who here can dunk?!

[fa_jing]

I'm about 6'1", I should be able to dunk a basketball. But I can't. Standing under the rim, and jumping directly up off of two feet, I can just touch the top of the rim. By my visual esitmate, I'd say I have a vertical of about 24". My calf muscles are real skinny, but I'm pretty strong in the upper leg. About 5 years ago, I was trying to dunk like crazy, I just needed about 2 more inches and I would have had it. I was touching the rim just below the wrist, jumping off of one leg. Then, injuries.

I've recovered from the injuries, so, any suggestions? I'd like to dunk say, within one year.

-FJ

[ewallace]

We used to use wooden blocks with astro-turf style material on top. They were about four feet long and wide, and between 2 and four feet high, depending on the one you were jumping on. Start on a low one (2 feet), take about 5 - 10 steps and jump up onto it. Once that becomes too easy, progress to a higher block. This really helped everyones verticle.

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

i'm only 5'4'' and i can tap the rim. barely.

[ewallace]

I should probably add that I never saw anyone but high-jump track specialists make it up onto the 4-footer (the block man...the block).

[roughnready]

If Spud Webb can dunk at 5 feet 7 inches then anyone can. I just think it's a matter of having strong legs. Your thighs and lower leg muscles have to be strong. I suggest that you practice squats and jump rope. Always stretch your legs and arms as well.

[MonkeySlap Too]

I find a larger cup helps the coffee from spilling. Eat a cake donut instead of a yeasty donut, as the yeast donuts repel coffee more.

[Qi dup]

My dad says playing basketball is for pussies.


But I did read a article once about Webb, adn he gave three sugestions to dunk:

#1. I'm #1
#2. Jumping rope
#3. slow pushing yourself on to your toes with your calves. this is done constantly.

[ReverendTim]

Me!

Oh, wait...I thought it said, "Who here IS DRUNK?"

Never mind.

--
Rev. Tim

[ewallace]

My dad says playing basketball is for pussies
I'd like to see him tell Charles Oakley that he's a *****. :)

[SevenStar]

He probably would tell Charles Oakley, but I doubt he'd say it to Charles Barkley :)

[awakenwired]

I'm gonna have to agree with Monkeyslaps post on this one. He really hit the nail on the head with that one. :D

[scotty1]

Rich Tea or chocolate digestives are my favourite.

[Former castleva]

Not one of basketballistists,but,practice.
I think you should try to develop explosive force.
Exercises like "bouncing" could help:
Start by doing a basic squat,lower your center of gravity and when it feels comfortable,jump as high as you can (not directly basketball related,so no tools needed)
I hope this sounds less confusing.
Just a suggestion,hope it helps.
:)

[Starchaser107]

I can get drunk

..oh...

dunk...........sorry.
heh heh

[fa_jing]

Go Muggsy!! But Muggsy can dunk a volleyball. ;)

I do jump rope, although I haven't been keeping up with it consistently enough. I think the calves are key, I've got genetics working against me there.

I also figure horse stance has to help. But it seems that with my mechanics, thighs don't play as much a role as I would like - since this is my best attribute. I'll keep you guys posted.
-FJ

[Lice]

Look into plyometric exercises. Very good for increasing your jumping height, and other explosive power type activities. (A Google.com search will yeild many results.)

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

i trained jumping by landing on higher and higher walls. even after my hernia surgery i can still land walls mid sternum with a vertical jump. at my best i was landing a wall that measured 3'9'' consistantly. i know the exact measuremant cause i posted on here that i could make a wall nearly four feet and someone didn't believe me. thinking maybe i actually had over estimated it i took out the tape measure.

one thing i have learned from this is that your abs play a large role in jumping as well. i'm healed up enough from my surgery that if it were all legs i'd be able to land the same wall by now. i also feel the jump in my abs right before making it. i know that abs are going to play a larger roll in landing walls as you need to get your feet up quick, but i feel it even when im jumping to tap something. i think it gives you spring that adds to the height of yoru jump.

[fa_jing]

When you say you're landing on a wall 3'9", how high did you jump? Because you're bringing your legs up from the ground by bending your body, in addition to jumping. Are you saying that you are barely able to get your feet under you in a squat position, when you land?

-FJ

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

yeah. i actually addressed that in the post i made about landing that wall a long time ago. i said that i wouldnt be able to clear a pole that high as my ass would hit it, but i'm still proud of being able to land it none the less.

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

i have made it over bokens held at mid sternum hight with running jumps though. that would still be a little over 3 feet without throwing my body over it like olympic high jumpers do. i'm a springy little fu cker.

[fa_jing]

Yeah, you are. :)

[Kristoffer]

White men can't jump..

