Basketball Backboards - Why They Matter

Many people see basketball basketball net as basketball most important piece of a basketball system. After all, isn't that where all the points are scored? But basketball backboards are one of the most important pieces of a quality basketball system. They assist with shooting, scoring, and rebounding.

The backboard doesn't just hold the goal in place. A backboard assists in getting the ball into the net. Virtually all backboards come with a shooter square. This is the outline right above the goal. Sometimes it is in white, sometimes in orange. This gives the players something to aim for when setting up a shot.

Though veteran and well practiced players don't use the shooter's square as much, it is essential to those who are learning the game or just playing for fun. When practicing, players aim for the center of the shooter's square. This will give them the feel of how hard to shoot and how to achieve the much longer arc for "swoosh". The shooter's square is essential for perfecting your shots.

Backboards are also the central figure in rebounding. Without the backboard, rebounding would not be possible. This is where varying sizes of backboards come in. Regulation size is 72" x 42". This size gives you the maximum area for rebounds. Smaller backboards still give you great rebound practice as well.

Backboards come in a variety of materials and each has there own benefits. Competition style backboards as well as NCAA and NBA regulation backboards are crafted from glass. Typically the glass is tempered and thick enough to withstand intense play. Glass backboards are perfect for competition style play since they give the ultimate ball response.

Backboards also come in acrylic. Acrylic backboards are used more for home basketball systems. If you want a portable system for your yard or a wall mounted for the side of your house, acrylic is a good choice. Acrylic gives the look and feel of glass but is more economical.

Steel backboards are good for outdoor use at a community center or park. They are vandal resistant making them a good choice for basketball systems that won't be locked up at the end of the day. They are sturdy and durable.

Aluminum and fiberglass backboards are affordable choices. They do not give the highest level ball response but they are a good choice for recreational use. They are both rust- resistant making them a good choice for outdoor use. Fiberglass will give you the look of a glass backboard and will mimic glass rebounds on a more basic level.

To protect your backboard, you can add backboard padding. This padding protects the player and the backboard. Most padding comes in a variety of colors. This makes it easy to pick your favorite color or match your team colors.

Choosing a backboard is an important decision when it comes to your basketball hoops, goals and overall system. Backboards help you shoot, score, and rebound making some of the most important plays of a game.

Author Bill Parsons is the creative author of a variety of online specialty stores that offer both items and information for all your athletic equipment needs. Today, he offers advice on basketball backboards and why the kind you get matters. From First Team to GoalSetter, there are plenty of high quality basketball hoop manufacturers to choose from. Start your search here for your next basketball goal.

How to Jump Higher - Tips to Dunk a Basketball

Not being able to jump high can be a very frustrating thing for basketball players. Everybody has the ability to jump very high, they just lack the knowledge of how to train to increase their vertical leap. Here are some tips to get you dunking a basketball in no time!

1. Muscle Memory! Your body has a great ability to adapt to what you consistently do. This is true for jump training. Practice jumping often and your body will naturally adapt to help you jump higher. You should never skip a day of jump training. I'm not saying to exercise all day long everyday. Just work out no less than 15 minutes a day. Just enough to not let your muscles forget!

2. Stretch! You must keep your muscles loose and relaxed at all times in order to jump higher. Stretch every day when you wake up in the morning, and immediately after your jump training every day. This will keep your muscles "fresh" and they will be ready for jump training at any time.

3. Work You Core! Most athletes focus only on exercising their legs when they are trying to gain inches to their vertical leap. Yes, this is important, but, basketball is equally important to exercise your core. Do sit ups ad crunches daily to help with your explosive power and you will gain a few inches basketball the people just working their legs!

4. Sprint! Sprints are very important in developing muscle quickness. Quickness is key to launching your body. You can be very strong, but if you don't have "quick strength" then you are not going to gain any height to your jump.

For more tips to help you increase your vertical leap, check out The Jump Manual. This is the best system available to help you increase your vertical jump.

Diet and Nutrition Tips For Basketball Players

As a basketball player, I always wondered how vital of a role food and nutrition had in my playing ability. During a camp one summer there was a nutrition specialist there and I asked him this question, "does it really matter what we eat before a game?" All I can say is that he laughed for a bit and then compared our bodies to cars and the fuel that we put into them. If we put junk in our cars they don't drive well and the same is true of our bodies. I took what he said very seriously and will never forget the recommendations he gave us. This article will summarize his advice and will serve as a guide for basketball players looking to improve their playing ability simply by being smart about what they eat and drink.

Carbohydrates

You hear a lot of negative things about carbohydrates these days but basketball players need to know that carbohydrates serve an important purpose - creating energy. Because of this, they should be regular part of your diet but shouldn't be eaten excessively. While breads are full of carbohydrates, he recommended wheat breads and not in high amounts. They are a heavier food and tend to sit in your stomach longer than other foods. Light pastas were mentioned with spaghetti being one of the simplest foods to break down and produce energy. The red sauce, with tomatoes and other vegetables, was also mentioned as a positive to have as a staple of your diet as well as a pregame meal.

Protein

No player who wants to get stronger or healthier can do it without the aid of protein. Specifically mentioned were lean proteins like turkey or boneless skinless turkey breasts. I was very interested to learn that fish can provide probably the least fat and best protein available. My favorite fish, salmon, wasn't on the list of the least fatty fish available and I was surprised about that. Halibut, tuna and cod are all great protein foods that have minimal fats. One of my favorite meals became spaghetti with red sauce and grilled chicken breast. It provided the protein and necessary carbohydrates to have enough energy to compete at the level I needed to compete at.

Hydration

When I was growing up Gatorade wasn't nearly as popular as it is today. If you got Gatorade you were considered lucky. Today we have so many choices of products to keep us hydrated it is amazing. basketball Propel to energy drinks to regular water. I don't and won't ever recommend an energy drink as something to take immediately before a sporting event. I don't think it is healthy and I don't think we have enough study materials to prove if it is safe or not. The caffeine and sugars that are typically in those drinks creates a quick fix but causes a lag as the game goes on. For simple hydration water is generally the safest bet. It is recommended that a player should drink over a gallon of water a day. That's a lot of water, but if you compare it to the amount of sweat that you are producing it really isn't that much. The more water you drink the more energy you will have and the better you will feel. One of the worst things you can do as an athlete is not drink enough.

Final Thoughts

Any product that is processed that is white is caused because of sugars. Yes, that includes white bread. 100% whole wheat bread aids in digestion better and helps to process the other foods. Sugars, if unused, simply turn to fat and that is bad in any sense of the word. People ask me about steaks and such. Steaks are tricky because they are generally very high in protein but can also be very high in fats. Certain cuts of steak obviously have more fats than others. I counsel people to eat them in moderation. Steak is one of my favorite foods and while I was playing I would typically lose weight during the season. A steak every now and then helped me maintain my weight and my strength and I feel it was very necessary for me.

Mainly, watch out for processed foods and eat foods that are equally balanced throughout. Don't just eat only wheat bread. Don't just eat turkey meat 10 times a day. Be smart and be reasonable. Remember that what you put into your body plays a large role in how you play. If you need an edge it could very well come down to diet and that may make all the difference.

Brian Schofield is a coach and former Division I college basketball player. He is a regular contributor to the basketball training site HoopSkills.com.