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View Full Version : How can I dunk?


Dead
03-28-2005, 12:29 AM
Is it even possible?

I'm 5'9" without shoes and 148 pounds(just measured). 20 years old. Pretty sure that I'm not getting any taller.

When I jump as high as I'm capable of, I hit my hand about halfway up the net. So I figure that's about 9 and a half feet.

I figure that I need my arms to be close to 11 feet up to be able to dunk the ball.

Would plyometrics be able to make up a foot and a half on my seriously deficient vertical jump?

Should I just give up?

-Dead

brassnuts
03-28-2005, 12:30 AM
Start drinking more beer, stop watching WE, and admit that The Incredibles is a better movie than Finding Nemo.

ThaSaltCracka
03-28-2005, 12:33 AM
not possible.

Dead
03-28-2005, 12:34 AM
A female friend of mine is 5'8" and she can dunk. Why can't I? /images/graemlins/confused.gif

tbach24
03-28-2005, 12:35 AM
You'd need another foot (maybe more) to do it and would need to be able to palm the ball. I know people who did Air Attack and said it was good, but only like 6-8 inches.

MEbenhoe
03-28-2005, 12:37 AM
[ QUOTE ]
not possible.

[/ QUOTE ]

wrong, it is possible, but would take a hell of a lot of effort.

ThaSaltCracka
03-28-2005, 12:38 AM
[ QUOTE ]
A female friend of mine is 5'8" and she can dunk. Why can't I? /images/graemlins/confused.gif

[/ QUOTE ]wtf? I don't believe you.

Dead
03-28-2005, 12:38 AM
Tell me what to do and I will do it.

Dead
03-28-2005, 12:39 AM
Then don't. But I wouldn't lie to you. And I've heard that Earl Boykins can palm it and dunk at 5'5".

Uglyowl
03-28-2005, 12:40 AM
A combination of muscle and technique. You may not be leaping optimally to reach you greatest height.

SmileyEH
03-28-2005, 12:40 AM
I did squats regularly for a couple months and gained about 3 inches on my vertical.

Excercises for figure skaters would also probably be best - I would look into that.

-SmileyEH

jason_t
03-28-2005, 12:43 AM
[ QUOTE ]
A female friend of mine is 5'8" and she can dunk. Why can't I? /images/graemlins/confused.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Ha. You're beat by a girl.

ThaSaltCracka
03-28-2005, 12:44 AM
men have a distinct advantage physically over women, so it would be much more likely for a man 5'9" to dunk than a women 5'9" to dunk.

When I said it wasn't possible for you to dunk, I didn't say it was because of your height, but more that you would probably have to add close to 10 inches on your vert to be able to dunk, and I don't see that happening.

siccjay
03-28-2005, 12:45 AM
Strength Shoes

SackUp
03-28-2005, 12:46 AM
Plyometrics, bounding, strength shoes, Leg lifts including lots of calfs, jump rope, and one of the most important and overlooked things: STRETCHING. It definitely will not be easy, but is possible for sure. I'm a little over 5'8 and I could dunk a mini ball. I'm pretty sure I could dunk a regular size ball if I would have kept up the routine. But then I graduated from undergrad and became a law student and that was that. I can palm a ball too, but a lot of that has to do with hand size and strength. It is obviously a lot easier to palm a ball if you have bigger hands, but you might be able to do it if you do lots of gripping exercises (insert whacking off joke here).

Anyhow, GL.

htc1278
03-28-2005, 12:46 AM
I was a volleyball player and I increased my vertical substantially by getting the Jump shoes and training with them. Plyometrics also helps as does weight training. Running sprints is good, too. Good luck in your quest. I'm 5'10" and I could jump high enough but I couldn't palm a basketball. The only way I could dunk was by catching the ball after I'd jumped.

Dead
03-28-2005, 12:47 AM
Best response so far, thanks.

Do you think I need to put on muscle to do it?

MEbenhoe
03-28-2005, 12:48 AM
[ QUOTE ]
Tell me what to do and I will do it.

[/ QUOTE ]

This would require:

hours a day of working out (a specific workout to target the key areas for this), 4-5 days a week

A strict diet

hand strengthening drills so that you could palm or come close to palming the ball, 2 handed dunk isnt that much harder though

the dedication to possibly do this for a year before seeing results

Dead
03-28-2005, 12:49 AM
And what would I need to do for maintenance? I need to maintain the diet for the rest of my life to continue being able to dunk?

zaxx19
03-28-2005, 12:50 AM
Depends on the ineherent ratio of slow twitch to fast twitch muscle fibers.....

