Saturday, September 19, 2009

Want to Know How to Dunk a Basketball?

By Tommy Berman

It's always easier if you're privileged enough to stand tall, but many of us are medium height or even below average. This doesn't stop us from being great basketball players and there's no reason we shouldn't know how to dunk a basketball. Still, it's a lot tougher without those extra inches. The good news is that with hard work, you can get there. Here are a few things to keep in mind that may help.

1. Practicing your dunks with smaller balls at first will be a nice transition before finally doing it with a basketball. It's hard to pull off a one-handed dunk when the ball is so big, and dunking with two hands can be even harder! Practice with smaller balls first. Tennis, lacrosse, golf, and volleyballs should all do the job.

2. It's important to both have leg strength and great endurance when learning how to dunk a basketball. By standing right under the basket and jumping without any kind of a running start, you'll build both your legs and your endurance. Do fixed position jumps about 25 straight times, with no major rest in between jumps (a few seconds in between each jump tops).

3. Make sure to lift weights. The more muscle you have, the more spring you'll have in your jump. Squats are one of the best builders of leg muscle.

4. Lift weights with exercises that emphasize the hamstrings and the calves. While it's very important to have strong quads, it's equally important to make sure the muscle distribution within your legs is widespread.

5. Everyone knows that your legs must be strong, but few people realize that a strong stomach and a strong lower back really help out too. Do sit-ups and some other exercises that focus on these parts of the body.

6. Get the right pair of basketball shoes. Basketball shoes are great for ankle support, but can also be clunky at times. Make sure you have the right balance of something that gives you that support, but doesn't weigh your feet down either.

7. Adjust your diet. Intake of the right foods can easily help you get the maximum height out of your jumps. Your energy level is crucial when taking the steps toward knowing how to dunk a basketball.

8. There are training courses and systems out there that really work wonders for your vertical. I bought one of these and gained over 10 inches in less than two months. I was finally able to dunk after combining this with a lot of hard work.

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