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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. Power lifters need a wide stance to lift heavy weights, whereas basketball player 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.
At the end of the day it comes down to a feel and know one way is perfect, but if you watch the 'Splash Brothers' you might revisit the long-standing concept of feet shoulder width apart.
By Coach Edwards