It may be possible. How is your jogging versus your sprinting?

The best training for vert is still the old Soviet periodization methodology where you begin by using alot of weight and mid reps in "core" exercises like squat/dead lift, leg press....

You then progress to mid weights for fast more explosive reps in olympic lifts/ squats..

Finally you only train with Plyometrics.
(this is obviously a gross oversimplification)

Depth Jumps are amazing for Vert but can cause stress injjuries in some people such as knee tendonitis and shin splints.

MEbenhoe
03-28-2005, 12:51 AM
[ QUOTE ]
And what would I need to do for maintenance? I need to maintain the diet for the rest of my life to continue being able to dunk?

[/ QUOTE ]

no, but it would help you get to that point faster. Plus at 5'9" how old do you think you could be and still be able to dunk?

Dead
03-28-2005, 12:52 AM
that's true. am i too old to even be thinking about starting this?

ThaSaltCracka
03-28-2005, 12:54 AM
[ QUOTE ]
that's true. am i too old to even be thinking about starting this?

[/ QUOTE ]I think so. If you were taller I think it would be more likely.

mmbt0ne
03-28-2005, 12:54 AM
You've got a LOOOONNNNNG way to go before you're dunking. The common misconception is that touching the rim, or even grabbing the rim means you can dunk, or close to it. No. If you can palm the ball, you need to get at least your wrist above the rim. If you can't plam the ball, like me, closer to half of your forearm.

The best way to do this is (like someone else said) learn how to jump. I know, that sounds ridiculous, but trust me. Your first dunk won't be from right under the goal. You'll need speed and you'll have to take off a good 4 feet away from the basket.

Now, there are the basics for the mechanics. As for how you get up so high, squats are a really good explosive exercise. You want stuff like that. Also, calf raises until you can't walk. Find a set of stairs, maybe 10-12 steps high. At the end of a legs workout (where you haven't done any specific calf workouts) go up those steps by just doing 15 calf raises on each stair. It'll suck. Hard. But it's good. Someone else said jump shoes. If you're willing to spend the money on them, a couple of my friends have used them to good results.

Daliman
03-28-2005, 12:56 AM
[ QUOTE ]
A female friend of mine is 5'8" and she can dunk. Why can't I? /images/graemlins/confused.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
No, she can't.

Daliman
03-28-2005, 12:56 AM
[ QUOTE ]
Then don't. But I wouldn't lie to you. And I've heard that Earl Boykins can palm it and dunk at 5'5".

[/ QUOTE ]

No he can't.

ThaSaltCracka
03-28-2005, 12:58 AM
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
A female friend of mine is 5'8" and she can dunk. Why can't I? /images/graemlins/confused.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
No, she can't.

[/ QUOTE ]yeah I find this incredibly hard to believe. Only one women has ever dunked in a WNBA game(maybe two have now.)

MEbenhoe
03-28-2005, 12:59 AM
[ QUOTE ]
that's true. am i too old to even be thinking about starting this?

[/ QUOTE ]

no, but if its something where its a goal to be able to say, "I'm 5'9" and at one point in my life I was able to dunk", I'd get started now.

MEbenhoe
03-28-2005, 01:00 AM
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
A female friend of mine is 5'8" and she can dunk. Why can't I? /images/graemlins/confused.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
No, she can't.

[/ QUOTE ]yeah I find this incredibly hard to believe. Only one women has ever dunked in a WNBA game(maybe two have now.)

[/ QUOTE ]

Dunking in a game, and being able to dunk are not the same thing. I've known plenty of people who could dunk just messing around, but couldn't do it in a game.

ThaSaltCracka
03-28-2005, 01:02 AM
I realize that, but you seriously think a 5'9" girl can dunk? For example, Nate Robinson can dunk and he is 5'9", but he has a 43 inch verticle. The chance of a girl having that are nearly impossible.

nolanfan34
03-28-2005, 01:04 AM
[ QUOTE ]
I realize that, but you seriously think a 5'9" girl can dunk? For example, Nate Robinson can dunk and he is 5'9", but he has a 43 inch verticle. The chance of a girl having that are nearly impossible.

[/ QUOTE ]

Agreed. 9' hoops don't count. I can do that.

Dead
03-28-2005, 01:05 AM
I can palm it on a 9 foot.

