HOLDING THE BALL - LEARNING CORRECT BASICS.

USE ONLY TOP PHALANGES OF YOUR FINGERS:

It is very easy for a coach to know whether a player knows the right basics or not. The way you hold the ball tells us everything. The tips of your fingers are the only portion that is in contact. The palm isn't to be used. Do a simple test. Hold the ball by having full contact of the whole of your hand to the ball and then slowly remove the contact from all other parts except for the top phalanges of your fingers.

SPREAD YOUR FINGERS AWAY FROM EACH OTHER:

Exert full pressure and spread your fingers as far as your can from each other. Then slowly fold your upper tips of fingers in a curve to be able to hold the ball. The larger finger grip you have - the better it is. TRY HOLDING THE BALL IN ONE HAND! My Mama Ji told me in 1962 that anyone who cannot hold the ball in one hand - shouldn't play basketball. EVEN TODAY I AM UNABLE TO HOLD THE BALL IN ONE HAND. But I have played basketball non-stop since then. So don't worry!

THE CORRECT BALL HOLD:

To train my young children I do a simple exercise which helps you learn the correct hold. I tell them to join the top phalanges of one hand with the other in the shape of a ball and bring the hand up to your chest level [without the ball]. The thumb and the little finger make a nice downward tilted circle at the bottom. Now slowly spread your hands from each other. Ask one of your friends to put the ball in your hand from the top. Exert a strong pressure of your fingers on the ball [at the same angle] - minor adjustment can be made if you are not comfortable.

WHY TOP PHALANGES ONLY?

The lesser the contact with the ball - the faster it can be moved or released. You may not realize it but the energy of the muscles of the entire hand is transferred to the top phalanges. Their job is only to hold or `guide the ball's position' - the action of moving the ball is the job of your entire hand - THE FINGER JOINT, THE HAND JOINT, THE ELBOW JOINT, THE SHOULDER JOINT all combine to produce the energy needed.

IF YOU ARE A BEGINNER - TAKE THE HELP OF SENIORS. They will always help you out.

THE POSITION OF YOUR ARMS :

If you are standing straight then the elbow joint should be at 90 degrees approximately. This angle will change if you take the ball to the left or right side.

A GOOD EXERCISE TO BUILD STRONG FINGERS

Close your eyes. Hold the ball with your top phalanges and bring it to the centre of your chest. The ball should be about 6" away from your body. The elbows are at 90 degrees to the upper arms or shoulders. Press your fingers with maximum pressure on the ball. Count till eight - release the pressure - count till eight and continue this for 5 to 6 times. DO IT EVERYDAY for two or three months. You will be able to avoid finger injury which is so common in basketball. While doing this exercise try to `feel' the muscles in different parts of your bodies - which make this possible.

A tougher exercise is to do pull-ups on your finger tips. I don't advise it for children below 15 years.

HOLDING THE BALL correctly is an indicator of beginning to learn correct basics.