Here's the perfect dribbling routine to improve your ballhandling when you don't have access to a gym

If you find yourself stuck inside your house for a couple weeks, why not use the time to your advantage and improve your basketball skills? The truth is you don't need a practice partner or anything more than a basketball and a little bit of space to improve your dribbling and handle. The following workout, brought to you in collaboration with The Scoring Factory, provides you with 26 different drills to hone your ball handling skills. You don't need a gym or a wide open space; at most you'll need a driveway, a hallway or a stretch of sidewalk. You can even do most of these drills inside your bedroom.

Making the time to improve

Being an elite ball handler will help you become a better player whether you play the point or find yourself occupying the paint. Becoming elite only happens when you invest many hours of hard work into improving your dribbling skills. And once you get your handles to an elite level, you have to continue to invest time and energy to keep them there.

The good news is that if you've got 26 minutes, you've got enough time to get through this exhaustive ball handling workout. Set aside 26 minutes per day and the time will add up quickly. We're talking thousands of dribbles each week. We're talking people will be wondering how you’re improving so much faster rate than your teammates. Stick with it. These drills might seem difficult the first few times you make it through the workout.

Keys to a Successful Workout

Keep your eyes up when dribbling the basketball. This simple fundamental skill is essential to becoming a great ball handler. Keeping your eyes up while working through drills allows you to simulate a game. You've got to be able to know what's going on on the basketball court. If your eyes are down, you won't be able to see how defenders react to your moves. You'll miss teammates cutting to the basket. You'll be more susceptible to getting caught in defensive traps. In general keeping your eyes up when you dribble allows you to make better decisions when the ball is in your hands

Make the most out of every rep. Dribble the ball as hard as you can throughout the workout. At first, this may be difficult because you'll be learning the movements of the drills and will try to maintain complete control. Dribbling hard will force you to improve your handle faster. If you pound the ball hard while doing these dribbling drills, you'll be simulating game-like experiences which will ultimately lead to better control once you're in the game.

Don’t be discouraged if you mess up, it means you’re pushing yourself. When you push yourself, you should lose the ball every once in a while. Losing the ball simply means you are outside of your comfort zone, which is a surefire way to know that you're improving. Conversely, if you never make a mistake and don't find yourself chasing down a ball that's been dribbled off of your foot or accidentally knocked out of bounds, you’re just reinforcing something you’re already comfortable with and your improvement will be slow.

1/26: A - Through the Legs Crossover, Behind-the-Back Crossover, Through the Legs Crossover, Reverse

This is a stationary dribbling drill. Equipment needed: one basketball. Duration: one minute.

Start with the ball in your right hand. Dribble through your legs to your left hand. Crossover dribble behind your back to your right hand. Dribble forward through your legs to your left hand. At this point you reverse the drill. Dribble through your legs to your right hand. Crossover dribble behind your back to your left hand. Dribble forward through your legs to your left hand. That's one rep. Try to get as many as you can in one minute.

2/26: B - Through the Legs, Behind-the-Back Crossover, Through the Legs, Reverse

This is a stationary dribbling drill. Equipment needed: one basketball. Duration: one minute.

Start with the ball in your right hand. Dribble through your legs to your right hand. Crossover dribble behind your back to your left hand. Dribble forward through your legs to your left hand. At this point you reverse the drill. Dribble through your legs to your left hand. Crossover dribble behind your back to your right hand. Dribble forward through your legs to your right hand. That's one rep. Try to get as many as you can in one minute.

3/26: C - V-Dribble Inside-Out, Behind-the-Back Crossover, V-Dribble Inside-Out, Reverse

This is a stationary dribbling drill. Equipment needed: one basketball. Duration: one minute.

Start with the ball in your right hand. Perform a v-dribble in front of your body by pushing the ball towards your left with one dribble then pull the ball back to your right with another. Crossover dribble behind your back to your left hand. Perform a v-dribble in front of your body by pushing the ball towards your right with one dribble then pull the ball back to your left with another. Crossover dribble behind your back to your right hand. That's one rep. Try to get as many as you can in one minute.

