3 Point Shooting Drills: A 6-Drill Workout Built on One Footwork
Coach Meech doesn't do random drills. Every drill in this 3-point workout is about accuracy, consistency, game-like reps and footwork. And one piece of footwork runs through the whole thing: catch, turn, drop, rise.
Six drills. You start in the mid-range to warm up, then you move behind the arc. By the end you've got a five-shot challenge with real make goals for beginners, intermediate and advanced players.
Not sure shooting is the thing holding you back right now? Find your training strategy with our free training quiz.
The footwork this whole workout is built on
Before the drills, get this part straight, because Coach Meech says it's one of the most important footworks in shooting. The entire video is based on it.
You're pulling yourself down into the shot. Turn, drop low, and both feet hit the floor at the same time. One sound. Not two. As soon as your feet land, you rise up and shoot.
The other half of it: stay at the same level. You don't go up, then down, then up again. If you start low, you stay low through the step and the turn, drop a little further, then go.
Want more on getting the ball there from deep? We break down how to increase shooting range if you want more on that.
Drill 1: Turn and drop warm-up
Every good shooting workout starts with a warm-up. This one's in the mid-range.
Face away from the hoop at a 90 degree angle, ball held out away from you. Pull the ball in. As you pull it in, you turn and drop low at the same time. Feet hit together. Rise and shoot.
What you're really training here is the catch. Early hands. A lot of beginners wait on the ball, let it get all the way to them, catch it and just fire. Coach Meech wants the ball out early, hands ready, then pull, drop and get into your jumper as fast as you can.
Setup:
5 makes on the right wing
5 makes on the left wing
10 makes at the top of the key (5 turning each way)
On the wings, make sure you're facing the inside before you turn.
Drill 2: Elbow pull-up
Now you add a dribble. Go to the elbow, but start a good step away from it. Not up close.
Get low with a long stance. Your outside leg is forward. Take a big step and dribble at the same time. Then it's the same footwork from the warm-up: turn, drop, rise.
People mess this up two ways. Some take too big a hop forward. Others jump way up in the air and then come back down. Neither one. You're staying at that level, turning, and getting your feet to the floor as fast as possible. One sound.
Because it's a mid-range shot, you can get nice and tall on the release. Get up over that defender and keep a soft touch.
Setup is both elbows, 5 makes at each. Dribble with your outside hand. Going left? Left hand. Going right? Right hand.
Drill 3: Three-point step-in
Warm-up's done. Now you're behind the three-point line.
Use the line that's right for you. If you shoot from the high school three, use that. If you're further out, use that line. Start a step away from it with your feet split, nice and long.
Roll the ball out or toss it in front of you. Whatever you want. Step, go get it, drop into the shot and rise. Pull yourself down fast.
"This drill might seem simple," Coach Meech says, and plenty of you will think it's too easy. His answer: go deeper into the skill rather than wider and shallow. Are you dropping fast? Dropping on balance? Rising on balance? Getting every part right is what makes an easy drill hard.
Do it with both footwork sets. Step with your right foot first, then switch and start with your left.
Beginners: make 2 in a row from 3 spots (both wings and the top of the key)
Advanced: make 3 in a row from the same 3 spots
If your misses from deep keep falling flat, check out how to get arc on your jump shot.
Drill 4: Triple lift
This one works your lift and still gets you into that drop.
Start in the slot. Do three lifts, and the third one has to finish right in the middle, at the top of the key. Then drop, pick the ball up and shoot. Next shot is two lifts. Last shot is one.
The cue that matters: you're not going high to low, high to low on each lift. Stay at the same level as you lift to the side and just turn the ball over. Only on that final lift do you drop, get low and rise into the shot.
Beginners go through it twice, so three lifts and shoot, two lifts and shoot, one lift and shoot, then again. Six shots. Try to make 3 of 6 on both sides, lifting with your right and with your left.
Advanced players need 3 in a row: three lifts and hit, two and hit, one and hit. Both sides. Get to the middle every time.
Drill 5: Mixed shot series
Some variety now. Dribble pull-ups mixed with catch-and-shoot threes.
Start on the wing, nice and low. Three shots:
Rip one way into a one-dribble pull-up. Doesn't matter which way you go first.
Back up a step off the three, roll it out, step into it, drop, rise, shoot.
Rip the opposite direction from shot one into another one-dribble pull-up.
Run it at all five spots: both corners, both wings and the top of the key.
Beginners need 2 of 3 before moving to the next spot. Start in the corner and keep hitting 1 of 3? You're staying in the corner. Advanced players have to hit all three before they move.
Drill 6: Five-shot challenge
Last drill, and it's a challenge. You're moving the whole time.
Shot 1: Start on the wing and roll it to the corner. Sprint, catch and shoot. Get your own rebound.
Shot 2: Head to the other corner. Dribble up, curving along the three-point line, all the way to the wing. Turn, drop, rise.
Shot 3: Rebound and go back to the opposite side. Same thing from that corner, ball on the outside, curl around the line to the wing. Turn, drop, rise.
Shot 4: Rebound, opposite side again. Roll it out to the corner like your first shot. Catch, drop, rise.
Shot 5: Go all the way back to half court. Sprint down to the top of the key with whatever hand you want. Stop, drop, rise, shoot.
That's five shots. Go through it three times for 15 total.
Beginners: hit 6 of 15
Intermediate: hit 9
Advanced: hit 12 or more
Write your number down. Next time, you know what you're chasing.
When the form itself is the problem
These drills give you the reps. If your mechanics feel off, though, work on the form too. Our basketball shooting form drills and the list of common jump shot mistakes are good places to start.
FAQ
What are the best 3 point shooting drills from this workout?
Coach Meech runs six: the turn and drop warm-up, the elbow pull-up, the three-point step-in, the triple lift, a mixed shot series and a five-shot challenge. The step-in, triple lift, mixed series and five-shot challenge are the ones behind the arc.
Why does every drill use the same footwork?
Because he calls it one of the most important footworks in shooting. Turn, drop, both feet land at once, then rise. Do it enough times and it shows up in games without you thinking about it.
What does "both feet make one sound" mean?
Your feet hit the floor together. Not left then right. One sound. That's how you know you dropped on balance and you're ready to rise straight into the shot.
Which three-point line should I shoot from?
The one that's right for you. High school shooters use the high school line. If you can shoot from further, use that line instead.
How many shots should a beginner make in the five-shot challenge?
6 of 15. Intermediate players go for 9, and advanced players go for 12 or more.
The step-in drill feels too easy. Should I skip it?
No. Go deeper into the skill. If you're dropping fast, landing on balance and rising on balance every rep, it isn't easy anymore.
Can I do this workout by myself?
Yep. None of these drills need a passer. You pull, roll or toss the ball out yourself, and in the five-shot challenge you go get your own rebounds.
Find your training strategy
Shooting is only one piece. If you don't know what to work on next, take the free training quiz and get a plan that fits your game. Find your training strategy.