ThaSaltCracka
03-28-2005, 01:05 AM
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I realize that, but you seriously think a 5'9" girl can dunk? For example, Nate Robinson can dunk and he is 5'9", but he has a 43 inch verticle. The chance of a girl having that are nearly impossible.

[/ QUOTE ]

Agreed. 9' hoops don't count. I can do that.

[/ QUOTE ]word, I can throw down on 9', gangsta style.

Dead
03-28-2005, 01:10 AM
Can Iverson dunk?

I was arguing with my dad about it last week at home.

He insists that he can't

I told him I was pretty sure that I've seen Allen dunk before.

I don't follow NBA as closely as I should.

tbach24
03-28-2005, 01:10 AM
YES

So could Spud Webb at 5'7

Dead
03-28-2005, 01:11 AM
I know Spud could.
He won the contest in the 1980s.

I've never seen McNamara dunk. He seems to have a pretty good jump but I don't think he can.

Popinjay
03-28-2005, 01:13 AM
[ QUOTE ]
I realize that, but you seriously think a 5'9" girl can dunk? For example, Nate Robinson can dunk and he is 5'9", but he has a 43 inch verticle. The chance of a girl having that are nearly impossible.

[/ QUOTE ]

He also has incredible fast twitch muscles. He won the state 400 meter (I think) hurdles a few years back. He's insane if you've ever seen him hurdle. Runs fast as hell and it looks like he is running over the hurdles with his springy legs.

ThaSaltCracka
03-28-2005, 01:14 AM
yeah Iverson can, but Iverson is 6'

antidan444
03-28-2005, 01:15 AM
In regards to a 5-9 girl being able to dunk ... I can't answer that. But I have seen a 5-11 girl dunk.

Carey Brennan was a volleyball player at a local high school (Smithsburg, played from 1995 to 98) where I grew up who wound up going to Maryland and setting the school's career kills record in 2002 (I don't know if it still stands, I'm too lazy to check). It was insane how high she could get up to spike a ball. She also played for the high school basketball team, and I was doing a newspaper feature on another player there during a practice, and all of a sudden, she gets a running start, leaps and slams one.

I was floored. I knew she was a hell of a leaper, but not like THAT. She never dunked in a game, though.

That was the second most impressive athletic feat I've ever witnessed on the job. The other was a 7-foot high jump, which is really rare in high school.

mikeyvegas
03-28-2005, 01:20 AM
[ QUOTE ]
Can Iverson dunk?

I was arguing with my dad about it last week at home.

He insists that he can't

I told him I was pretty sure that I've seen Allen dunk before.

I don't follow NBA as closely as I should.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, he can.

Malone Brown
03-28-2005, 01:28 AM
try this
http://www.airalert.com/
do it properly, and by the end you may be close

morgan180
03-28-2005, 01:46 AM
[ QUOTE ]
Strength Shoes

[/ QUOTE ]

these things and the exercises that come with it work.

morgan180
03-28-2005, 01:48 AM
btw...

if you bounce the ball on the court and catch it on the way up to the rim it allows you to focus on jumping and not on palming the ball so it makes it easier.

Daliman
03-28-2005, 01:57 AM
[ QUOTE ]
Can Iverson dunk?

I was arguing with my dad about it last week at home.

He insists that he can't

I told him I was pretty sure that I've seen Allen dunk before.

I don't follow NBA as closely as I should.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not only can he dunk, he can thunder dunk with ease.

theredwave
03-28-2005, 02:02 AM
Did you think of this question after watching a Seinfeld episode? Just curious.

Dead
03-28-2005, 02:03 AM
nope.

PoBoy321
03-28-2005, 02:08 AM
I met a guy once who was about your height, maybe even a little shorter, considerably heavier than you (all muscle, FWIW) who could stand still under a basketball net, jump straight up and grab the rim.

If you started working out, developed fast twitch strength in your legs and practiced, I'm sure you could do it.

EDIT: Just to expand on this. You're going to want to start doing some olympic weightlifting. A lot of people have been suggesting squats. I threw shotput and discus for 4 years in high school and spent that entire time developing my leg speed/explosiveness.. Squats won't help you do this. They'll help you to develop strength and muscle volume, which will actually slow you down. Olympic weightlifting, such as cleans and snatches will help you greatly increase your explosiveness/speed.

GrekeHaus
03-28-2005, 02:10 AM
How high you can jump is largely determined by how tight your achilles tendons are. They act like a spring when you jump and unfortunately, if yours aren't very tight, it's not likely that you will be able to overcome this. Training and technique can only get you so far. It's like being able to throw a 90 mph fastball. Most people can't do it no matter how hard they try.

