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Train your off hand to set yourself apart

Big-time post players share one important skill:  they are able to use either hand in the paint.  If you don't have the ability to use either hand to shoot the ball in the paint, work on this part of your game so you do.

Now, you may never get to a place where you can shoot equally well with either hand, but that's not necessary.  What you need to do is get to a point where you're effective with both hands.

Being able to make moves and shoot the ball down low with either hand is a huge, huge benefit.  If you can go either way, you'll keep the defense off-balance and guessing which direction and which hand you're going to shoot the ball with, and it'll be a huge advantage for you.

So how do you train yourself to be able to use either hand?  It seems simple:  just practice your post moves and shots down low using both hands.  Well, that's a good start.  But the most effective way to work on using your off-hand is to do a whole series of off-hand drills, and to do both shooting and other types of drills.

The following are a list of the types of drills you should use to help develop your off-hand so that you have the ability to make moves to either side and shoot with either hand in the lane.

Right and Left-Handed Hook Shots
Practicing close-in hook shots is one of the best ways to develop your off-hand for post moves. Practice shooting hook shots off the glass from a 45-degree angle, and shooting from the middle of the lane straight into the basket. If I had to use only one drill for practicing inside shots with both hands, shooting hump hooks would be it.

Close-In Shooting Drills
I teach a close-in shooting routine that starts with shooting layups from either side of the basket with either hand (meaning shoot right handed layups from the right hand side of the basket, and left hand layups from the left hand side).  Stand 3-4 feet out and at a 45-degree angle from the basket and shoot the ball off the glass and into the basket.

Then move back 1-2 feet and continue shooting from a 45-degree angle, and off the glass.  Shoot with the right hand from the right side, and with the left hand from the left side.

Then move to the middle of the lane, and shoot straight into the basket, starting with right-handed shots, then left-handed shots.  In all of these drills, work on using perfect form, getting good arch on the shot, and making sure to flick your wrist to create good backspin on the ball.

Off-Hand Dribbling
You may think dribbling drills are just for guards, but think again. Every player needs to develop their dribbling ability, even if they're inside players. But not only will dribbling drills help you develop your ball handling skills, they'll also carry over to other parts of your game. Working on dribbling helps develop hand-eye coordination, balance, and muscle coordination that will translate into other areas of your game (passing, shooting, etc.).

Right and Left Handed Passing
Stand 5 or 6 feet from a concrete wall (or the gym wall) and do a push-pass with your right hand. Bounce the ball about 2-3rds of the way to the wall. Then do the same with your left hand. Passing the ball with your off-hand will help develop hand-eye and mucsle coordination.

So in addition to practicing your post move shots with both hands, using other types of drills (dribbling, passing, close-in shooting) can greatly increase your skill level and ability to make post moves with either hand. Train with some of the drills listed above and you'll see great improvement in your strong and weak-hand shooting abilities down low.

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