Mastering the Layup: A Guide to Teaching Young Basketball Players

Photo by Leandro Argentiero on Unsplash

Layup (or lay-up) stands as one of the fundamental attack moves in basketball, enabling players to execute two steps when driving towards the basket, potentially resulting in a two-point score if the ball successfully finds its mark.

Another notable move, known as the Euro Step, represents a variation of the Layup. However, for the moment, I’d like to delve into the standard Layup, reserving discussion on the Euro Step for a later time.

Let’s begin at the starting point

When faced with a new class of young basketball talents, particularly those with limited prior experience in the game, it’s imperative to commence with the absolute basics.

While children may possess a grasp of running (although, let’s be honest, even some adults struggle with proper running technique), throwing a ball (albeit rudimentary), and the notion of dribbling, there’s a crucial transformation that needs to occur.

Namely, transitioning from simply “banging” the ball to dribbling, from throwing to shooting and passing, and from general running to specific basketball movements.

Once these foundational elements are established, the next step involves introducing something slightly more intricate — the simple Layup. Yet, herein lies a challenge.

Children, especially those without prior basketball experience, may struggle with jumping off one leg, utilizing one hand to finish the move, or seamlessly transitioning from dribbling to executing a Layup while in motion.

While explanations and demonstrations may help, progress may still be sluggish for some. Why? The Layup demands synchronization of several body parts — legs, hands, eyes, and head — making it a complex task for young learners to grasp and execute proficiently.

In my training sessions, I tackle this challenge by breaking down the Layup into smaller, more manageable components. As children master each component, we progressively integrate them into the complete movement.

Skipping ahead, assuming the children have now grasped the basics of shooting and dribbling, we can build upon these foundations.

As previously mentioned, we’ll deconstruct the Layup into several parts, starting with the legs:

Legs

• Begin by having all players place their balls on the ground; we won’t need them just yet.
• Ask the children to line up along one of the court’s lines, facing you. Instruct them to walk five meters forward, then pivot, walk back, and conclude at their starting point. Simple enough, right? We’ve only covered walking thus far.
• Next, repeat the exercise, but this time, have them count from one to three with each step, ensuring their first step is with the right leg. One, two, three, one, two, three… Everyone can count to three? Excellent, progress is evident.
• Now, in a stationary position, have the players lift one leg, bending it at the knee as if aiming to strike someone with their knee. Emphasize the need to refrain from actual contact, though!
• Observe each child individually, ensuring a stable stance and emphasizing swinging the knee as high as possible. Are they all doing well? Fantastic, let’s move on.
• Now, combine the previous movements — walking in a straight line, counting steps, and raising the knee every third step. Like this: one, two, kick. One, two, kick. Got it? It’s crucial to emphasize that they must reset their movement sequence after each kick.
• Once they’ve grasped this, transition the “kick” movement into a “kick-jump” motion. Instruct them to kick with the knee and simultaneously bounce off their left leg. Ensure their jumps are vertical, not sideways. Repeat until everyone can execute it proficiently.
• Now, for the final part of this exercise: have them combine all elements — walking forward, kicking every third step, and executing a jump. One, two, jump. One, two, jump. Hooray! Now, all the children should be capable of performing the basic leg movements required for a Layup.

You can repeat the same exercise for the left leg, but I’d recommend saving it for the next session to allow their brains and muscles to solidify the movement.

Hands and Ball Handling

After a short break, distribute balls to all players. Let’s begin with stationary ball handling.

• Ask the children to hold the ball with both hands close to their belly, slightly favoring the right side. This will serve as their starting position for now. While everyone will develop their unique starting position over time, clear instructions are essential at this stage.
• From this starting position, have them move the ball above their heads as far as they can reach, ideally ending with the ball resting in their right hand, while the left hand acts as a guard. Repeat this movement several times.
• Next, have them perform the same action, but this time, toss the ball slightly into the air directly above them and catch it again, returning to the starting position. Again, repetition is key.
• Now, move everyone under the basket, or preferably, to the right side of the basket. Instruct them to throw the ball in the same manner as before, but this time, let it bounce off the backboard and return to them.
• Once they’ve mastered this and no balls are bouncing away, you’re halfway to teaching them the Layup.
• Change the target once again, directing them to aim for the upper right corner of the backboard’s small rectangle, as if shooting for a basket.

Now they’re truly playing basketball and scoring points! It’s time to introduce the first combination of leg and hand movements.

Utilizing Both Hands and Legs Simultaneously

Whether the children are still under the basket or have begun to scatter around the court, initiate the next move from beneath the basket, the same starting position as before.

• Have them bounce the ball against the backboard, incorporating the jump-kick they learned earlier — allow them to throw the ball while jumping from a stationary position.
• It’s crucial to ensure they’re jumping off one leg while the other kicks upward. Most importantly, ensure they’re using the same leg as their dominant hand.
• If they’re shooting with their right hand, their right leg should also move upward. If they mix them up, their jump won’t work as intended.
• Once they’ve mastered this, change the direction of their shots to aim directly at the basket, still with a bounce against the backboard.
• Is everything going smoothly? Excellent. Let’s take it a step further. Return to the starting line from the first exercise. Execute the one-two-jump sequence but incorporate throwing the ball above their heads. Have them catch it and repeat the action. And again.

If this proves too simple, return under the basket and repeat the sequence, this time bouncing the ball against the backboard.

• Ensure the children are standing the length of their “three steps” away from the backboard when they start. Then, once more, alter the exercise so they finish by shooting for the basket.

We’re almost at the finish line; the most intricate part lies ahead. Let’s attempt to combine everything, starting from the three-point line. The children will begin by dribbling, then try to transition into the three-step movement they learned earlier.

This is easier said than done. You might consider implementing an intermediate step, such as practicing the transition from “running” to “layup” by repeating steps from the initial exercise. However, at this stage, time and practice will be the best teachers in mastering the proper timing.

Several Final Words

That was a lot of material to cover, wasn’t it? Now, there’s one more thing you’ll need to properly teach your kids the Layup — patience.

As mentioned earlier, not only must hands and legs work in harmony to execute the entire movement correctly, but the head also plays a crucial role.

We cannot rush the learning process; it will take time. But rest assured, with practice, they’ll get there.

They’ll refine their technique over their careers, incorporating finesse moves and adjustments. Muscle memory will develop, sooner or later, and perhaps, eventually, the one-two-jump sequence will become second nature.

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