, he would set up chairs on a court to act as defenders and dribbled -in a specific pattern- around them while wearing eyeglass frames that had a piece of cardboard attached to it.
The eyeglasses made it difficult for him to see the floor so that he would look up as he dribbled (rather than looking down at the ground, which is not a good habit for basketball).
And as I mentioned earlier, he did this for hours every day.
The legendary Pistol Pete also did something similar to this to improve his hand-eye coordination.
How To Use Deliberate Practice For Basketball
Now, you don’t have to be as extreme as Bradley when you practice deliberately.
All you have to do is give a drill or movement your full attention for a specific amount of time. And it doesn’t have to be that long either.
As a matter of fact, it shouldn’t. It should only be about 20 to 30 minutes because this type of practice -which requires absolute focus- will wear you out quicker than traditional practice.
Bradley’s focus and work ethic are just better than most people’s. He’s an anomaly and that’s why he’s able to practice deliberately for hours daily.
The Drill
So, here is a breakdown of how you can use deliberate practice to improve your basketball skills:
First, decide what skill you want or need to improve.
Second, set a goal for what you want to achieve after a month.
Have an intent for why you are practicing. But remember to be realistic with the goal and pick something that you can track.
For instance, if you want to shoot the 3-pointer better, don’t make your goal to shoot the 3-pointer better.
Make your goal to be able to drain 50 percent of the threes you take. Now, with this shift, you’ll be able to track and improve this skill.
Third, get comfortable with the shot and then get uncomfortable.
Basically, pick a spot to start off with (in regards to 3-point shooting) and then once you have a handle on that spot, switch to a new spot.
And continue to alternate to keep it challenging.
Also remember to track your shots (shots that were taken and made, for example) and tweak your form as you practice.
Fourth, be consistent with your practice.
Set a day and time for when you will practice basketball and do it every week. Don’t skip a single day because this will slow down your improvement.
Fifth, observe and learn from the greats.
For instance, if you want to be able to do a certain dribbling move, don’t just practice it over and over again.
You should also watch someone who does it well and learn from him/her. Watch them do that move with a critical eye and break it down.
Try to notice what they’re doing at each stage of the move and imagine how you can improve your technique.
And lastly, rest.
Deliberate practice is energy-consuming and will hinder your improvement if you overwork yourself too often.
So, take a break every now and then to heal up.
The resting time will allow you to come back stronger and more focused for the next session.
Oh, and always remember -have full attention and focus as you practice. Don’t dilly dally and fool around.
Final Thoughts
Using deliberate practice for basketball is a great way to accelerate your improvement.
Hence, if there’s a skill that you want to get better at, give this type of training a try.
