I think every player has either used or thought about using basketball dribbling goggles at some point when working on improving their dribbling. But my question to you is, are they really worth it? Do they really make that big of a difference?
Well here are a few things I’d like to discuss when it comes to dribbling goggles or visors. I think I’ve used them a couple of times when I was younger. And while I do think they’re effective, I don’t recommend them. And here’s why.
First off, one thing I noticed when I used them was a sort of dependency. I would focus on the visors or goggles blocking my vision versus really the big picture. The big picture is this. If you’re working on your ball handling, you must understand why you shouldn’t be looking down in the first place. You shouldn’t be looking down because you can miss opportunities on the court.
Second, you must understand that the goal is not just to train ball handling so that you can dribble without looking at the ball. In my opinion the goal is to master dribbling so that the ball becomes part of your body. What good is it if you’re great at dribbling the ball without looking but you’re not explosive with the ball? Or if you can’t make moves against the defense with the ball what’s the point.
I personally found dribbling in the dark to be way better than dribbling with goggles on. I got my best workouts in the dark when everyone left the park as a kid. I didn’t need goggles at night because it was dark. I could barely see anything but the rim anyway.
So I think younger players who rely on dribbling visors should understand that it’s not the visors. You want to be able to see the floor so you can make things happen. And you want to master handling the ball so that it becomes a part of you. And last you want to master being elusive and great off the dribble with the basketball.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not here to bash dribbling goggles. They do serve their purpose and it isn’t a bad thing to use them. In fact, I know plenty of players who have used them and gotten good results.
The main thing to remember is just like anything else, this resource is just a tool. The job of dribbling goggles is to prevent you from looking down at the ball. They will also help you with your court vision as you will focus more on what is happening on the court rather than looking at the ball. This resource is good in that it forces you, rather than leaving it up to you. Looking down is a bad habit that many players have and with these goggles there is that restriction.
However, like I said before I think if you focus on improving your handle and getting it to the point where the ball is a part of your body, you won’t need these goggles. Or you’ll get to a point where you can stop using them if you are using them right now.
But nonetheless, feel free to try them for yourself. If you get good results that’s great. Just remember your primary goal when training is to improve your dribbling.