4/26: D - Through the Legs Dribble on the Move

This is a moving dribbling drill. Equipment needed: one basketball. Duration: 30 seconds in each direction.

Forward Repetitions:

Imagine you're on the baseline and you plan to dribble to half court. Move as fast as you can, dribbling in between your legs with every stride. Once you get to "half court", whether this is in your driveway or hallway, stop and turn around. Repeat in the opposite direction until you get back to your starting point. That's one rep. Try to get as many as you can in 30 seconds.

Backward Repetitions:

Similar to above except you'll be walking or (and as your skills progress) running backwards. With every stride backwards, dribble between your legs. Once you make it to half court, turn around and do it again in the other direction. That's one rep. Try to get as many as you can in 30 seconds.

5/26 E - Attack and Retreat, Michael Jordan Scissor Dribbles

This is a moving dribbling drill. Equipment needed: one basketball. Duration: one minute

Imagine you're on the baseline. Starting with the ball in your right hand, take four dribbles forward, stop, turn your body sideways, lift your off-hand to protect the ball from your imaginary defender and take one or two dribbles in reverse. Complete a Michael Jordan scissor dribble by pounding the ball between your legs, make an immediate hop, switching your forward leg back and your back leg forward. Do this scissor dribble three times total. Then dribble forward four times with your left hand, stop, turn your body sideways, lift your off-hand to protect the ball from your imaginary defender and take one or two dribbles in reverse. Pound the ball between the legs, make an immediate hop, switching your forward leg back and your back leg forward. Do this scissor dribble three times total and finish at half court. Turn around and do the same thing in the other direction. This is one rep. Try to get as many as you can in 60 seconds.

6/26: F - Through the Legs Dribble and Juggle

This is a stationary dribbling drill. Equipment needed: two basketballs. Duration: one minute.

Start with a basketball in each hand. Juggle toss the ball in your right hand straight up into the air above your head. Crossover dribble the ball in your left hand through your legs to your right hand. Catch the juggled ball with your left hand. Now reverse directions: juggle toss the ball in your left hand straight up into the air above your head. Crossover dribble the ball in your right hand through your legs to your left hand. Catch the juggled ball with your right hand. That's one rep. Try to get as many as you can in thirty seconds. For the remaining thirty seconds, perform as many reps as you can with the crossover dribble reversed, from behind your leg to the front.

7/26: G - Pushup Dribbles

This is a stationary dribbling drill. Equipment needed: one basketball. Duration: one minute.

Start by assuming a pushup position on the floor. With the basketball in your right hand, pound dribble as many times as you can in 15 seconds. Switch over to your left hand and repeat for 15 additional seconds. For the final 30 seconds of the drill, you'll dribble 10 times with your right hand, switch to your left and repeat, then switch. Do this as many times as you can in 30 seconds.

8/26: H - Shoulder-High Pound Dribbles

This is a stationary dribbling drill. Equipment needed: two basketballs. Duration: one minute.

Start with the basketball in your right hand. Pound the ball as hard as you can, allowing it to rise to the height of your shoulder. Make sure to keep your hand on top of the ball so you don't carry it. After 15 seconds, repeat with your left hand. Next, grab two basketballs and pound dribble them for 15 seconds. Finally, alternate your dribbles for 15 seconds, with right high and left low, then vice versa.

9/26: I - Pound Dribble, Crossover, Pound Dribble, Crossover

This is a stationary dribbling drill. Equipment needed: one basketball. Duration: one minute.

Start with the basketball in your right hand. Pound the ball as hard as you can, allowing it to rise to the height of your shoulder. Make sure to keep your hand on top of the ball so you don't carry it. Crossover and repeat with your left hand. Crossover to your right and repeat the drill. Do this as many times as you can in 60 seconds.

10/26: J - Michael Jordan Scissor Dribble

This is a stationary dribbling drill. Equipment needed: one basketball. Duration: one minute.

