How to Get Longer Arms for Basketball: Can You?

This post may contain affiliate links, meaning we get a commission if you make a purchase through our links, at no cost to you.

Spread the love

Facebook
Twitter
Reddit
Pinterest

Would you like to know how to get longer arms for basketball? Can you even get longer arms? Or arms play a major role in the sport of basketball, and the longer they are, the better. Would you like to be a disruptor on defense with your steals and blocks?

Would you like to shoot over most defenders or rock the rim with highlight dunks? We understand that having longer hands can boost your performance on the court and make you stand out everyone else who have shorter wingspans.

We want you to be the best at your game in any way possible. In our piece today, we are going to thoroughly examine the advantages of a longer wingspan and investigate whether or not it is possible to get longer arms.

Why are Long Arms Helpful for Basketball Players

Why are Long Arms Helpful for Basketball Players?

The length of our arms plays a significant role in our efficiency as basketball players. Players with longer arms tend to find offense more natural, and based on their willingness to play defense, they also tend to be a lot harder to match up against.

There are a variety of ways in which your arms’ length can determine how effective you are as a player. On the defensive end of the court, players with longer arms find it easier to protect the basket. Generally, the best shot blockers have significant height and or good jumping ability, usually paired with good athleticism.

Good shot blockers also tend to contest every shot, but one factor that can propel any good defensive player into the category of great is the length of their arms. Defenders that have long arms can compensate for lack of height or jumping ability because their length allows them to contest and block shots at the rim effectively.

If a player does have great height, jumping ability plus long arms, they are a nightmare to deal with. In the NBA, players like JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard are nightmare defenders at the rim because they are tall, can jump, and have very long arms. Do you remember Andrei Kirilenko AKA AK-47? Andrei was by no means the tallest player on the court; however, the length of his arms allowed him to be one of the greatest shot-blockers of all time.

In addition to blocking shots, long arms can also be beneficial for players that play on the perimeter. Guards with a long wingspan are more challenging to go by, and they tend to get more steals than others. A parameter player with long arms, excellent agility and good reflexes is a nightmare matchup on the perimeter for ball handlers.

These types of guards are guards that you do not want to dribble the ball in front of, because they are always a threat to steal it. If players aren’t exactly agile on their feet, but they have long arms, that compensates for their lack of agility.

It can be dangerous sometimes if these players try to overcompensate as they could be called for reaching and the charged with a foul. In addition to disrupting dribbles, perimeter players with long arms also disrupt passes as they can easily reach into the passing lane and steal attempted passes.

Why are Long Arms Helpful for Basketball Players

We all know how vital rebounding is on both the offensive and defensive ends of the court. Rebounds create extra possessions on offense and set the tone while controlling the pace of the game on defense. Having an elite rebounder on your team can be the big difference that sets you apart and above your opponents.

We know for a fact that players with longer arms can reach up and over others to grab rebounds, even those that are taller than them. Having a longer wingspan makes it easier for players to reach the ball before it gets low enough for players with shorter wingspans. Yes, we know that a long wingspan isn’t enough to make a player an elite rebounder, but it definitely goes a long way.

On the offensive side of the ball, long arms are beneficial for players that shoot the ball a lot. Pulling up for a jumper in front of a defender is a lot easier when you can shoot over the defense while knowing that they cannot reach your shot.

Having long arms like Chris Middleton, Kevin Durant, and Peja Stojakovic allow shooters to shoot up shots without worrying about getting blocked. This peace of mind can make a shooter follow through on his shot motion flawlessly.

Now, let’s talk about what everybody likes, highlight dunks. Your vertical jump has a lot to do with your ability to finish over the rim. Being tall also helps when dunking. If you have any one of these going for you plus having long arms, then you are a force to reckon with at the rim.

Having longer arms than the defending players at the rim will allow you to finish without worry off of getting blocked. Some shorter players can finish dunks or layups at the rim because they can extend past the arms of their opponents. Long arms help these players to get that extra few inches that they need.

Is It Possible to Lengthen Your Arms

Is It Possible to Lengthen Your Arms?

