Basketball Drills for Guards: 5 Point Shooting Drill For Guards

During close, intense game situations, the scoring area can become unpredictable, and as a player lines up for a jump shot, the execution may not work out as planned. Opposing players can bump the shooter off course and break the focus necessary to land the shot. Or opponents can initiate a foul that can disrupt the player’s center of gravity and force him or her to miss out on an otherwise excellent scoring opportunity.

But this presents a training problem, since these types of game situations can be difficult to recreate during drills and practice sessions. Most basketball drills for guards involve lining up and executing a perfect shot without interference, so they don’t adequately prepare players for game-like situations. With that in mind, the attached video demonstrates a shooting drill for guards that adds a complication, challenges the shooter, and mimics court traffic during the jump shot.

This video drill is called the Five Point Shooting Drill for Guards, and unlike most basketball drills for guards, this drill applies disorienting resistance to the scoring player at the moment of the jump shot. The drill relies on resistance provided by the Kbands Reactive Stretch Cord, and when it’s executed correctly, it can help players prepare for the unexpected and recover quickly from disruptions to their center of gravity during the jump. This drill is easy to set up and can be adjusted to meet the needs of basketball players at every level of experience. Coaches and players can consider adding this shooting drill for guards to a regular weekly training program.

Basketball Drills for Guards: Setting Up the Five Point Shooting Drill for Guards

This drill requires minimal set up and very little equipment, just a ball, a net, five Speed and Agility Cones, some space on the court and an experienced partner. Each partner pair will also need a Kbands Reactive Stretch Cord, which can be purchased as a kit from KbandsTraining.com. Every kit contains a band, an elastic cord that can be safely stretched up to 20 feet, clips, and an anchor strap.

The cones can be placed at equal distance in an arch around the basket, preferably in the areas where the primary player prefers to take most shots. This can be in the arch, around the paint, or anywhere else on the court where the player usually spends game time.

Meanwhile, the band can be placed around the waist and the Velcro strap can be threaded through the connector and attached so the belt is just tight enough to stay in place during the drill. The metal ring can be rotated around the belt so that it’s positioned at the side, and the clip for the cord can be attached to the ring. The anchoring partner can loop the anchor strap around the wrist and the drill can begin.

Basketball Drills for Guards: Executing the Five Point Shooting Drill for Guards

This basketball drill for guards can begin at the first cone in the arch pattern. The primary player can stand at the cone or approach from a few steps away with the ball in hand. Upon reaching the cone, the basketball player can prepared for the jump shot and leave the ground while lining up and executing the throw. At the same time, the anchoring partner can stand about eight to ten feet away apply a calculated level of pressure to the Reactive Stretch Cord. More advanced basketball players can benefit from a higher level of resistance and less experienced players can benefit from a less disruptive degree of resistance.

At the moment when the basketball player’s feet leave the ground, the resistance applied by the Reactive Stretch Cord will misalign his or her center of gravity, making the shot more challenging and taxing the player’s ability to stay stable and complete the move. This disruption of balance will simulate a game situation in which the player is bumped or fouled by an opposing team member. But the more opportunity players have to face these situations, they better prepared they’ll be when taking shots on the court during moments of intense traffic.

The best and most effective basketball drills for guards will lead to noticeable results as players learn to anticipate disruptions to their focus, alignment, balance or position before and during the execution of the shot. Basketball drill for guards should lead to an increased ability to concentrate and stay centered, maintaining appropriate body position while working against resistance. So as this drill takes place, the anchoring player can rotate around the participating basketball player and apply pressure from each side, from the front and from behind in any orientation that helps the player stay aligned and compensate for distraction.

Basketball Drills for Guards: Final Notes

There are no specific reps or sets established for the Five Point Shooting Drill for Guards, but players should continue the drill as long as their legs feel fresh. This may mean the drill can continue for two to three minutes, or possibly three to four. But regardless of the length of each set, players can feel free to take an extended rest break between sets in order to fully recover.

Powering through the resistance will also be important to the success of this basketball drill for guards. This shooting drill for guards is not just designed to build technique and improve shooting skill; it’s also a conditioning drill. So players should balance rest breaks with drill intensity in order to stay explosive throughout each and every set.

Players working to enhance their skills and finish every shot can visit the basketball training section of Kbands Training.com and pick up a Kbands Reactive Stretch Cord today. The site also offers a growing list of videos and training resources that can build shooting, passing, and scoring skills. These basketball drills for guards can also build speed through overspeed training and conditioning for the hip flexors, which can help develop explosiveness on the court.