How to Do a Basketball Hop Step
Familiarize yourself with the right landing stance., Bend your knees and stay low., Keep your head up., Practice small hops., Land with both feet., Limit your pivot., Dribble the ball slowly down the court., Jump into the hop step with restraint...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Familiarize yourself with the right landing stance.
It can be difficult coordinating footwork, ball handling, and a new shot all at once.
Breaking things down will help you focus on correct form and proper execution. -
Step 2: Bend your knees and stay low.
This improves your balance, stability, and response. , Court awareness is often the deciding factor in whether or not you will be able to drive to the hoop and make a shot. , Although this move is called the hop step, many players typically have difficulty controlling the height of this jump.
Jumping too high will negatively impact your balance. , This is especially important when learning the hop step.
Failing to land simultaneously on both feet can result in a traveling call by a referee. , Once you land on both feet, you can pivot with one foot or the other, but not both.
Even executed perfectly, some officials may still call you for traveling, as it can be difficult to discern a hop step from a travel.
Possession of the ball and prior use of a player's allotted pivot can also influence traveling calls. , You should pay close attention to footwork and stance.
At random intervals or at the signal of a whistle, combine the footwork you learning with the dribbling and take your hop step. , Jumping too high will throw off your balance or add to your momentum, which can lead to an unnecessary step and a traveling call. , This is the key point of the hop step.
Landing with both feet at the same time means you can pivot either direction, giving you more mobility on the court.
Keep your knees bent, body low, and head up after landing. , If your body is familiar with the halting of momentum that the hop step requires, you are less likely to take an illegal second step/pivot. , This also trains good reflexes which will be of use to you during game time when there is pressure. , At random intervals, or if practicing with your team or friends, at the signal of a whistle, execute a jump step. , On whichever foot you stop or the leading foot when the whistle blows, drive downward with that foot and perform a small hop.
Alternate which foot you drive with to build symmetry and prevent the predictability of favoring your dominant side. , Remember to use proper stance: keep your knees bent, body low, and head up. , You should switch between sides so that you aren't predictable to your opponents.
You should practice coming to a complete stop following the pivot to limit traveling calls.
If you had possession of the ball prior to performing this move and have already used your pivot, you may not pivot a second time following your hop. , Now that you know the basics of the hop step, you should expand your functional knowledge of the move by practicing a real game scenarios, like passing. , To receive a pass while doing the hop step, you need to jump before catching the ball.
Make sure your teammate is ready before executing. , Keep your head up while doing so you don't miss your teammate's pass. , Take a moment and have your teammate evaluate you.
Did you land with both feet simultaneously? Are your knees bent, is your body low, and is your head up?, Attempt to complete your motions smoothly and without interruption.
This will prevent you from stutter-stop performance during the game., Though many experienced players consider this move to be basic, the mechanics involved make it challenging to do cleanly.
Practice receiving a pass on your own by:
Throwing a ball slightly in front of you with backspin.
Executing a small hop while the ball rebounds from the floor.
Catching the ball in the air on its return.
Pivoting on one foot. -
Step 3: Keep your head up.
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Step 4: Practice small hops.
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Step 5: Land with both feet.
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Step 6: Limit your pivot.
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Step 7: Dribble the ball slowly down the court.
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Step 8: Jump into the hop step with restraint.
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Step 9: Land with both feet simultaneously.
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Step 10: Practice your single pivot.
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Step 11: Finish with a pass or a shot.
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Step 12: Jog slowly down the court.
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Step 13: Drive with your leading foot.
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Step 14: Land on both feet simultaneously.
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Step 15: Pivot once.
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Step 16: Get a friend and a ball.
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Step 17: Coordinate movement with the teammate in possession.
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Step 18: Drive with your leading foot into a small hop.
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Step 19: Catch the ball and land with both feet.
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Step 20: Pivot and shoot or pass.
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Step 21: Practice receiving a pass on your own.
Detailed Guide
It can be difficult coordinating footwork, ball handling, and a new shot all at once.
Breaking things down will help you focus on correct form and proper execution.
This improves your balance, stability, and response. , Court awareness is often the deciding factor in whether or not you will be able to drive to the hoop and make a shot. , Although this move is called the hop step, many players typically have difficulty controlling the height of this jump.
Jumping too high will negatively impact your balance. , This is especially important when learning the hop step.
Failing to land simultaneously on both feet can result in a traveling call by a referee. , Once you land on both feet, you can pivot with one foot or the other, but not both.
Even executed perfectly, some officials may still call you for traveling, as it can be difficult to discern a hop step from a travel.
Possession of the ball and prior use of a player's allotted pivot can also influence traveling calls. , You should pay close attention to footwork and stance.
At random intervals or at the signal of a whistle, combine the footwork you learning with the dribbling and take your hop step. , Jumping too high will throw off your balance or add to your momentum, which can lead to an unnecessary step and a traveling call. , This is the key point of the hop step.
Landing with both feet at the same time means you can pivot either direction, giving you more mobility on the court.
Keep your knees bent, body low, and head up after landing. , If your body is familiar with the halting of momentum that the hop step requires, you are less likely to take an illegal second step/pivot. , This also trains good reflexes which will be of use to you during game time when there is pressure. , At random intervals, or if practicing with your team or friends, at the signal of a whistle, execute a jump step. , On whichever foot you stop or the leading foot when the whistle blows, drive downward with that foot and perform a small hop.
Alternate which foot you drive with to build symmetry and prevent the predictability of favoring your dominant side. , Remember to use proper stance: keep your knees bent, body low, and head up. , You should switch between sides so that you aren't predictable to your opponents.
You should practice coming to a complete stop following the pivot to limit traveling calls.
If you had possession of the ball prior to performing this move and have already used your pivot, you may not pivot a second time following your hop. , Now that you know the basics of the hop step, you should expand your functional knowledge of the move by practicing a real game scenarios, like passing. , To receive a pass while doing the hop step, you need to jump before catching the ball.
Make sure your teammate is ready before executing. , Keep your head up while doing so you don't miss your teammate's pass. , Take a moment and have your teammate evaluate you.
Did you land with both feet simultaneously? Are your knees bent, is your body low, and is your head up?, Attempt to complete your motions smoothly and without interruption.
This will prevent you from stutter-stop performance during the game., Though many experienced players consider this move to be basic, the mechanics involved make it challenging to do cleanly.
Practice receiving a pass on your own by:
Throwing a ball slightly in front of you with backspin.
Executing a small hop while the ball rebounds from the floor.
Catching the ball in the air on its return.
Pivoting on one foot.
About the Author
Martha Harvey
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in crafts and beyond.
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