For Insane Handles

5 dribbling WORKOUTS for insane handles

BASKETBALLFORCOACHES.COM Introduction

W E L C O M E !

Here we have 5 ball-handling/dribbling workouts.

All workouts should be performed in a “30 seconds on, 10 seconds off” format.

Example:

Crossover dribbles in front of the body for 30 seconds, then a 10 second break before starting on the next exercise.

There are two categories:

Stationary Ball-Handling Workout Limited-Room Dribbling Workout

The two workouts in the “stationary” category only require a basketball and a small 3x3 area.

While the three workouts in the “limited room” category are for players who have access to an area similar to a driveway, which allow players to take 4 - 5 hard dribbles in one direction.

To increase or decrease the difficulty, you have several options:

Increase / decrease the time spent on each exercise (45 seconds on, 15 seconds off).

Complete multiple workouts in one session.

Let’s do this! - Coach Mac

BASKETBALLFORCOACHES.COM F S O

T E L B N A T E T N STATIONARY BALL 4 HANDLING WORKOUTS O 5 WORKOUT 1 C 8 WORKOUT 2

LIMITED ROOM 12 DRIBBLING WORKOUTS 13 WORKOUT 1

16 WORKOUT 2

19 WORKOUT 3 B A S K E T B A L L F O R C O A C H E S . C O M

STATIONARY BALL HANDLING WORKOUTS 4 WORKOUT 1

BALL SLAPS Continuously slap the basketball from one hand to the other. This is a 1 SET great drill to start with to get your hands ready for the workout.

STRAIGHT ARM While making sure to keep your elbows locked, tap the basketball FINGER TAPS quickly back and forth straight out in front of you. When you become 1 SET good at this drill start moving the ball up and down.

Start in a squat position with both hands and the basketball in front of you. The aim is to drop the ball between your legs (only a few inches DROPS off the ground), let it bounce once, then take both hands behind your 2 SETS legs before catching it. Then dropping the ball again from behind and taking both hands back to the front and catch it. Repeat.

STRADDLE Similar to drops but instead start with one hand in front and one hand behind while holding the ball between your legs. The aim is to quickly FLIP flip the ball up and inch or two, swap hand positions from front to 2 SETS back, and catch the ball before it hits the ground.

MACHINE Kneel down onto the ground and alternate both hands to keep the ball GUN as low as possible to the ground. The ball should stay in the same spot. 2 SETS

DRIBBLE AROUND RIGHT Start in a wide stance. Keeping the ball low to the ground, dribble the LEG - RIGHT ball in a circle around your right leg with only your right hand. HAND 1 SET

WWW.BASKETBALLFORCOACHES.COM 5 DRIBBLE AROUND LEFT Start in a wide stance. Keeping the ball low to the ground, LEG - LEFT HAND dribble the ball in a circle around your left leg with only your 1 SET left hand.

DRIBBLE Again starting in a wide stance. Dribble the ball in a figure 8 FIGURE EIGHT motion around both legs using both hands. 1 SET

FRONT V- DRIBBLE - Using only your right hand, dribble the ball from side to side RIGHT HAND in the shape of a ‘v’ in front of your body. 1 SET

FRONT V- DRIBBLE - LEFT Using only your left hand, dribble the ball from side to side in HAND the shape of a ‘v’ in front of your body. 1 SET

CROSSOVER Cross the ball continuously in front of your body. Make sure DRIBBLE you’re crossing over wide. 2 SETS

BEHIND THE Cross the ball continuously in behind your body. Make sure BACK DRIBBLE you’re crossing over wide. 2 SETS

WWW.BASKETBALLFORCOACHES.COM 6 SCISSORS - Start with your right foot forward and left foot back. Cross the ball ALTERNATING between your legs and jump to switch the positioning of your feet so BETWEEN THE you can immediately cross the ball back to the other side. Every time LEGS you go through the legs you should be switching feet. 2 SETS

Using all the moves in your arsenal, while staying in a stationary FREESTYLE position, combine as many moves together as you can. Be creative 1 SET and work on your handle!

