Three Finger Warm-up Drill

Three Finger Warm-up Drill
By Hal Wissel

This drill enables you to focus on shooting the ball off the pads of you index finger with a soft touch. You will use only three fingers in this drill – the ring finger and little finger of your non-shooting hand to balance the ball and the index finger of your shooting hand to shoot the ball. Start about nine feet from the basket with your shooting hand facing the front of the rim while keeping your elbow in as far as your flexibility allows. Place your shooting hand is above your shoulder between your ear and shoulder. Check that your shooting hand forearm is at a right angle to the floor and that it forms an L with your upper arm. This position helps you lift the ball to the basket rather than throw it. Balance the ball with your non-shooting hand under the ball. Keep the elbow of your non-shooting hand out. Bring the ball to your shooting hand. Now balance the ball using only the pinky and ring finger of your non-shooting hand. The other fingers of your non-shooting hand should be off the ball. Place the pads of the index finger of your shooting hand behind the ball at the ball’s midpoint. Lift the ball to the basket and release the ball off the pads of your index finger with a soft touch emphasizing the key word Point! Follow through by fully extending your shooting arm and pointing your index finger over the front of the rim.

Three Finger Warm-up Drill

Three-Finger Warm-up Drill