What is a Weighted Basketball Used For?
What is a weighted basketball used for? A weighted basketball is used to enhance a basketball player’s skills and strength. A weighted basketball provides many benefits and is specifically used to improve passing, ball handling (dribbling), and rebounding.
A weighted basketball (also called a heavy ball) is very useful because it increases the strength in your fingers, hands, and forearms after repeated use.
After using the weighted ball consistently and the right way, basketball players will see the positive effects translate on the court. For example, a player will be able to pass faster, have a more tightened handle and have a better grip on the ball when trying to go for the rebound.
Who Uses Weighted Basketballs?
Weighted basketballs can be used by beginners, intermediates, or advanced basketball players hoping to improve their skills. This includes teenagers who just started playing basketball and professional basketball players who play in the NBA.
How Heavy is a Weighted Basketball?
A weighted basketball weighs between 2 -4 pounds. A normal basketball weighs about 1.4 pounds (22 ounces).
Weighted basketballs can vary in sizes but most measures between 28.5 – 29.5 inches in circumference.
For more information regarding the weight of a weighted basketball and other basketballs, check out How Much Does A Basketball Weigh?
What is a Weighted Basketball Made of ?
Weighted basketballs are typically made of heavy-duty rubber or synthetic leather. This makes it durable, long lasting, and is perfectly suitable for training both indoors and outdoors.
Where I Can Get A Weighted Basketball?
If you want a good weighted basketball, I would recommend the SKLZ Weighted Basketball.
Click HERE to Get the Weighted Basketball
A Weighted Basketball Improves Passing Skills
Passing is a fundamental skill in basketball. A pass is basically the movement of the ball between players. In order to make a good pass, you need to throw with good accuracy. The weighted ball helps with accuracy because it can be used to increase the power and speed of your throw.
One of the most common passes in basketball is the chest pass. The ball is passed directly from the passer’s chest to the receiver’s chest. A proper chest pass involves an outward snap of the thumbs to add velocity and leaves the defense little time to react.
You can do an exercise where you throw the weighted ball to another person’s chest repeatedly while the person throw it back to you. The reps will help improve your accuracy and speed and help with muscle memory.
Another type of pass is the overhead pass. The overhead pass is used to pass the ball over a defender. The ball is released while over the passer’s head. This is a pass that requires extreme accuracy because it’s easy for the ball to miss the target or go out of bounds. Working with the weighted basketball can improve your control and timing.
You can also use the weighted basketball to make passes with your off hand (non dominant hand). There are times when a player is unable to pass the ball with two hands or their dominant hand based on how the defense is covering them. Therefore, a player should be comfortable making accurate passes with either hand. You can do practice drills with the weighted basketball with your off hand so you can feel more comfortable in games.
It’s important for a basketball player to be able to make good passes regardless of position. Good passers can pass the ball with great accuracy and they know exactly where each of their other teammates prefers to receive the ball so it doesn’t result in a turnover.
The weighted basketball can make you stronger and thus able to make longer and faster passes more accurately.
A Weighted Basketball Can Improve Ball Handling
Being able to handle the ball is a key skill in basketball, especially for guards. The extra weight of the weighted basketball makes it great for ball handling drills and to improve a player’s dribbling skills.
Dribbling is the act of bouncing the ball continuously with one hand and is a requirement for a player to take steps with the ball. To dribble, a player pushes the ball down towards the ground with the fingertips rather than patting it; this ensures greater control.
You can use a weighted basketball to improve awareness and hand speed. The more time you spend dribbling the ball, the better your muscle memory. This allows you to develop a quicker response between bounces. The ball bounces the same as a regular basketball but the extra pounds of the weighted basketball really requires you to dribble the ball harder and get better.
Dribbling with the weighted basketball will strengthen your arms, giving you a more powerful dribble and a tighter handle. This is important because the harder and faster you can dribble the ball, the quicker you can do anything with the ball in your hands.
It is very important for a player to be able to dribble competently with both hands. Therefore, it’s a good idea to train with the weighted basketball with your dominant hand and offhand. When dribbling past an opponent, the ball handler should dribble with the hand farthest from the opponent, making it more difficult for the defensive player to get to the ball. This is why it’s a good idea to be adept at both hands.
Ball handlers often bounce the ball low to the ground, reducing the distance of travel of the ball from the floor to the hand, making it more difficult for the defender to steal the ball.
Good ball handlers usually dribble the ball behind their backs and between their legs making it difficult for the opposing defender to steal the ball. This is called a crossover, which is the most effective way to move past defenders while dribbling.
By not having to focus on the ball, a player can look for teammates or scoring opportunities, as well as avoid the danger of having someone steal the ball away from him/her. Enough repetition with the weighted basketball will make dribbling and doing crossovers more effortless and reduce the odds of a turnover.
After doing drills and training with the weighted basketball, you can quickly feel the difference in the quickness of your moves. You are also forced to control lighter basketball. So the harder you can dribble the ball, the quicker you can make decisions on the court.
A Weighted Basketball Can Improve Rebounding
Rebounding is another common skill in basketball and it is important especially for big men (power forward and center). A rebound is essentially when a player retrieves the ball after a missed field goal or free throw.
Rebounding plays a major role in the game. There are two categories of rebounds: offensive rebounds and defensive rebounds. Offensive rebound is when the offensive player recovers a missed field goal when their own team shoots the ball and does not change possession.
Defensive rebounds is when the defending team gains possession of the ball after a missed field goal. The majority of rebounds are defensive, as the team on defense tends to be in better position to recover missed shots.
A weighted basketball can help with rebounding because it helps strength in your fingers and hands. This gives you a better grip on the basketball.
A Weighted Basketball Should Not Be Used for Shooting
Using the weighted ball for shooting could hurt a player’s shooting form. The extra weight may force a player to overcompensate for the weight of the ball and may cause the player to shoot the basketball improperly.
Shooting is one of the most important skill in basketball. Shooting is when a player attempts to score points by throwing the ball through the basket, methods varying with players and situations.
Typically, a player faces the basket with both feet facing the basket. A player will rest the ball on the fingertips of the dominant hand (the shooting arm) slightly above the head, with the other hand supporting the side of the ball. The ball is usually shot by jumping (though not always) and extending the shooting arm. The shooting arm, fully extended with the wrist fully bent, is held stationary for a moment following the release of the ball, known as a follow-through. Players often try to put a steady backspin on the ball to absorb its impact with the rim.
Using the weighted basketball can throw off your range and mess up your shot mechanics.
Conclusion
A weighted basketball is very useful and beneficial for improving a player’s skills. It is useful for improving passing ability, ball handling skills. and rebounding skills. This is because it increases the strength in your fingers, hands, and forearms. It is not recommended to use a weighted basketball for practicing shooting because it can negatively affect a player’s shooting motion.
Click HERE to Get the Best Weighted Basketball For Dribbling
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What Basketball Does the NBA Use?