HOW TO INCREASE GRIP OR TRACTION ON BASKETBALL SHOES

HOW TO INCREASE GRIP OR TRACTION ON BASKETBALL SHOES:

For basketball shoes, the grip is magnificently important. It will be difficult to play basketball when you are not comfortable, and your feet keep on slipping around the court.

How can your basketball shoes be stuck around the court and maintain your balance? You will be provided with some key points to read and remember that it may be fruitful for you in the court.

Athletes usually give up on their pair of shoes so early if they want more traction or if they slip around the court.

It doesn't matter which surface you are moving around; you need to be stuck to the ground on the court that will enable you to run, walk and jump.

Importance Of Good Traction

In the competitions from futsal to volleyball or basketball, the more you repeatedly make quick changes of direction, the more incredible grip on your shoes you must have.

Basketball players know the importance of excellent traction on the court as it helps to maintain balance and doesn't allow you to slip and get injured.

1. If you are shooting the ball, making cuts, or trying to defend, balance is much needed, which is impossible without excellent traction.

2. To outsmart your opponents, basketball players use their wit and quick moves. Thorough traction is required on the court for sudden changes in direction, giving players speed, and in this way, injury caused by slipping can be avoided.

3. Basketball players need shoes having good grip and traction. It:

• Helps you in staying away from slipping, falling, or injuring your ankles.

• Help you in optimizing your speed, and in this way, you can compete with opponents.

• Help maintain your speed while turning directions quickly on the court.

The shoes are having a secure grip and traction when playing fast-tracked or competitive games to avoid injuries.

Reason For Less Grip and Traction In Basketball Shoes

Basketball shoes with high-level grip and traction will be the priority of any competent manufacturer when the fresh piece is kept out of the box. Otherwise, this will be a big problem and won't help you in the court, so you would instantly replace your pair with a new one.

The problem could be that they were being misused, or with the wrong or no care, your pair can lose their grip and traction. Shoes that are slightly worn down and lose their grip cause one-second delay or one second early, and it creates many differences in the basketball game.

• The primary cause of low traction is the dust on the basketball court. In the case of indoor courts or a gymnasium floor, the dust and dirt quickly accumulate on the floor.

• When basketball shoes are in contact with the dirt and dust from the floor, they start to lose their grip and traction. If granules of the layer are still left behind, even if barely noticeable, it causes slippage, and you won’t be able to maintain your balance.

• Soles are easily caught by dirt and impaired by long-wearing, so both the factors cause slipping while on the court. You won't be able to stop and go and cause hindrance. You won't be able to keep on the lane.

• Dust and the dirt must be minimised in basketball courts by sweeping them regularly with a mop.

 

Fortunately, you can improve your traction even if you are on the court by just sweeping the surface of the court away from dirt and using fruitful techniques to allow basketball players to move freely on the court without being worried about grip or traction.

Impact Of Dusty Basketball Shoes In The Court

While playing basketball, more traction and grip is required. A game without these two major factors will be like you are sliding on an ice rink and won't be able to maintain your balance.

While making cuts or shooting the ball or during the defense, traction is necessary, helping maintain the balance. Reliable traction and grip cause friction between the floor and the sole on the basketball court.

• Bad traction leads to a severe injury that might end up the career while making out to beat the defense or maybe the clean surfaces as the basketball court can be pretty slippery by the dust and dirt.

• The slippery shoes can not only affect your performance but also cause injury. "Lower Extremity Report" found that “poor traction in basketball could be linked to injuries like ACL tears and ankle strain”, a report published in October 2009.

Methods To Improve Grip And Traction Of Basketball Shoes

Some better techniques are designed for better traction and grip around the court, which will help maintain the balance.

• It is vital to free up the basketball court from dust to get the game's best experience.

• If on a clean surface, your shoes still slide, use traction improvement products that will help in understanding the best grip, and shoe maintenance will give you more advantage.

• To improve the traction of basketball shoes, you can remove dust from the bottom of your basketball shoes. Other than this, swiping your hand wet with sweat or saliva, players can use rosin, a sticky mat or a sticky liquid solution to improve traction and grip.

1. Improve Traction By Cleaning

You can make your shoe's grip stronger by sweeping your pair correctly, which is not difficult.

Material required

• Warm water

• Dish soap (liquid soap will work adequately enough)

• Scissors or a mini screwdriver

• Toothbrush/nail brush

• Clean towel

STEP 1 – Remove any scrap from the surface of your shoes, which includes any small pebble, clumps of mud, or anything else that is stuck in the sole's gaps. Without stabbing yourself, use a sharp-pointed instrument that will help you.

