Nike Basketball Camps in collaboration with Four Point Basketball strives to provide the best environment for athletes to learn and flourish. This requires us to keep learning, to continuously question ourselves about why and how we teach skills in a certain way and to be cognizant of our philosophical core from which all our drills and concepts are based upon.
In the Basketball 101 series, we share the concept drills and philosophies that are at the core of Four Point Basketball. We hope these glimpses of what and why we teach will provide you with insight and intrigue.
The Walking Stance
The Walking or Cadence Stance philosophy is at the core of what we teach at Four Point Basketball. We believe a balanced shot should be based on an already pre-determined alignment base (i.e., the width of an individual’s walking stride). As we often say, if you don’t fall over when you walk, then you must be balanced.
For many years, coaches stressed the importance of a wider stance because it was thought to be a power position. Although this philosophy has merit, it is flawed. We want players to be balanced and strong, but we also want them to be fast and aligned to prevent knee injuries. Powerlifters need a wide stance to lift heavy weights, whereas basketball players require fast upward speed to gain an advantage when shooting.
By emphasizing this body alignment, players are able to jump higher and faster prior to releasing the ball. This is why we pay close attention to this particular aspect of shooting. For those that still lean toward a wider stance, we offer two examples of why we teach this concept. Firstly, dunkers and those fortunate to jump ‘out of the gym’ rarely have their feet wider than their hips. Secondly, if you get hit while shooting it’s a foul, therefore the presence, or lack thereof, power is irrelevant.