As a side not, black people tend to be predisposed to having tighter achilles tendons, which is why white men can't jump. True story.

Dr. Strangelove
03-28-2005, 03:34 AM
My best friend is 6' 1" and high jumped 6-11 in highschool (higher in college). At the core of his training were squats,power clean, I think deadlift, step ups onto plyometric boxes with weight, other plyometrics and stretching. After school he'd do the most vicious plyometric workout I have ever heard of.

I took the same weightlifting class as him and I think the most important thing for me was squats. I remember that after the hardest squat workout I ever had, when my legs were just dead, I went out to the basketball court and my hops were huge. I've never been able to palm a basketball, but when I was lifting I could do fancy dunks with smaller stuff, like coke bottles and chalkboard erasers, and I'm not a lot taller than you.

Dead
03-28-2005, 03:36 AM
thanks for the suggestions.

i think that i will def focus on squats.

Jake (The Snake)
03-28-2005, 03:43 AM
If this is a goal of yours for some odd reason, then take a look at strength shoes.

I know people shorter than you who can do it so it's not impossible.

Rick Diesel
03-28-2005, 10:24 AM
Right at the end of my junior year in high school, we got a machine called a Leaper. You used it kind of like a combination between squats and calf raises. It would have pads that came down on top of your shoulders, similar to some calf raise machines at the gym, only there was no weights to be put on the machine. The machine performed the resistance alone.

From the conclusion of my junior year to the beginning of my senior year, I went from barely being able to touch the rim to being able to dunk two handed with ease. Granted I am 6'2" and have really big hands, so that also made it a lot easier for me to dunk.

Rick Diesel
03-28-2005, 10:41 AM
[ QUOTE ]
I know Spud could.
He won the contest in the 1980s.

I've never seen McNamara dunk. He seems to have a pretty good jump but I don't think he can.

[/ QUOTE ]

He spends too much time in the hot tub and not enough time working on his hops.

bosoxfan
03-28-2005, 10:51 AM
http://www.chms.k12.vt.us/circus7.jpg

ibankonu
03-28-2005, 12:07 PM
[ QUOTE ]
Strength Shoes

[/ QUOTE ]

The strength shoes don't help you at all, it is actually the program that they give you to work out with that helps. Realistically, the strength shoes put too much strain on your calf and shin muscles, and have been known to cause injury. You would get the same results doing the included workout with or without the strength shoe.

beckham9
03-28-2005, 12:09 PM
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
A female friend of mine is 5'8" and she can dunk. Why can't I? /images/graemlins/confused.gif

[/ QUOTE ]wtf? I don't believe you.

[/ QUOTE ]

that could be the most bullshit quote i have ever seen. No chance she can dunk, unless she tricked you and did it on an 8ft hoop.

chaas4747
03-28-2005, 12:57 PM
Sound to me like this is the only way!

http://www.internationalbasketball.com/gpsnbaballers.jpg

PhatTBoll
03-28-2005, 01:06 PM
Just don't do what this kid (http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/03/28/australia.surgery.reut/index.html) did.

mmbt0ne
03-28-2005, 01:16 PM
</font><blockquote><font class="small">En réponse à:</font><hr />
Sound to me like this is the only way!

http://www.internationalbasketball.com/gpsnbaballers.jpg

[/ QUOTE ]

Unless you're the dude on the right. Steve Nash has the most points out of any current NBA player who has never dunked in a game.

chaas4747
03-28-2005, 01:17 PM
And he has good lookin hair!

Duke
03-28-2005, 01:31 PM
Yeah it's possible. I could do it when I was 12, and only 6' tall. I figure the fact that I was 12 compensates for the 3 inches.

Work on your quads. Calves too, but quads are the primary muscle group responsible for jumping. Squats, or leg presses. Also, don't run distance for a while. Keep it to sprints, and other fast-twitch exercises.

Best of luck. You just dunking would be about the same as me hitting my head on the backboard, and I haven't done that in 10 years.

~D

Rick Diesel
03-28-2005, 01:47 PM
maybe you should contact Sup Bro to get some pointers for your next workout.

Dead
03-28-2005, 01:53 PM
I don't know how to do that. He just shows up sporadically.

And I never even had one tackle for a loss.

SomethingClever
03-28-2005, 02:52 PM
This is very possible, but it'll take you 6 months to a year of dedication.