Start with the basketball in your right hand. Pound the ball between your legs from your right hand to your left hand. As you do this, make an immediate hop, moving your left leg back and your right leg forward. Immediately repeat this move in reverse: pound the ball between your legs from your left hand to your right hand, making an immediate hop and moving your right leg back and your left leg forward. Repeat this as many times as you can in 60 seconds.

11/26: K - Crossover, Crossover, Through-the-Legs

This is a stationary dribbling drill. Equipment needed: one basketball. Duration: one minute.

Start with the basketball in your right hand. Crossover to your left hand and crossover back to your right hand. Crossover through your legs to your left hand. Bring the ball to the front of your body and crossover to your right hand. Crossover again to your left hand then crossover through your legs to your right. This is one rep. Repeat this as many as you can in 60 seconds.

12/26: L - Front-Back Rocker Dribble, Crossover

This is a stationary dribbling drill. Equipment needed: one basketball. Duration: one minute.

Start with the basketball in your right hand. Crossover to your left hand. Perform a front-to-back rocker or "V" dribble, pulling the ball backwards with one dribble and forwards with another. Crossover back to your right hand. Perform a front-to-back rocker or "V" dribble, pulling the ball backwards with one dribble and forwards with another. This is one rep. Repeat this as many as you can in 60 seconds.

13/26: M - Two-Ball Dribbling Inside-Out V-Dribbles

This is a stationary dribbling drill. Equipment needed: two basketballs. Duration: one minute.

During the entire drill, you'll be completing the same inside-outside v-dribble, though you'll be alternating which hand is closer to your body and which hand is further away. Each basketball will stay in the same hand the entire time. Start with a basketball in each hand. With your right hand away from your body and your left hand closer to your body, complete a v-dribble by pushing the basketballs towards the middle of your stance. Complete the v-dribble by pulling the basketballs towards the outside of your stance. Now you'll vary the dribble by having your left hand away from your body and your right hand closer. Repeat the v-dribble. This is one rep.Complete as many as you can in 60 seconds.

14/26: N - Through-the-Leg Run

This is a moving dribbling drill. Equipment needed: one basketball. Duration: one minute

Forward Reps: Imagine you're on the baseline and you plan to run to half court. Move as fast as you can, passing the ball from one hand to the other in between your legs with every stride. Once you get to "half court", whether this is in your driveway or hallway, stop and turn around. Repeat in the opposite direction until you get back to your starting point. That's one rep. Try to get as many as you can in 30 seconds.

Backward Reps: Similar to above except you'll be walking or (and as your skills progress) running backwards. With every stride backwards, pass the ball from hand to hand between your legs. Once you make it to half court, turn around and do it again in the other direction. That's one rep. Try to get as many as you can in 30 seconds.

15/26: O - Crossover, Crossover, Behind-the-Back

This is a stationary dribbling drill. Equipment needed: one basketball. Duration: one minute

Start with the basketball in your right hand. Crossover to your left hand and crossover back to your right hand. Then crossover behind your back to your left hand. Bring the ball to the front of your body and crossover to your right hand. Crossover again to your left hand then crossover behind your back to your right. This is one rep. Repeat this as many as you can in 60 seconds.

16/26: P - Same-Hand Through-the-Legs

This is a stationary dribbling drill. Equipment needed: two basketballs. Duration: one minute

One-Ball Repetitions:

Start with a basketball in your right hand and assume an athletic stance. Dribble the ball through your legs from the front of your body to the back of your body to your right hand. Dribble it back through your legs to your right hand. That's one rep. Do as many as you can in 15 seconds, then switch to your left hand. Repeat for an additional 15 seconds.

Two-Ball Repetitions:

Start with a basketball in each hand and assume an athletic stance. Begin with your right hand in front of your body and your left hand behind your body. Dribble the ball in your right hand through your legs from the front of your body to the back of your body to your right hand. At the very same time, dribble the ball in your left hand forward through your legs to your left hand. Repeat in reverse: dribble the ball in your left hand through your legs from the front of your body to the back of your body to your left hand. At the very same time, dribble the ball in your right hand forward through your legs to your right hand.That's one rep. Do as many as you can in 30 seconds.