WWW.BASKETBALLFORCOACHES.COM 7 WORKOUT 2

MACHINE Kneel down onto the ground and alternate both hands to keep the ball GUN as low as possible to the ground. The ball should stay in the same spot. 2 SETS

WRAPS - FIGURE 8 Wrap the ball in a figure 8 motion around your legs. AROUND LEGS 1 SET

WRAPS - AROUND RIGHT Starting with your right leg in front and your left leg back, wrap LEG the ball around only your right leg. 1 SET

WRAPS - AROUND LEFT Starting with your left leg in front and your right leg back, LEG wrap the ball around only your left leg. 1 SET

WRAPS - Start with your legs together. Step your right leg forward and circle your right leg with the basketball. Then immediately step back with DOUBLE LEG, your right leg so that your feet are together and circle both legs. Then SINGLE LEG step out with your left leg and circle it before stepping back together 1 SET and wrapping the ball around them both. Continue this process.

WWW.BASKETBALLFORCOACHES.COM 8 This drill involves dribbling from ankle to shoulder height. Start by KILLS - dribbling the ball at your ankles and gradually dribbling the ball RIGHT HAND higher on each bounce. When you get to as high as you can ‘kill’ the basketball by stopping it a few inches off the ground and dribbling 1 SET back up to your shoulder.

This drill involves dribbling from ankle to shoulder height. Start by KILLS - LEFT dribbling the ball at your ankles and gradually dribbling the ball HAND higher on each bounce. When you get to as high as you can ‘kill’ the basketball by stopping it a few inches off the ground and dribbling 1 SET back up to your shoulder.

FRONT V- DRIBBLE - Using only your right hand, dribble the ball from side to side in the RIGHT HAND shape of a ‘v’ in front of your body. 1 SET

FRONT V- DRIBBLE - LEFT Using only your left hand, dribble the ball from side to side in the HAND shape of a ‘v’ in front of your body. 1 SET

Start with your knees shoulder width apart and bent. The ball SPIDER should stay underneath you the entire time of the drill. Dribble the ball with your right hand, then your left hand, then reach your right hand DRIBBLE around behind your knee for a dribble, and then your left hand behind 2 SETS your knee for a dribble, and then back to your right hand in front. Continue this.

WWW.BASKETBALLFORCOACHES.COM 9 CROSSOVER Cross the ball continuously in front of your body. Make sure DRIBBLE you’re crossing over wide. 2 SETS

BEHIND THE Cross the ball continuously in behind your body. Make sure BACK DRIBBLE you’re crossing over wide. 2 SETS

SCISSORS - Start with your right foot forward and left foot back. Cross the ball ALTERNATING between your legs and jump to switch the positioning of your feet so BETWEEN THE you can immediately cross the ball back to the other side. Every time LEGS you go through the legs you should be switching feet. 2 SETS

Using all the moves in your arsenal, while staying in a stationary FREESTYLE position, combine as many moves together as you can. Be creative 1 SET and work on your handle!

WWW.BASKETBALLFORCOACHES.COM 10 BASKETBALL DRIBBLING TIPS

Keep your eyes up when dribbling the basketball. Dribble the ball as hard as you can. Don’t be discouraged if you mess up. It means you’re pushing yourself! Make sure you change which way you’re wrapping the ball. Perform every drill as fast as you can.

