Teaching Basketball Lay-ups: Elbow and Knee on a String

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Teaching Lay-ups

Once a player has learned how to dribble a basketball, the next natural progression is to attempt to score. This is challenging for most youth (and high school) players. A player who can “score the basketball” will be a valuable member of any team.

As a coach, I know there are so many valuable aspects of basketball other than scoring, but scoring is the most recognized and for a player, the most enjoyable. Players who can score have confidence, get more shots, and will likely practice more than a player who has difficulty scoring.

Young players LOVE to see the ball go through the basket. 1st grade players are typically ages 6 & 7. It is HIGHLY recommended that for this age you follow the USA Basketball Guidelines. The most important recommendations are:

Basketball Size 5 (27.5”)
Basketball height 8 feet
Practice length 30 – 60 minutes (once per week)
Games 20 – 28 minutes long (once per week)

As players develop and grow older (3rd grade) it is important to really teach age-appropriate fundamentals really well and in basic terms. Dave Hopla, the greatest shooting coach in the world, uses so many word associations when teaching how to shoot a ball correctly. The word associations remind players of the fundamentals. Anytime you can keep the instruction simple, and easy to remind and remember it is always good.

“ELBOW AND KNEE ON A STRING” is very useful to help players understand the correct footwork when taking layups. A coach can have fun with explaining this by sharing that we should imagine there is a great puppeteer controlling a player. When a player takes a correct layup, the puppeteer will make sure that the elbow and knee lift at the same exact time.

When a player takes a right-handed lay-up, the right elbow and right knee should raise at the same time. When taking a left handed lay-up, the left elbow and left knee should be raised at the same time. It is essential that correct footwork be stressed when teaching lay-ups.

Basketball Lay-ups: Fundamental Teaching Progression

When teaching lay-ups, it is important for developing players to learn the correct footwork. The following teaching progression is a great way to teach developing players the correct way to shoot lay-ups.

These two drills are the most basic and should be introduced at the age you feel your child or team can properly execute the fundamental. Players should master one skill before moving on to the next. Be sure to praise correct footwork, even if the shot is missed. Making the shot will come with time and practice. Players need to develop the correct footwork first, and worry about making the shots later. Hopefully many of the players will learn the correct footwork and at the same time make the shot!

Before explaining the drills, introduce some vocabulary and word associations to the team.

“Plant foot” This is the non=shooting foot. It will be the foot the player will jump off. In the early drills this foot should remain on the ground – NO JUMP. A coach can gently stand of the foot of a player who has trouble not jumping.

“Drive Knee” For the purpose of reinforcement, I like the term drive knee to emphasize the need for a player to REALLY explode the knee to the basket. Some players will simply LIFT the knee instead of driving it when first learning. That is ok. The drive will come at different points for different players. Even if a player cannot execute the fundamental, it is great they they know and can explain what they SHOULD do.

“Hip to Rim” The players should have the ball on the shooting hip and raise the ball to the backboard. Players should never swing the ball across the body, although younger players may have a tendency to do this.

“Raise Your Hand” When shooting the layup, the player should raise the hand like they would in a classroom. It is a bad habit to take an underhanded layup. Stress that the player raises the shooting hand as high as possible.

Two Most Basic Layup Drills

1. No step, imaginary lay-ups: Using the correct footwork is so important when teaching players how to properly take a lay-up. Before complicating the skill by adding a basketball and dribbles, have the players take an “imaginary” lay-up, shooting an imaginary ball. This is a drill for players first learning how to shoot a lay-up. The best thing about this drill is that no one will miss.

The player starts with his plant foot forward (left foot for right-handed players and right foot for left-handed players) and the shooting foot with the DRIVE KNEE slightly behind.

The

On the coaches command, players should lift the shooting elbow and DRIVE KNEE at the same time. Once players have taken (and MADE) several imaginary shots, it is time to add the basketball.

2. No step lay-ups: Now the scary part begins… adding a basketball. Set up two cones at the spot where the player will take the layup. The cones will be very close to the basket and should be in the idea position to shoot the ball at the top corner of the square.

Like the imaginary lay-up, a player starts with his plant foot forward (left foot for right-handed players and right foot for left-handed players) and the shooting foot slightly behind. The player will lift the shooting elbow and drive knee at the same time. The player will shoot the ball aiming for the top corner of the square. After shooting the ball, the player goes to the end of the line.

Coaches should praise:

really driving the knee to the basketball
raising the shooting arm as high as possible
using the backboard and hitting as close to the top corner of the square as possible.

Simple Steps:

Plant foot slightly forward.
KEEPING THE PLANT FOOT IN PLACE, drive the shooting knee to the basket and raise the shooting elbow at the same time: “ELBOW AND KNEE ON A STRING.”
Shoot the lay-up, aiming for top corner of the square.

Coaching Point: Have TWO lines. One for righties and one for lefties. Never make lefties learn from the right sight. It is too hard and it is not fair. If you have more than one coach, have groups at each basket to maximize repetitions.

Be sure to make sure the players are provided with the proper angle to make the shot.

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