[fa_jing]

Brent Barry, Baby!!!!

(someone had to say it. :D )

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

down with whitey.

[scorp133]

I can dunk, it helps to be 6'3. The biggest thing for jumping high is your calf muscles, jumping rope and especially plyometrics are good ways to help increase your vertical. Thigh muscles don't seem to play a significant roll from what I've seen, I've increased my squat 70 lbs without any noticable increase in jumping height, but maybe I'm just weird.

[Gabriel]

I can jump and land on a chair....and my desk, and the kitchen counter..and the recliner, and my tv. I forgot where I was going with this..

[Kristoffer]

LoL:D "I can jump and land on a chair....and my desk, and the kitchen
counter..and the recliner, and my tv. I forgot where I was going with this.."

:D ....

[IronFist]

I don't know about that calf strength thing. I've heard that Olympic lifters can have like 4 ft vertical jumps because of the explosiveness that Oly lifting builds... and some of these guys are 250-300lbs with 4ft vertical jumps. I would assume most of their strength lies in their thighs as opposed to their calves.

But, I don't do Olypic lifting so I don't know for sure.

IronFist

[fa_jing]

With my mechanics, it seems to be more calves. But some people say that upper leg is more important. I've tried some things like putting more bend into my knees before I jump, but if I'm running to gain momentum I lose it all. That's another thing, BTW. Jumping off two feet, from a stationary position, I jump just about as high as when I'm running at the basket, then jumping off two feet. I can't seem to convert my horizontal momentum into an increased vertical, unless I jump off of one foot, which I don't want to do anymore - that's how I f'd up my calf in the first place, several years ago.

[IronFist]

Not that I know anything about this, but here's why I still think it's quads more than calves. Stand still and lock your knees. Jump as high as you can using only your calves (you can use your upper body for momentum if you want). Now do the same thing but only use your quads and keep your feet locked so you don't go on your toes. Most people can barely (if at all) get off the ground using their calves only.

But seriously, I don't know anything about jumping so don't put too much faith in what I say here.

IronFist

[Cableguy]

I am 6'0 and 25 years old. Before I started with Tai Chi and MMA I played college volleyball and high school basketball. I had the highest vertical on the team, touching the top of the square on the backboard.

I've been able to dunk since grade 10. Off 1 and 2 legs.

Here's how

Skipping is the number 1 way to increase vertical leap. You need to work the quick twitch muscle not the power type muscle.
Bodybuilders who can squat thousands of puunds cannot dunk for the most part.

With the volleyball type jump (two legs) the calves are as important as the quads. Technique and momentum as well as arm swing are also important.

For the 1 legged ( lay up style ) jump the calves are probably more important than the quads. The muscles most people overlook are the hip flexors. There the ones that give you the momentum with the knee when you are driving up to the hoop.
Also good for kneeing your opponent in mma if it's allowed.:)

Legs raises and old fashioned situps work those as well as skipping and bringing both knees up as high as you can with each jump.

If you can grab the rim you are about 3 months of steady training away from dunking.

For the record I'm white, 25 years old,170 lbs, and I can still dunk. and girls still make fun of my skinny legs

good luck

[fa_jing]

How much would you guys consider to be a good time for skipping rope workout? I was going up to 15 minutes straight several months ago, unfortunately I kind of let it get pushed to the side and have been working on other things. I did get a great burn in the calves with 15 minutes, how long did you high-jumpers skip for usually? Also, I skip for MA purposes, I was taught to stay real light on the feet, and stay low to the ground so that the rope just barely scrapes underneath the foot. We vary this with different movements such as shuffling the feet, etc. When you skip rope to increase your vertical, do you jump higher off of the ground? What advice can you give in this area?
Good info so far.

-FJ

[Cableguy]

15 minutes of skipping should be good enough but I don't think that keeping your feet close to the ground is good for vertical.
Skip with both feet off the ground and try for max height.
When you get bored of skipping. Go find an high rise appt or something else with ton of stairs and run them 3 or 4 steps at a time as fast as you can.

The sprinters at my high school used to sprint up really steep hills.
So steep that they almost had to use thier hands. As I remember most of them were shorter than 6'0 and could dunk off of 1 foot.

I've heard that those vertical shoes you can buy are good for fast increases but are expensive and useless for anything other than vertical training.

When you start getting up there to dunk level try jumping from slightly ****her than you think you can. You'll have more success getting them in. That was the biggest problem I faced.

Good luck..Keep trying

[fa_jing]

You da man. Sprinting, etc. is what I want to be doing this summer, instead of as much horse stance
training. Although I'll still have my horse stance days...