CFA Basketball throw help

rayquad

5-Year Member
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Mar 8, 2011
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I am preparing for the CFA and the basketball throw is my weakest event by far. I should be able to do fine on all the others. How can I improve my basketball throw? Should I just practice throwing or are there other exercises?
 
Technique is probably more important and brute strength. Try searching around for a really helpful previous thread.
I guess you should try various techniques and see what works best for you.
 
rayquad, if you google CFA basketball throw, you will find all sorts of info on technique. You can really add on the distance by using the correct technique--keeping knees at a 45 degree angle, twisting your torso to generate more throwing power. Its not just a simple throw using your arm. My son added about 15-20 feet once he found the proper technique.
 
This was some advice from my daughter's coach. Instead of throwing directly overhand try to throw sidearm, like a baseball with lots of body twist. It helped her!
 
Technique and strength

The notes above are right that technique is a big part; however, simple strength always helps. I recommend doing some long toss with a baseball or softball. Get a friend, sibling, or parent and a couple times per week work on throwing from farther and farther distances. Increase gradually because throwing a lot can quickly lead to an injury. However, after 6-8 weeks of diligent throwing, you'll build up arm and shoulder strength. This is a technique used by many baseball pitchers to build up their arms.
 
I found it helpful to just keep it natural. Don't think about it too much. I started with standing, I'd just stand and without trying to control my body a specific way throw the ball as far as I could with one arm. I payed attention to how my torso twisted, where my arm went, and how my feet wanted to move. I was able to sort of translate that into kneeling and found what worked for me. The only adjustment was extending my throwing arm at 45 degrees, which became a natural movement with practice anyway.

Oh yeah, :unhappy:SCREAM:unhappy: too. I was in a very animalistic/primal-instinct/warrior state of mind for the throw, and I did get higher numbers on average when I added a scream to the throw. Even if it only adds a few extra inches, you round to the nearest foot for the score.
 
Honestly, I too struggled on the basketball throw. Perhaps its because i'm on the smaller side (5'3), but I maxed out on the other events and it turned out fine. So try and improve if you can, but don't let it get to you :thumb:

Good luck on the CFA!
 
Consider seeking out a soccer goalie coach to give you a couple hours of training. Very similar throwing motion IMO.
 
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