The Art of Dribbling: Mastering the Hip Pop Square Technique

In basketball, mastering the hip pop square technique is crucial for players looking to improve their ball-handling skills. This technique involves using the hips to generate power and control while dribbling the ball. When executed correctly, it allows players to maintain balance and make quick movements around their opponents.

One of the key elements of the hip pop square technique is starting in a "square" position with the feet shoulder-width apart. This stance provides a stable foundation for the player to begin their movement. The coach emphasizes that when the feet get "square," the typical reaction is to pick up the ball, but instead, the hand should stay on top of the ball and the feet should remain still.

The next step in the technique involves moving through one's legs, with the knees slightly bent and the weight evenly distributed between both feet. The coach instructs players to keep their hands on the ball as they move through their legs, maintaining control and balance throughout the motion. This movement is repeated several times, allowing players to develop muscle memory and improve their overall dribbling skills.

To add a new dimension to this technique, the coach introduces the concept of "punching" and "jabbing." Players are instructed to punch and jab in an opposite direction when making each crossover. This adds an extra layer of complexity and requires players to be more agile and quick on their feet.

The coach also emphasizes the importance of controlling one's speed and tempo while using this technique. When the ball hits the player's hand, they should immediately start moving through their legs, rather than relying solely on the ball for momentum. This allows players to maintain a consistent pace and make sharp turns around their opponents.

To practice this technique effectively, the coach sets up drills that require players to perform a series of crossovers while maintaining a steady tempo. The drill starts with a slow pace, allowing players to focus on proper form and technique. As they become more comfortable, the coach increases the speed and difficulty of the drill, pushing players to their limits.

One of the key benefits of the hip pop square technique is its ability to improve hand-eye coordination and overall ball control. By practicing this technique regularly, players can develop a greater sense of awareness and reaction time, allowing them to make quick and precise moves on the court.

The coach also stresses the importance of keeping one's center of gravity low while using this technique. Players are instructed to keep their knees bent and their weight evenly distributed between both feet, allowing for maximum balance and control. This reduces the risk of losing balance or stumbling, making the technique more effective and efficient.

In addition to its physical benefits, the hip pop square technique also has psychological advantages. By mastering this technique, players can build confidence in their abilities and develop a greater sense of control on the court. This confidence can translate into improved performance in games and tournaments, as players become more comfortable with their movements and decision-making.

To conclude, mastering the hip pop square technique requires patience, dedication, and practice. By focusing on proper form and technique, players can improve their ball-handling skills and develop a greater sense of control and balance on the court. With consistent practice and training, players can take their game to the next level and become more effective opponents in their respective leagues.

One of the most effective drills for practicing this technique is the "Alternating Through the Legs" drill. In this drill, players are required to start with one foot forward and then quickly switch to the other foot while maintaining control of the ball. The coach emphasizes the importance of keeping one's feet moving in a straight line, rather than trying to jump or step from one foot to the other.

To add an extra level of challenge to this drill, the coach introduces the concept of "planking" onto the basketball. Players are instructed to quickly move through their legs and then pop back up onto both feet, maintaining control of the ball throughout the motion. This requires players to be quick on their feet and able to generate power from their hips.

The coach also emphasizes the importance of proper footwork in this drill. Players should aim to keep their knees bent and their weight evenly distributed between both feet, allowing for maximum balance and control. By focusing on proper form and technique, players can improve their overall dribbling skills and become more effective opponents on the court.

In conclusion, mastering the hip pop square technique requires patience, dedication, and practice. By focusing on proper form and technique, players can improve their ball-handling skills and develop a greater sense of control and balance on the court. With consistent practice and training, players can take their game to the next level and become more effective opponents in their respective leagues.

The coach reminds players that mastering this technique is not just about physical movement, but also about mental focus and concentration. Players must be able to stay calm and focused under pressure, making quick decisions and executing movements with precision and accuracy. By developing these skills, players can become more confident and effective on the court, leading to improved performance and success in their respective leagues.