WWW.BASKETBALLFORCOACHES.COM 11 B A S K E T B A L L F O R C O A C H E S . C O M

LIMITED ROOM DRIBBLING WORKOUTS 12 WORKOUT 1

DRIBBLE, While making sure to keep your elbows locked, tap the basketball RETREAT - quickly back and forth straight out in front of you. When you become RIGHT HAND good at this drill start moving the ball up and down. 1 SET

DRIBBLE, RETREAT - LEFT Same as the above, but use your left hand to dribble this time. HAND 1 SET

DRIBBLE, RETREAT - Same as the above, but use your right hand once again to dribble. RIGHT HAND 1 SET

DRIBBLE, RETREAT - LEFT Same as the above, but use your left hand to dribble this time. HAND 1 SET

DRIBBLE, Take 3 or 4 dribbles forward, then use the retreat dribble until you get RETREAT, back to the starting position. Now perform a crossover to switch your CROSSOVER dribbling hand and repeat the process. 2 SETS

WWW.BASKETBALLFORCOACHES.COM 13 Move forward while crossing the ball continuously in front of your body. Make sure you’re crossing over wide. When there’s no space CR0SSOVER available in front, get back using the retreat crossover dribble until 2 SETS you reach the starting point, then continue forward in the same manner.

DRIBBLE, RETREAT, Take 3 or 4 dribbles forward, use the retreat dribble to get back to the THROUGH THE starting spot, then perform through-the-legs dribble move to switch LEGS your dribbling hand and repeat the process. 2 SETS

Move forward using only through-the-legs dribble repeatedly as you walk. Once you reach the end of space available to you, walk SCISSORS backwards while performing the same move. When you get to the 2 SETS starting position, repeat the process. If it seems too advanced to walk backwards and perform this move continuously, execute the drill only walking forward.

IN-AND-OUT Dribble forward with your right hand and perform an in-and-out dribble DRIBBLE - move on every two dribbles – keep the basketball in one hand and RIGHT HAND use a head and shoulders fake while moving the ball inside and then out by switching the position of your hand on the ball. 1 SET

IN-AND-OUT Dribble forward with your left hand and perform an in-and-out DRIBBLE - LEFT dribble move on every two dribbles – keep the basketball in one hand HAND and use a head and shoulders fake while moving the ball inside and then out by switching the position of your hand on the ball. 1 SET

WWW.BASKETBALLFORCOACHES.COM 14 Dribble forward with your right hand and perform a hesitation dribble HESITATION - move on every two dribbles, attempting to trick the imaginary RIGHT HAND defender into thinking you’re about to stop, by slightly raising your 1 SET body, looking up like you’re about to shoot.

HESITATION - Dribble forward with your left hand and perform a hesitation dribble move on every two dribbles, attempting to trick the imaginary LEFT HAND defender into thinking you’re about to stop, by slightly raising your 1 SET body, looking up like you’re about to shoot.

Dribble forward with your right hand and perform a hesitation dribble HESITATION - move on every two dribbles, attempting to trick the imaginary RIGHT HAND defender into thinking you’re about to stop, by slightly raising your 1 SET body, looking up like you’re about to shoot.

Dribble forward with your left hand and perform a hesitation HESITATION - dribble move on every two dribbles, attempting to trick the imaginary LEFT HAND defender into thinking you’re about to stop, by slightly raising your 1 SET body, looking up like you’re about to shoot.

Be creative - move up and down the available space using all the FREESTYLE moves in your arsenal, combining as many moves together as you 2 SETS can.

WWW.BASKETBALLFORCOACHES.COM 15 WORKOUT 2

Move forward while crossing the ball continuously in front of your body. Make sure you’re crossing over wide. When there’s no space CR0SSOVER available in front, get back using the retreat crossover dribble until 2 SETS you reach the starting point, then continue forward in the same manner.

ONE DRIBBLE, Take one dribble, then perform a behind-the-back move, one BEHIND THE dribble, behind-the-back, etc. When you have no space available in BACK front, simply turn and continue the process. 2 SETS

BEHIND THE Try continuously crossing the ball in behind your body as you BACK move. 2 SETS

ONE DRIBBLE, Take one dribble, then perform a through-the-legs move, one THROUGH THE dribble, through-the-legs, etc. When you have no space available LEGS in front, simply turn and continue the process. 2 SETS

DRIBBLE, RETREAT, Take 3 or 4 dribbles forward using your right hand, use the retreat CROSSOVER, dribble to get back to the starting spot, then perform a crossover THROUGH THE and (immediately) through-the-legs dribble move to explode and LEGS - RIGHT move forward (as you’re blasting past the defender), repeating the process. HAND 1 SET

