Basketball Drills: Laneline Touch

Former University of Pittsburgh point guard and current DICK’S Sporting Goods Associate Nick Rivers is here to teach you how to perform the defensive drill known as the Laneline Touch Drill. This drill benefits all players and all positions. All you need to perform this drill is yourself, lane lines and a timer. This drill will help you develop faster feet, better defensive footwork, positioning and leg strength.

To start, place yourself directly in the middle of the key, facing either center court or the basket. You’ll want to be in a low, athletic stance. Keep your arms wide so when gametime comes you’ll be able to take up a large portion of the court. The wider you are, the bigger a person you can guard. The lower you are, the quicker you are.

Since you’re going to start by moving to the left lane line, place your left hand high above your head and your right hand below and in front of your waist. Next, you are going to slide to the left and lower your left hand so you can touch the line. After you hit the left line, glide to your right with your right hand above your head and your left hand below your waist and touch the right line.

Your main goal is to push yourself and see how many touches you can log within 30 seconds.

A common mistake people make when performing this drill is that they bob up and down while bringing their feet together. When you’re playing defense, you never want your feet together or touching. You want to make quick reactions to the ball carrier and taking the extra time to move your feet in will slow you down. So keep low and make sure your steps are fast and choppy. The more you do drills like this, the quicker your feet will be.

Remember, in certain situations, when you need a big stop on defense, you want to be the guy that the coach looks at to be out on the floor when the game is on the line. Because, as the saying goes: “Defense wins championships.”