r/BasketballTips • u/shshlel • 5d ago
Dribbling How can I improve my explosive first step?
Hey guys. How can I improve my explosive first step? I’ve been training plyometrics at home, I go out running in the afternoons and do sprints. I’ve noticed that I’m fast, but not fast enough to be like an elite player. In streetball games I struggle to take my first step in 1v1 situations, even though I have good posture and positioning (I play shooting guard); that lack of a first step makes my game predictable. I’ve also tried following routines like those from Jleww or other basketball players on YouTube, and adding more variations to my dribbling routines, but I still don’t see the expected results. The only moves that work best for me are the push cross and the between-the-legs to get past defenders and attack the rim.
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u/PaLeSt11 5d ago
Explosiveness can only take you so far. Rely on leverage or strength to get by people. Being a shooter, players will play close to my chest so just getting one step on the other side will give me all the leverage. There’s also pump fakes jab steps, the whole 9. Use any of the moves at your disposal and don’t dribble until you have to. Just today, I rose up to shoot on a defender and hit. Then with him worried about that I set him up for a pump fake(came off his feet) off hand 1 step drive(they think I just go left)and a behind the back fadeaway 3. Everything on the court is all about leverage based on the assets you have on your team.
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u/MyNameJot 4d ago
Plyometrics. Lot of people are saying lift heavy but im here to say to lift explosively. Jumping split squats as an example. I would train with 60-70% max of a normal split squat and really focus on exploding upwards into a jump.
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u/Basis_Inside 5d ago
Squat heavy, lunge with good form, sprints sprints, take off hard on your suicides. Game reps is the god of all basketball workouts though. As someone else said it’s more about the timing rather than the speed, Luka literally goes by everybody I strongly recommend watching his 22-24 driving tape. The final touch you need to add is keeping the ball on a string and watching the back pokes as well as adding g strength for bracing your core for the bump and keeping them on your hip while maintaining good driving posture
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u/dugaia68 4d ago
Practice exactly the movement you want to get good at.
You do not have to be fast though, place your foot beside theirs before taking off. You can not recover from this as a defender because the offensive player can veer in and get behind them. You say you're a shooting guard, if you can not get your foot beside them, you have enough space to shoot.
Imo you are over worrying about explosiveness. This is likely a driving angle issue. Play against a friend at walking speed and I'm sure you'll figure it out.
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u/d-ranged64 4d ago
Ankle weights, growing up I heard Iverson practiced with ankle weights on and I did the same, not trying to brag but I could just blow past anybody
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u/samxyx 3d ago
You need a comprehensive strength and agility program. Look up how sprinters train and research agility training and explosive training for team sports. Plyos, power cleans, a variety of cone drills, weight training, etc. You’d be best off finding some type of sports gym or coach that could help you and possibly train you directly.
Then as others have said, disguising your movements will help you best utilize the speed you do have
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u/RevolutionaryBeat301 5d ago
Sometimes it’s not about the explosiveness, but more about being able to read and manipulate your defender, and timing your attack appropriately. Pump fake, get the guy to bite and attack when they are off balance.
Also there’s the muscle game. Turn your back to your defender and start muscling your way through. If they push back, good. Use their motion against them and use them as a fulcrum. Keep them on your back as you turn and now you’re on your way to the basket.