Deceleration with Paul Fabritz
A lot of players can move fast on the basketball court. But it’s the ability to stop on a dime that sets some players apart.Deceleration is an important skill for basketball players. Being able to stop quickly on the hardwood can help create space for you to take a jump shot or even get a pass off to a teammate.
“Deceleration is the most underrated skill in basketball,”says Performance Enhancement Specialist Paul Fabritz, who trains professional basketball players. “A lot of people can start fast. Not a lot of people can stop fast.”
To improve your deceleration skills, Fabritz suggests a drill for you to practice regularly. This drill can be completed with a resistance band or just with a teammate.
“If you don’t have a band, you can just have a partner give you a light push to add to that deceleration,” Fabritz says.
HOW TO
To execute the deceleration drill:
- Begin the drill laterally in a defensive stance.
- Make a crossover step, stop and stick on a dime.
- Hold this position for two seconds before popping out and returning to your defensive stance as quickly as you can.
“That’s going to get that deceleration into the reacceleration,” Fabritz says, helping you become more explosive on the court.
If you are looking for another drill to help create space, as well as improve your ball handling, try the V-drill during your next basketball practice.