From our basketball playing tips gym section.

In becoming a good ball-handler, learning to dribble well is essential. If you're good at dribbling and have some quickness, you can create a lot of offense for both yourself as well as your team.

For beginners, "dribbling" means bouncing the basketball. Once you catch the ball and start dribbling, and then hold the ball, you have to either shoot it or pass it. It would not be legal to dribble it again. Once you pass it or shoot it, and then get it again, you're free to dribble again.

Below are some dribbling tips from InsideHoops.com:

- Learn to dribble while keeping your head up. If you have to keep your head down and watch the basketball while dribbling, you aren't going to be able to see what your teammates or the defense is doing. You'll only see what's directly around you, not the whole floor, and it'll be hard to create or know what to do. Learn to dribble without actually having to look down while doing so. Crouching down makes it easier to do this.

- Learn to dribble with both hands. It's hard to get equally comfortable dribbling with either hand, you'll almost always have one hand that's much easier for you to dribble with, but work to at least be comfortable dribbling with your weak hand, too. It'll make it a lot easier to create and finish moves, and it'll be harder to steal the ball from you.

- Dribble with your fingers, not your palm.

- Practice shots while you dribble. Learn to incorporate getting your shots off with the actual dribble moves that make them easier to do.

- Remember, passing the ball is quicker than dribbling it.