Today I wanted to try out a basketball drill I’d heard about – the 3 2 1 drill. I’m no LeBron, but I figured it would be a fun way to work on my game.
Getting Started
First, I grabbed my basketball and headed to the court. Since I don’t have a team handy, I got my buddy Mark to come along. The basic idea of the drill is to practice scoring under pressure, so I got Mark to simulate game time for me.
- 3 points: Start with the ball at the three-point line. You get 30 seconds to make as many three-pointers as you can.
- 2 points: Move to the free-throw line. 20 seconds, as many shots as possible.
- 1 point: Finish with layups. Only 10 seconds on the clock.
My First Run
Man, those 30 seconds for three-pointers felt shorter than I expected! I rushed a few shots, and my form went out the window. I think I only made 2 out of 8. Not great. Mark was laughing, but hey, he wasn’t the one shooting.
Next up, free throws. 20 seconds felt a bit more manageable. I focused on my breathing and tried to find a rhythm. I did better here, sinking about 6 out of 10. Still room for improvement, but it was progress.
Finally, layups. 10 seconds is no time at all! I was practically sprinting up and down the court. I managed to get 4 layups in, which I was pretty happy with, given the time crunch.
Round Two and Beyond
We ran the drill a couple more times. Mark kept time, and I tried to beat my previous scores. It was tough, but I started to get a feel for the pacing. For the three-pointers, I realized I needed to slow down just a little to make sure I was set before shooting. I made a few more threes on my last set.
Free throws got a bit better each time. It’s all about that muscle memory, I guess. By the third round, I was hitting them pretty consistently. Now layups, I might need to get on with some cardio. I was gassed by the time that the 10 seconds hit. Still, I was able to keep up the pace.
Final Thoughts
This 3 2 1 drill is a killer workout! It’s a fun way to challenge yourself and see how you perform under pressure. Plus, you work on all the essential scoring techniques in one go. Mark and I had a blast trying to one-up each other. I’m definitely adding this one to my practice routine. Maybe next time, I’ll even get Mark to try it out, and we’ll see who can really handle the pressure!
I suggest you to try it out. And do not forget to bring a buddy, that will make it funnier, and much harder.