Basically, you should just supplement your regular exercise regiment with things that specifically increase your hops.

Plyometric activities are good, but make sure you don't overdo it. Just a few times a week is good.

I like jump rope, and explosive calf lifts. Jump rope is actually surprisingly difficult to sustain for even a couple minutes. It's an incredible workout.

Not so sure about squats... I've never been a big fan. You need explosiveness, not brute strength.

FWIW, I can dunk, but only just. If I could palm the ball it would be a lot easier. My goal right now is to add a few more inches so I can pull the two handed dunk. I'm 6'1".

Matt Flynn
03-28-2005, 02:59 PM
just play at the elementary school. makes everyone feel all warm and fuzzy.

Dead
03-28-2005, 03:04 PM
Thanks for your advice SC.

What plyometric activities do you recommend and how exactly do I do a calf lift?

The only exercise that I do right now is treadmill 4 or 5 times a week.

SomethingClever
03-28-2005, 04:47 PM
Calf lift: Stand flat footed and explode up onto your tip toes repeatedly. You can do this with weights too, but I like to do a lot of quick reps without weights.

For plyometrics, I like the jumping and re-jumping thing, where you do a succession of jumps immediately after one another. Like you jump side to side over a bench, or you bound, or you jump and bring your knees up to your chest repeatedly.

For all these, it's important not to keep your feet on the ground much. You want to instantly re-jump as you land.

Also, these are the ones that you really don't want to overdo. Add them in sparingly.

I would recommend adding some straight up basketball to your weekly workout too. You'll get some running in, some leaping, stretching... that'll all help.

Take all this with a grain of salt.. I'm definitely not an expert, but these things have helped me with my vertical.

Dead
03-28-2005, 04:54 PM
Thanks man.

I found this free site that I bookmarked a long time ago:

http://www.e-trainercentral.com/basketball/index.asp

It's supposed to be pretty good for increasing your vertical jump, and all the information is free.

It gives detailed diagrams of all the exercises and the regimen so that's cool.

What do you think of this program on there?

his is the original Sky's the Limit Program. It will aid in increasing the vertical jump by building a solid stable base and core strength, without comprimising the athletes joints with high impact exercises.

Take each fifth week of the program off, to make sure you are fully recooperating from the workout. During these off weeks you will likely observe big gains in your vertical jump

Here are the progressions you need to follow for this program, follow this pattern of progressions for every week which is not an extended rest week.

* Increase Stabiliser Weightless Bench Squats by 5 reps per set each week
* Increase Basketball Balancing by 1 minute each week
* Increase Stabiliser Lunges by 5 reps per set each week
* Increase Side bends by 10 per set each week
* Increase Twisting sit ups by 5 per set each week
* Increase Calf Raises by 5 per set each week
* Increase Weightless Bench Squats by 10 per set each week
* Increase Lunges by 5 per set each week
* Increase Seated Dumbell Lift and Press by 5 per set each week
* Increase Dumbell Shrugs by 5 per set each week

KaneKungFu123
03-29-2005, 02:39 AM
[ QUOTE ]
A female friend of mine is 5'8" and she can dunk. Why can't I? /images/graemlins/confused.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

do you mean 6'8?

ThaSaltCracka
03-29-2005, 02:40 AM
change your avatar you n00b.

KaneKungFu123
03-29-2005, 02:45 AM
[ QUOTE ]
change your avatar you n00b.

[/ QUOTE ]

whats an avatar?

ThaSaltCracka
03-29-2005, 02:47 AM
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
change your avatar you n00b.

[/ QUOTE ]

whats an avatar?

[/ QUOTE ]the picture right under your stupid name.

KaneKungFu123
03-29-2005, 03:00 AM
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
change your avatar you n00b.

[/ QUOTE ]

whats an avatar?

[/ QUOTE ]the picture right under your stupid name.

[/ QUOTE ]
how do you change it?

TripleH68
03-29-2005, 03:03 AM
Why do you want to dunk? I ask because there is nothing more lame than some dude ruining a shoot-around by dribbling in all alone and trying to dunk.

Save yourself the disappointment.

thatpfunk
03-29-2005, 03:21 AM
[ QUOTE ]

Why do you want to dunk?

[/ QUOTE ]

KaneKungFu123
03-29-2005, 03:26 AM
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Why do you want to dunk?

[/ QUOTE ]

[/ QUOTE ]

to give them impression of being a brotha, eg, to pick up african chicks through illusions of wang size.