WWW.BASKETBALLFORCOACHES.COM 16 DRIBBLE, RETREAT, CROSSOVER, Same as above, but using your left hand to dribble up and THROUGH THE down, before performing the dribble moves. LEGS - LEFT HAND 1 SET

ONE DRIBBLE, CROSSOVER, Take one dribble forward using your right hand, then perform a crossover and immediately behind the back. BEHIND THE Repeat this until you get as far as you can, then simply turn BACK - RIGHT around and continue in the same manner for a set HAND period of time. 1 SET

ONE DRIBBLE, CROSSOVER, BEHIND THE Same as the above, but start with your left hand this time. BACK - LEFT HAND 1 SET

CROSSOVER, While stationary, dribble using your right hand, and now execute the sequence in this order – crossover, through the legs, behind THROUGH THE the back, then take 2 or 3 dribbles forward like you’re exploding LEGS, BEHIND past the defender. After finishing, turn and repeat the sequence THE BACK using your left hand as the dribbling hand for the start. Repeat the 2 SETS entire process for a set period of time.

WWW.BASKETBALLFORCOACHES.COM 17 Step forward with your right foot and the basketball in your right hand, REVERSE then perform a through-the-legs move from the outside in, then SCISSORS stepping forward with your left foot, crossing the basketball through 2 SETS the legs from your left hand to your right. Now try to move forward using only this dribble repeatedly as you walk.

Be creative - move up and down the available space using all the FREESTYLE moves in your arsenal, combining as many moves together as you 2 SETS can.

WWW.BASKETBALLFORCOACHES.COM 18 WORKOUT 3

DRIBBLE, RETREAT - LEFT Same as the above, but use your left hand to dribble this time. HAND 1 SET

DRIBBLE, RETREAT - Same as the above, but use your right hand once again to dribble. RIGHT HAND 1 SET

DRIBBLE, RETREAT - LEFT Same as the above, but use your left hand to dribble this time. HAND 1 SET

BEHIND THE Try continuously crossing the ball in behind your body as you BACK move. 2 SETS

WWW.BASKETBALLFORCOACHES.COM 19 ONE DRIBBLE, Take one dribble, then perform a through-the-legs move, one THROUGH THE dribble, through-the-legs, etc. When you have no space available LEGS in front, simply turn and continue the process. 2 SETS

FRONT V- While slowly walking forward, using only your right hand, DRIBBLE - dribble the ball from side to side in the shape of a ‘v’ in front of RIGHT HAND your body. 1 SET

FRONT V- While slowly walking forward, using only your left hand, DRIBBLE - LEFT dribble the ball from side to side in the shape of a ‘v’ in front of HAND your body. 1 SET

SIDE V- While slowly walking forward, using only your right hand DRIBBLE - dribble the ball backwards and forwards beside your body in RIGHT HAND the shape of a ‘v’. 1 SET

SIDE V- While slowly walking forward, using only your left hand DRIBBLE - LEFT dribble the ball backwards and forwards beside your body in HAND the shape of a ‘v’. 1 SET

WWW.BASKETBALLFORCOACHES.COM 20 Dribble forward with your left hand and perform a hesitation HESITATION - dribble move on every two dribbles, attempting to trick the imaginary LEFT HAND defender into thinking you’re about to stop, by slightly raising your 1 SET body, looking up like you’re about to shoot.

Be creative - move up and down the available space using all the FREESTYLE moves in your arsenal, combining as many moves together as you 2 SETS can.

WWW.BASKETBALLFORCOACHES.COM 21 TIPS

As you’re executing any kind of dribbling moves and moving forward, try exploding past the imaginary opponent as fast as you can, using one or two hard dribbles, as you would in a game when you’re trying to attack the basket.

If you don’t understand what any of the drills or moves are, make sure you YouTube the name of the drill/move, check out this article, or simply ask me via email.