Master Basketball Dribbling Height and Reach with This 24-Minute Drill

Level Up Basketball has published a basketball drill program focused on improving dribbling height and reach.

The guide emphasizes two critical points of contact: where the ball hits the floor and where the hand meets the ball.

The workout is structured into four timed blocks totaling approximately 24 minutes, with each block including warm-up, recovery, and setup time. The guide advises completing both sets of each drill before moving to the next and using rest periods to reset for the following exercise.

Each drill should be performed as an “autocorrection,” where the athlete completes both sets of the listed drill before adding speed, repetitions, or resistance if unable to do so. The program is divided into four blocks of 5, 6, 6, and 7 minutes, which include work, recovery, and setup time.

The drills begin with front leg-over dribbles and between-the-legs dribbles, followed by moving the ball around the body. The program then progresses to comparing low and high dribbles with one hand, followed by alternating low and high dribbles with both hands.

Athletes are instructed to note where the ball contacts the hand at each height. Before changing the dribbling path and comparing the return of the crossover to the same hand, compare low and high dribbles with the same hand.

Subsequent drills focus on forward and cross-reach movements. The “Push Pull Dribble” involves dribbling the ball forward and then back towards the body, while the “Pound V Dribble” has the player dribble in a V-shape in front of the body from side to side. For each direction change, the player should check where the ball returns to the hand. The “Push Pull Dribble” drill starts with tracking the ball on two dribbling paths, then directing the ball around the body without dribbling.

Athletes should pay attention to where their hands meet the ball as it moves from in front of them to between or around their legs. The “Fast Hands 2” drill involves dribbling the ball in front, then between the legs.

The “Around the Body” drill involves bending the knees and circling the ball around the head, then the waist, then the knees. The “High and Low Dribbles” drill first has the player compare low and high dribbles with the right hand, then perform the same comparison with both hands in the “High Hard Pound” exercise.

The final block addresses crossovers and in-out moves. The guide directs players to compare which hand catches the ball after it moves from one side of the body to the other. For a crossover, the next dribble is used to check where the opposite hand catches the ball. For an in-out move, the focus is on where the ball returns to the hand that sent it away.

The “One Dribble Crossover” drill involves one dribble, passing the ball in front of the body, then dribbling with the other hand. The “In-Out Crossover” drill involves passing the ball in front of the body, then bringing it back with the same hand.

The program instructs athletes to use each listed drill as a self-correction: can they complete both sets while following the training tip? If not, they should repeat the same set before adding speed, repetitions, or resistance.

More on this story: Level up Basketball Releases 24-Minute Dribbling Height and Range Program · Level up Basketball Releases 32-Minute High and Low Ball Layup Drills