In the end, mastering the hip pop square technique is a journey that requires time, effort, and dedication. By breaking down the technique into smaller components and practicing each part regularly, players can develop a strong foundation for improvement and take their game to new heights. With persistence and determination, players can become more effective opponents on the court, leading to improved performance and success in their respective leagues.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enuh-huh uh-huh uh-huh uh-huh uh-huh I need germs I need Jabs pop pops left hand go let's go wider wider good rock your way back and forth good rock your weight right hand Dribble To The Hip ready go left hand go good stop hold the basketball your right hip when I say go right foot forward left foot back go pop Square drop Square drop Square One dribble pocket drop Back Square so I'm hitting pop pop pop right foot forward left foot back ready go quick let's go Jake get them on your left hand when I say go left foot forward right foot back and freeze ready go freeze look down at your feet make sure your feet are outside your shoulders this way wider wider good outside your shoulders this way this way look down Go Back Square go one dribble pocket drop ready go one two yeah same thing one bounce here I'm splitting through the legs I pop my feet Back Square staying on the sideline do not move forward or back ready go four split five okay last one without the dribble now so you're splitting through the legs when you get back Square you keep the ball at the hip pop Square so one two three four five six Back Square ready back Swift good enjoy Nikki guys again do not carry the basketball okay when your feet get square you're typically used to picking the ball up don't pick the ball up keep the hand on top of the ball as your feet Get Back Square One Two ball hangs one two one two one two one two I'm not carrying the ball hand stays on top just float it ready again good not bad now pay attention you have two through the legs all right I'm one square two square and on the third dribble you're gonna take a hard drive with your right hand and side jab with the left foot and then you're back to it with the right hand let's go three times so three times through one two three pause hard dribble left hand side jab Back Square One Two Three from there punch side jab back swear one two three punch one two three punch so you're punching and jabbing opposite ready good pop to your right bring your shoulder with it try that real quick go bring your shoulder bring your shoulder bring your shoulder good go to the left bring your shoulder with the foot bring your shoulder good some of you are jabbing and going here you have no weight all right you want some leverage from when you punch the ball you bring the shoulder so we're just going to go five Jabs to the left every dribble I'm one two three four five I relax cross over one two three four five relax cross over got it pop good stuff not bad now every single crossover you're jabbing opposite so we're doing a lot of Jabs today okay every cross over now you're gonna cross when the ball hits the opposite hand you jab opposite then you come back Square so I'm here every cross hit cross jab cross yeah notice I'm not going fast right now the only thing that's actually aggressive is the jab itself ready good get loose jab Square jab Square jab square square square square square square all right I'm controlling my movements now opposite oh this is a good drill that y'all can do at home all right every time you cross you're going to go just go continuous all right we're gonna go one two three four so the first one is a cross jab then we go two one two jab then we go three one two three jab then we go four one two three four jab then we're at three one two three then we're at two then we're at one then we're at two one two three one two three four one two three one two one one two one two three one two three four one two three one two one all right opposite every time one two yeah one two three one two three four uh get it back you're too wide good ah yep oh it's a hit where's your Jeff opposite yeah let's go Young anyone have it got it got it will y'all two have it go in the middle hurry up clap it up for them let's go let's go let's go let's go go one one two one uh-huh uh-huh uh-huh uh-huh uh-huh I need gems I need Jabs you better jab you better jab you're too wide you're too wide bring those feet in bring those feet in bring them in do it again pop start Square good again again again go one two stop stop don't move don't move this is too wide right so I want to start here and get to here and then control it one one two one two three pop my Jabs can't be more aggressive than you all right you're more athletic than me you're faster right so you should be able to be pop really shifting that way hit all right now last thing we're going alternating through the legs you are not moving your feet first player to get to 20. there's a plank on the basketball the second you get the 20 get a plank on the basketball ready as fast as you can go let's go face water quicker well good hold it yeah Jess yeah Jess good when I say pop we're right to our feet and right through the legs immediately don't waste any steps try to pop right Square from this position pop your base Square from this position ready go quick two three yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah good hold it Jesse won that Jesse won that you should be going head to head against him right now don't let him beat you when I say go ready go pop last round great job great job great job keep your core engaged keep your core engaged when I say go we're rapping go come