The Kinetic Pipeline

The physics of a free throw

Chapter 1

The arc of triumph

Chapter 2

The spin doctor

Chapter 3

The kinetic pipeline

Chapter 4

The chaotic court

YOUR GOAL

Master of The physics of a free throw

Ch 3 · The kinetic pipeline

Kinetic Swish

BETA

dave Adjust the launch angle and release speed to master the physics of a perfect swish.

dave The Kinetic Pipeline

Power from the floor, let it flow up to your fingertips

dave The role of the flick

The role of the flick

dave The final wrist flick determines the ball's launch angle and spin.

The high release advantage

dave Releasing the ball higher reduces the distance it must travel.

Fun Fact

Leg power: Over half the energy needed to shoot a free throw actually comes from your legs, not your arms!

Glossary

kinetic chain (noun)
A series of connected physical joints that sequentially transfer force throughout the body. In 2018, North Carolina State University researchers showed how this bodily sequence optimizes a basketball free throw.

Gossip

What is the most distracting pre-free throw routine?

Quiz

Which finger is typically the very last to touch the basketball during a proper release?

dave The high release advantage

Quiz

In sports biomechanics, what is the term for energy transferring from the ground up through the body?

dave The kinetic chain

Quiz

How much time does the final wrist snap take during a basketball shot?

dave The consistency of muscle memory

Quiz

Which part of the human brain coordinates the muscle memory needed for consistent basketball shooting?

Quiz

Approximately what percentage of a free throw's power originates from the shooter's legs?

Quiz

Why do basketball players perform the exact same routine before every single free throw?

Quiz

How does releasing the basketball from a higher point affect its flight path?

Quiz

What is the primary function of the wrist flick at the end of a basketball shot?