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What is the zone?

Before we can start working on getting in the zone, we have to understand what it is.

I break down "the zone" into several key areas:

High performance level
At its most basic, the zone is a level of very high performance.  This means that you're playing great basketball.  Your shot if falling.  Your passes are on target and seem to lead to a score.  And the rest of your game (dribbling, rebounding, and defense) are all at extrememly high levels.

Sustained performance at high levels
The next important aspect of the zone is that your high level of play is sustained for a long period of time.  It's not just one good shot or one good play.  It's good shot, after good shot, after good shot.  Its making good play after good play.  Now whether it lasts for 5 mintues or 25 minutes depends on a lot of factors.  But in short, the zone is about playing a at a high level for an extended period of time.

Intense focus
But the zone is more than just playing well, and doing so for a long period of time.  Playing good basketball is, well, playing good ball.  But being in the "zone" is more than just playing good basketball.  It's marked by a feeling that the action has slowed, an increased awareness of the other players on the court, and a hightened awareness (and even anticipation) of what is going to happen next.  I categorize these feelings as "focus".  It is an intese focus that puts you at a level above everyone else on the court.

Extreme confidence
And finally, the zone is about extreme confidence.  You're playing well, it seems to continue for an extended period of time, and you're incredibly focused. Pretty soon all of these factors start to feed on each other, they build, and your positive momentum keeps going, and your play keeps improving.  This snowball effect keeps building, and keeps infusing you with more and more confidence.  And this extreme feeling of confidence, which I also call a feeling on invincibility, acts to keep you playing at a high level.

In breaking down what the "zone" really is, we've taken some of the mystery out of it.  And by taking the mystery out of it, we can identify the things you can do to increase your level of play, and get yourself into the zone.

Click here to go back to the Zone section of the site and get more information, tips, tricks, and techniques to improve your level of play and get yourself playing in the zone.

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