CHAIR SHOOTING

I always use the summer time as an opportunity to breakdown skills.  When it comes to player shooting I believe the summer is the best time to make significant changes to players shots.  During the season it is harder to get players to commit to changing their shot.  When we make significant changes to a players shot there is usually a period of acquisition and adjustment resulting in the hitting shots.  Once players commit to the adjustments they need a lot of reps to hardwire the changes before they can start to develop the neural pathways to start to master the changes.
 

We have found that using a chair to teach shooting is one of the best ways to help developing players learn to generate power form the legs. If done properly the athlete must push hard with the legs to get up out of the chair. They will feel it.

Starting position

The athlete starts by lightly sitting in the chair. Their butt is on the edge of the chair, as if they were just about to stand up.

The eyes are up looking at their target. You can start by shooting at the wall or at the basket.

The player has a flat back. The upper body is leaning forward and if flat. When you say straight to an athlete they tend to sit up straight. We want a slight body lean. No roundness in the upper back or lower back.

The forearm is parallel to the floor with the wrist set. Ensure the athlete is properly gripping the ball.

The toes are in-line with the knees. This puts the athlete in a squat position so that he/she can push straight up to the ceiling. The knees should be shoulder width apart and facing straight ahead.   Their weight is on their toes. This ensures that the first movement is up.    First movement   Watch the athlete from the side. You should see them explode upward in a straight line from the chair. They must JUMP! If they do not jump, they are decelerating and not learning to use the muscles explosively. The ball should be moving from a position where they are looking over the top to a position where they will look under the ball at release. It is a full body movement.   Finish   The body should form a straight line. Many athletes do not use their gluteus maximus (butt) when jumping. You will see a slight blend still between the stomach and the legs. To jump you need to tighten the butt. I tell the kids to show me their belly button on their shot.     Fast hands   The athlete can practice taking the ball quickly to the shot.   Off the pass Pretend you receive a pass on the right side of your body. Rip it with fast hands to your shot. Do the same for the left side.   Off the fake Sit in the chair and practice your fakes; shot or jab. Rip the ball with fast hands into your shot as you jump out of the chair. The player will feel if they are on balance.   Off the dribble When sitting in the chair practice dribbling with either hand. Pick the ball up, jump out of the chair and shoot.   You can also practice baby hooks from the chair. Turn the chair on a 90° angle to the basket.   If you have a player who has a lower leg injury they can work on shot form for the upper body from the chair.   I have also had the players sit in the chair and pass to them. It helps eliminate the dip.