Doing the Sideline Toss
Improving your shooting footwork starts with learning to pivot in different ways. See how the Sideline Toss can help.
If you’ve submerged yourself in March Madness like the rest of us basketball junkies, you were able to see how a number of different players work themselves free to get off shots. It’s all about the technique. If you want to strengthen your approach to shot taking, try the Sideline Toss Shot Series, which will teach you how to pivot in different ways than you’re used to. The drill helps strengthen your toes, feet and legs, as well as improve your shooting skills.
Start with a ball under the basket. Toss it toward the wing, and then sprint and catch it by landing on your inside foot on the toes. Next, roll through the following shot series:
• Toe-Turn Jump Shot – Perform a full pivot to face the basket and take a jump shot. (Point of emphasis: perform a full pivot on the inside foot on the toes.)
• Shot Fake to Leg Lunge Jump Shot – Perform a full pivot, fake the shot on the toes, explode toward the opposite sideline and perform an exaggerated leg lunge with your foot facing that sideline. Hold the pose, and on the coach’s command, pivot and shoot.
• Shot Fake to Live Toe-Turn Jump Shot – Same as the previous shot, except do not hold the pose, go directly into the shot. (Point of emphasis: Perform the shot fake with the whole body; arms extended, up on the toes.)
• Crossover Swing – Perform a full pivot on your inside foot, explode to the baseline and, first time through, hold-the-pose for a shot and second time through, a live toe-turn shot at the baseline. (Point of emphasis: Perform the full pivot only on the inside foot, without the other foot touching the ground.)
• One Foot Reverse – Push off the inside foot into a reverse pivot toward the baseline. Perform the Hold-the- Pose Jump Shot. (Point of emphasis: Plant and perform reverse pivot on your inside foot.)
A couple of things to watch out for while doing the drill is to avoid landing on your heels instead of your toes, and make sure you stand up during your pivots – rather than staying low.
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