Your shooting elbow is the steering wheel of your shot. If it points the wrong way, the ball goes the wrong way. Here is how to get it right.
What good alignment looks like
- The elbow sits under the ball, not out to the side
- The forearm is close to vertical at the set point
- Shoulder, elbow and wrist stack in a line toward the basket
- The elbow points at the rim, not at the sideline
The flared elbow problem
When the elbow flies out, your hand has to push the ball back toward the target. That adds side spin and inconsistency. Players with a flared elbow often miss to one side and cannot figure out why.
Self-check: the front-view test
Film a shot from directly in front or behind. Pause at the set point. Draw an imaginary line from your shoulder to the rim. Your elbow and wrist should sit on that line.
Drills
- Wall drill: stand with your shooting shoulder against a wall and shoot with your elbow touching it lightly. If you hit the wall, it is flaring.
- One-hand form shooting: 3 sets of 15 close to the rim, elbow tucked and pointing to the rim.
- Chair or towel drill: hold a small towel under your shooting armpit while shooting form shots.
Common elbow mistakes
- Pushing the ball from the side because the ball is too big or heavy for your strength. Use a lighter or smaller ball for form work.
- Starting the ball too far from your body
Track your progress
HoopArea tracks arm alignment and elbow extension from your video and reports them in your score. Film a shot every few days to see whether the elbow is actually getting straighter.
See your own shot scored. Film one jump shot and HoopArea maps your joints and scores your form out of 10, with the exact fixes. Download HoopArea free on the App Store