STEP 2 – Mix warm water and liquid soap in a container. Dip the lower surface of your shoes, and by using a nail brush or toothbrush, you can scrub the surface of the sole thoroughly. However, a toothbrush will take twice the time a nail brush will take. Keep rinsing the brush as you go.

One thing must be kept in mind that keep your shoes dry as much as possible. Only the sole of your shoes which you want to cleanse must get wet.

STEP 3 – After washing your shoes, pat dry your boots with a clean towel or other clean, absorbent rag. If there will be lots of water onto the upper of the shoe, then wipe it regularly.

STEP 4 – Keep your shoes in a clean, new, unused bag and store them for next time you play. Otherwise, your all reasonable effort in cleaning your shoes will go in vain.

2. Use of Traction Boards

Traction boards have large sticky surfaces to ensure optimal traction is obtained from your basketball shoes. Dust and oils are easily removed from the bottom of a player's shoes by using these boards

The soles are cleaned by the traction board to restore your boots' gripping power in a shorter period.

• It's simple to use as you just need to step on and step off repetitively.

• Before going for any competition or before each game or practice, just step up on the tracer board to clean the soles on the sticky surface. The board's adhesive surface will leave dust and oil behind on your shoes when you step off the board.

• In any sports event, at least one or two sheets are required. These sheets can be dumped after use, and a new layer comes up when you remove the tacky top coat.

• A specially designed rough surface removes the old, worn rubber from the bottom and sides of shoes, and a fresh layer of rubber sheet on the shoes comes up.

• Shoe scuffing, more substantial traction, and the shoe grip occur like You have bought a new and fresh pair.

• Rubbing the boots on the rough abrasive surface and then stepping up on the sticky mat gives more traction.

• Peel off the top sheet when it gets tacky, and it's instantly ready to start using again.

3. Products Enhancing Traction

Basketball players use traction-enhancing products optimising and fixing the bottom of their shoes as the grip is everything in a game. These products come in different forms. A spray can be applied directly to the bottom of your shoes, a mat to which you can step on before going for the game, and a solution rubbed on using a cloth.

• Traction lotions are readily available in the market that covers your shoe to add more traction. A quick spritz will be enough to cover the increased need for traction.

• Special sticky pads, also called sticky mats, available in the market to improve grip. These are mostly used in a gymnasium. Before going for the game or recess, you may step on them to get extra traction.

• Using the combination of the above two methods with the washing technique gives the best results.

It's essential to keep this thing in mind that these all are temporary solutions; when the solutions will disappear from the surface of shoes and are coated in dust, you'll need to reapply.

4. Diy Methods

If you don't need a grip enhancer or you don’t have a budget to buy those products, there are some other techniques that you can apply to improve traction. For this, some DIY methods can help you in getting what you want.

Low-grit sandpaper will help you in giving traction and rub the bottom of your shoes. A stripped knife can also be used to remove scrap from the sole of your shoes but be careful about not cutting so deeply into the rubber otherwise you will puncture the shoe completely.

5. Keep Shoes Damp/Moist

• When the sole of shoes is dry, then the chances are higher than a player may slip and fall. Damp or moist sole is vital because of the heat and friction with fast speed. This combination will be a helping hand in avoiding slipping and help to minimise injuries on the basketball court.

• Another solution to keep sole damp is spitting on your hands and swipe at the bottom of shoes before going for the game.

• Moistening the bottom of the shoes using a damp cloth will also have the same effect.

6. Use Of Sticky Liquid Solution

Step 1- Take a clean, dry towel, dip and soak it into a sticky liquid solution, especially to improve the traction of basketball shoes.

Step 2- Use a towel to wipe the bottom of both basketball shoes to remove dust and improve traction. Repeat as many times as you want during the game.

Step 3- If a towel gets too dirty, then use a fresh towel to remove dust from the shoes. Wash the towels regularly in laundry to remove both the sticky liquid solution and the dirt.

7. Fixing Grip in Game

To stop breaking down your traction in the middle of the game, you need to moisten your soles immediately, so you don't lose your tempo.

• A damp rag or a spray or by wetting your shoe with saliva will help you fix traction.

• Rinsing your hand with water and then wiping it across the bottom of your shoe can help your footwear glued to the surface. But if you don't have much time, you can lick your hand and rub it on the bottom of your shoe. It will work well.

Conclusion

Hopefully, this article helped you out if you're looking to get better traction on your current basketball shoes. Without the grip, you are just cutting your edges, and at the end of the day, if this doesn't work, then it may be time to go out and buy a new pair.

Make sure you purchase high-quality basketball shoes, which are made to provide the grip necessary for the quick moves and stops required by the game. For this purpose, I recommend freaky shoes that are highly comfortable and have reliable traction or grip.

They are high-quality shoes with many reasonable prices that can be afforded by everyone.