Adam Strick is a student in Animation Mentor,he advises me to do following things:
I would recommend picking up "The Animator's Survival Kit" if you haven't already and read through that. Having a good understanding of timing, spacing, and arcs is huge. Starting with a ball bounce is VERY important to learn these few principles.
All of the other principals of animation are just as important to learn but those are the ones that you will encounter most with the bouncing ball.
Also, studying video reference can be a big advantage.
Planning is a very important step and many animators do this differently, some with video reference, some with thumbnails. Sketching will definitely help with planning and drawing from life will start to train your eye to properly pose your characters.
Happy animating!