Would you like to know how to lengthen your arms naturally? Technically, it is not possible to lengthen your arms. It may not be possible to increase the length of your arms; however, you can definitely increase your wingspan length.

So, what is the difference between the length of your arms and the length of your wingspan? The length of your arms is the measurement from the tip of your longest finger to where your arm connects to your shoulder. This measurement is called your arm length.

The length of your wingspan is the measurement from the tip of your longest finger on any hand, all the way across your back to the tip of your longest finger on the next hand. Because the length of your back is added to your arms’ length, your wingspan is significantly longer than the length of your arms.

There are a few exercises that can be done to stretch the width of your body out to its maximum potential. This will, in turn, increase the length of your wingspan if your body was not already maxed out. Some people have biceps that do not fully expand when they stretch out their arms. This could be due to insufficient stretching exercise.

If you do stretching exercises to extend or relax your arm muscles, you could see an increase in your wingspan. Some people have elbows that do not snap all the way back due to their joints not being 100% flexible. There are also joint flexibility exercises that can be used to fully extend your arms by loosening up your elbow.

Can Stretching Help Increase Your Wingspan

Can Stretching Help Increase Your Wingspan?

You can perform exercises that stretch your shoulders in an attempt to broaden your wingspan. The change may not be significant; however, in basketball, even the smallest change can be significant.

Giving your joints and muscles a full range of motion is one way to expand your wingspan if you didn’t already have a full range of motion. Stretching your shoulders regularly and adequately can definitely help you to get to this point. In addition to getting a full range of motion by stretching your shoulders, you will develop stronger muscles that can help you to perform better while playing basketball.

Stretching your elbows will have a similar effect as it will help you to expand your elbows to their full range and increase the elasticity of your biceps. So if we answer the question directly, yes, stretching can definitely help you to increase your wingspan.

How Do You Make Your Wingspan Longer

How Do You Make Your Wingspan Longer?

Some persons have poor postures, and this will limit or restrict the length of their wingspan. If a person has a posture where their shoulders are launched towards the front of their body, correcting this can expand your wingspan.

When your shoulders are adjusted back to your body’s side, this will flatten the horizontal curve of your shoulders and extend your wingspan. You can work on exercises to widen your back, and this will help to correct the posture. There are also straps that you can buy that will help as well. Those are a few ways to increase arm reach.

How Important is Arm Length in Basketball

How Important is Arm Length in Basketball?

The length of your arm is critical in the sport of basketball. This is even more so if you are not a tall or athletic player. The length of your arm plays a significant role in your rebounding ability, your shot-blocking ability, your ability to effectively contest shorts, your ability to finish at the rim, your ability to shoot over defenders, and your ability to get steals.

Wrapping Things Up: How to Get Longer Arms for Basketball

You may not be able to get longer arms technically; however, you can work on getting your arms to extend further than you can reach now. You can work on stretching exercises that will help you relax your arm muscles and help your elbows get a full range of motion.

There are also work out activities that will extend your wingspan by adjusting your posture. Until next time ballers, keep working on that wingspan, the longer, the better.

If you found this post helpful, check out our other basketball FAQ articles here

> Can Basketball Make You Taller?

> 21 Largest Hands in Basketball in NBA History

> What is the Average Height of an NBA Player By Position?

Hoops Addict
Hoops Addict

Hoops Addict was created to help basketball fans of all ages learn more about the sport and find the best basketball gear to improve their ability to hoop. He has been a huge basketball fan for decades, watching thousands of basketball games through the years to learn the ins and outs of the game.

If you found this helpful, help us out by sharing this post!

Facebook
Twitter
Reddit
Pinterest

Readers of this post also read...

How is the NBA All-Star Team Selected

How is the NBA All-Star Team Selected?

Getting into the All-Star game is no simple feat. For some players, it may take several seasons of high-level play to get the nod. However, other exceptional talents come into the league with so much...

Read More
What Does DTD Mean in Basketball?

What Does DTD Mean in Basketball?

Basketball is a world of its own with unique terms or jargon, in and out of the court. Through the years, more terms have been developed to represent specific things about the sport, and understanding...

Read More

Get our top basketball tips to become a better baller

Enter your email to get access to our best tips for success.