on come on one push-up on the ball get one get one yeah yeah you good right foot off the ground hold it get there you hurt right don't do it left foot off the ground hold it five four three two one stop good job bring it in hustle hustle hustle let's gouh-huh uh-huh uh-huh uh-huh uh-huh I need germs I need Jabs pop pops left hand go let's go wider wider good rock your way back and forth good rock your weight right hand Dribble To The Hip ready go left hand go good stop hold the basketball your right hip when I say go right foot forward left foot back go pop Square drop Square drop Square One dribble pocket drop Back Square so I'm hitting pop pop pop right foot forward left foot back ready go quick let's go Jake get them on your left hand when I say go left foot forward right foot back and freeze ready go freeze look down at your feet make sure your feet are outside your shoulders this way wider wider good outside your shoulders this way this way look down Go Back Square go one dribble pocket drop ready go one two yeah same thing one bounce here I'm splitting through the legs I pop my feet Back Square staying on the sideline do not move forward or back ready go four split five okay last one without the dribble now so you're splitting through the legs when you get back Square you keep the ball at the hip pop Square so one two three four five six Back Square ready back Swift good enjoy Nikki guys again do not carry the basketball okay when your feet get square you're typically used to picking the ball up don't pick the ball up keep the hand on top of the ball as your feet Get Back Square One Two ball hangs one two one two one two one two I'm not carrying the ball hand stays on top just float it ready again good not bad now pay attention you have two through the legs all right I'm one square two square and on the third dribble you're gonna take a hard drive with your right hand and side jab with the left foot and then you're back to it with the right hand let's go three times so three times through one two three pause hard dribble left hand side jab Back Square One Two Three from there punch side jab back swear one two three punch one two three punch so you're punching and jabbing opposite ready good pop to your right bring your shoulder with it try that real quick go bring your shoulder bring your shoulder bring your shoulder good go to the left bring your shoulder with the foot bring your shoulder good some of you are jabbing and going here you have no weight all right you want some leverage from when you punch the ball you bring the shoulder so we're just going to go five Jabs to the left every dribble I'm one two three four five I relax cross over one two three four five relax cross over got it pop good stuff not bad now every single crossover you're jabbing opposite so we're doing a lot of Jabs today okay every cross over now you're gonna cross when the ball hits the opposite hand you jab opposite then you come back Square so I'm here every cross hit cross jab cross yeah notice I'm not going fast right now the only thing that's actually aggressive is the jab itself ready good get loose jab Square jab Square jab square square square square square square all right I'm controlling my movements now opposite oh this is a good drill that y'all can do at home all right every time you cross you're going to go just go continuous all right we're gonna go one two three four so the first one is a cross jab then we go two one two jab then we go three one two three jab then we go four one two three four jab then we're at three one two three then we're at two then we're at one then we're at two one two three one two three four one two three one two one one two one two three one two three four one two three one two one all right opposite every time one two yeah one two three one two three four uh get it back you're too wide good ah yep oh it's a hit where's your Jeff opposite yeah let's go Young anyone have it got it got it will y'all two have it go in the middle hurry up clap it up for them let's go let's go let's go let's go go one one two one uh-huh uh-huh uh-huh uh-huh uh-huh I need gems I need Jabs you better jab you better jab you're too wide you're too wide bring those feet in bring those feet in bring them in do it again pop start Square good again again again go one two stop stop don't move don't move this is too wide right so I want to start here and get to here and then control it one one two one two three pop my Jabs can't be more aggressive than you all right you're more athletic than me you're faster right so you should be able to be pop really shifting that way hit all right now last thing we're going alternating through the legs you are not moving your feet first player to get to 20. there's a plank on the basketball the second you get the 20 get a plank on the basketball ready as fast as you can go let's go face water quicker well good hold it yeah Jess yeah Jess good when I say pop we're right to our feet and right through the legs immediately don't waste any steps try to pop right Square from this position pop your base Square from this position ready go quick two three yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah good hold it Jesse won that Jesse won that you should be going head to head against him right now don't let him beat you when I say go ready go pop last round great job great job great job keep your core engaged keep your core engaged when I say go we're rapping go come on come on one push-up on the ball get one get one yeah yeah you good right foot off the ground hold it get there you hurt right don't do it left foot off the ground hold it five four three two one stop good job bring it in hustle hustle hustle let's go\n"