Steph Curry, one of the best shooters in the NBA, has mastered the art of the jump shot. But how does he do it?
A couple of years ago, Curry revealed his secret in an interview with Mike Tirico on ESPN’s SportsCenter that might be easier to understand than you think…
Secret Trick to Shooting
Step 1: The feet
In order to shoot with great balance, you’ll need to get your feet in the right position. Steph always gets his feet aligned with the rim—as opposed to being inside or outside of the line—so he can get as close as possible when taking a shot.
It also keeps his shooting arm in position and gives him extra points of reference when shooting from different angles and positions. No matter where you’re shooting from, make sure you have the same alignment each time.
The best shooters are always looking for ways to improve their balance, but they also do it in such a way that it doesn’t negatively affect their shot.
The main goal is consistency. If you aren’t 100% confident that every single one of your shots will go in, then you won’t be able to rely on yourself during crunch time—and even if they do go in now, chances are they won’t later on down the road.
Step 2: Arm Position
Stephen Curry doesn’t keep his arms out straight all game long; instead he holds them at about an 80-degree angle for most shots and switches up occasionally depending on how deep he is on court.
Step 3: Focusing on the rim
A common mistake players make is staring at the rim too long when shooting. People who stare at the rim miss shots because they take their eyes off the ball too soon. They end up looking at the backboard and then have to react to their shot.
The best shooters in the world focus on the rim when shooting and let their body react to it instead of thinking about it. They balance rhythm, movement, and coordination with steady eye contact on the hoop or net so that everything else becomes natural.
This is similar to how you balance reading from a book while walking or balancing writing down notes while listening in class – your mind focuses on one thing and your body reacts accordingly through muscle memory over years of practice and repetition.
Step 4: Let your body fall into rhythm
Stephen uses his body to shift his weight during his jump shot, a technique called falling into rhythm. While he jumps, Stephen’s already slightly leaning into his shot; that way, as he lets go of the ball, he feels like he’s springing forward toward his target instead of flying backward.
This feeling adds to his rythym and helps him shoot with better balance overall. It seems obvious once you know it—but it’s incredibly rare in professional basketball because not many people have Stephen’s height or accuracy on their shots.
To get started:
- stand up straight with your feet together and practice jumping from one foot to another while holding a ball (or make-believe ball) in your hands.
- As you’re jumping from side to side, let your body fall into rhythm by shifting your weight back and forth between each jump.
- Eventually, you’ll be able to feel yourself leaning into each jump just before letting go of the imaginary ball.
- Try practicing for about 15 minutes per day until you can do it without thinking about it at all—that’s when you’ll really start feeling like Stephen Curry out there!
Curry Is A Pro!
Steph Curry is a pro—and he has a staff of trainers to help him get in game shape.
He regularly trains with at least four other people, and while they’re practicing shots and plays on a court, they’ll each be put through rigorous training routines that are specific to their position.
As a guard or forward, you’ll want to focus on plyometrics for agility and leg strength; as big men or centers, you’ll probably focus more on upper-body lifts for power. But there are always underlying elements in every workout—even if it’s just mastering your rythym or form.
There will always be a coach (or trainer) there working with you one-on-one to help you achieve your peak performance level before taking it into battle against another team.
Putting It All Together
Basketball practice is notoriously bad for following through on a routine and developing a rhythm.
For example, you might find that, in one practice, you’re shooting 3-pointers in one segment and practicing post moves in another. This disparity makes it difficult to get into a consistent flow or develop rhythm with your shot, which takes a while to establish.
Here’s where Stephen Curry’s so-called secret trick comes into play: It only takes 1 minute of practice time, once or twice per week.
To master his rhythm and get into that flow that everyone talks about, he needs to take a shot at just one spot on his court — right around 19 feet away from the hoop — at just one distance…
If you want to level up your shooting accuracy, we got you. We created the 6ixShooter Academy. A one-stop basketball training program to help elevate your game and become an unstoppable shooter with coach Seth McCoy a.k.a 6ixShooter. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE
If you want to level up your shooting accuracy, we got you. We created the 6ixShooter Academy. A one stop basketball training program to help elevate your game and become an unstoppable shooter with coach Seth McCoy a.k.a 6ixShooter. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE
