BEEF is an acronym designed to help any aspiring basketball player to learn the skills necessary to shoot correctly. By working on the points of BEEF you put yourself in a better position to be selected for a competitive team, since coaches will notice that they don't need to teach you the basic mechanics of shooting.

'B' - Balance

Keep your feet shoulder-width apart, with your shooting foot slightly ahead of your non-shooting foot. If you're right-handed, your shooting foot is your right foot. If you're left-handed, then your shooting foot is your left foot. Make sure your entire body is aligned at a square to the basket.

First 'E'- Eyes

Choose a target - it could be the front of the rim, the centre of the hoop, or the basket as a whole, and focus only on that. Don't watch the flight of the basketball, or your hand as you release the ball.

Second 'E' - Elbow

Cock your elbow back to a 90° angle and look at the back of your wrist. If you can see wrinkles, then you have your arm in the correct position. Rest the ball on the pads of your fingers with the centre of the ball on your index finger¹, then place your guide hand on the side of the ball and make sure that it doesn't slip underneath the it. You will not be using that hand to help shoot the ball - it is there to make sure that the ball doesn't fall off of your hand before you shoot it and nothing more.

'F' - Flick or Follow-through

Straighten your elbow and release the ball by flicking your wrist, which gives the ball some backspin². You should look like you're reaching into a cookie jar that is on a shelf above your head.

Make sure your guide hand stays straight and doesn't help to push the ball.

To add distance to your shot, simply add a jump. Do not try to push the ball harder with your arms. All of your power should come from your legs.

In Practice

All of these skills are useless if you don't practise them, but only a certain kind of practice will actually help you become a better shooter in game situations.

• Warm up by shooting close shots before moving out and launching up the three-pointers.

• Whenever you go out to shoot some hoops, use game speed; run after your rebounds and shoot quickly as if the defence were closing in on you.

• If you are just playing around, feel free to shoot trick shots, behind the back shots, half-court shots etc, but if you are working on your game, then only take shots that you would take during a game.

• Most importantly, work with intensity and heart and you will now be on your way to having a great shot.