Basketball Training: Is practicing with your shadow/mirrow cheating?

[RudeBoie]

I've always thought so, so if I'm outside I avoid practicing my handle where I can see myself doing it on the ground.

Since it's easier to handle the ball in drills if you can see it, I thought you have to do it the hard way to get the most out of it.

I was doing drills tonight, and I realized I love to see my shadow- makes me feel good like I can do some stuff (even though I suck), and it helps me go longer. It's just more fun, I guess to get that kind of visual feedback. So maybe if I practice an hr, I would do another 15 mins if I could see my shadow the whole time. But do I lose that time in terms of skill development if I'm watching myself or is that by watching, you build the muscle memory to move your hands and stuff just as fast or even faster?

My shadow doesn't bother me, I just like playing with it, but I fear doing do is cheating, and maybe it's more effective if I go without it.

Just wondering....

The question I'm asking is if watching your shadow while you dribble is a cheat.

Reminds me of an episode of And1 Streetball. You see Hot Sauce practicing his moves in front of a mirror at the Run N Shoot.

Thoughts?

 

[Amused]

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/80443/me_and_my_shadow/

 

[TecHNooB]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=jaSSQ4lHUpQ

http://youtube.com/watch?v=XCkx7sjPsjM&mode=related&search=

http://youtube.com/watch?v=VMA_TGG8vuI

 

[RudeBoie]

Hah, I think I saw these when I did a google search. Any actual comments or thoughts?

 

[TecHNooB]

Practice your weak hand. Use only your finger tips. Do that drill where you dribble the ball around your left and right foot in a figure 8. Do that typewriter thing with just your left hand. What are you weak at exactly?

 

[RudeBoie]

Oh, now I do all that stuff. I'm actually just saying usually when I practice I avoid looking at my shadow, because it's actually easier to practice that way and more fun. So I wonder if I'm cheating myself a little because seeing myself helps.

I was wondering if people felt that doing that was really cheating myself a bit, or actually the same.

Because saw I'm working on a quick crossover, and I keep doing it back and forth, if I see myself, it's easier, but maybe the kind of muscle memory and hand positioning works- like every time you do it wrong doesn't help as much as if you were to do it right 20 straight times (and super fast) if you watched yourself. So even when you're doing it in the game, the muscle memory is there even though you won't be watching yourself.

Dunno if that makes sense, maybe I'm the only one who does it.

 

[TecHNooB]

I get what you mean. Maybe you should buy a small ball to practice with.

 

[RudeBoie]

That would help too. That's tough.

Well, I'm just wondering what's flat out better, to shadow-practice or by no shadow.

 

[TecHNooB]

You know the answer to that question

 

[RudeBoie]

Hah.

I hate you.

 

[bunnyfubbles]

If you can fake your mirror you can fake anyone. Go for it.