What’s the best dunk you’ve ever seen? Some will mention Vince Carter’s Monster Slam over the 7’2 Frederic Weis at the 2000 Olympics, some will mention AND1’s 720 slam called Air Up There. However, some guys seem to have been born with crazy jumps:
“The first time I touched a backboard I was 12 years old. I touched the rim when I was 13, and when I was 14, I was finally able to dunk.” – Nate Robinson (2006 Slam Dunk Champion, 5-foot-7, vertical jump: 43.5 inches)
Ok, Nate can jump, that’s for sure, but don’t give up too soon, you can increase your vertical jump dramatically, if you do the right exercises.
In case you didn’t know: the skinny 5 ft. A 10-inch guy named The Professor from the And1 streetball team who is well known for his excellent ball handling can actually dunk! And well, he is white! So if you’re able to touch the net right now, there’s no doubt you’ll be able to hit the net soon!
Now, the first question is: how to start?
If you are a beginner, it is important to start slowly. Overexerting your legs at first can have fatal effects later on. So focus on working on your vertical only 2 times a week for the first 2 months. You can use basic exercises like calf raises, squats, and jump rope. Everything works, don’t worry. But don’t overdo it! You can find some efficient exercises here: http://www.howtodunk.org
If your legs are strong enough, you can try the following exercise:
it is a training of 4 days a week, 1 hour a day:
Lat Raise: 3 sets, 10 reps, 20 lbs.
Triceps Press: 3 sets, 10 reps, 80 lbs.
Lat Pull: 3 sets, 10 reps, 130 lbs.
Seated Row: 3 sets, 10 reps, 120 lbs.
Bent fly: 3 sets, 10 reps, 40 lbs.
Curls: 3 sets, 10 reps, 20 lbs.
Leg curl: 3 sets, 10 reps, 100 lbs.
Hack Squat: 3 sets, 10 reps, 300 lbs.
Calf Raises: 3 sets, 10 reps, 100 lbs.
Bench Press: 3 sets, 10 reps, 130 lbs.
Use less weight and more repetitions to avoid getting too bulky. If you want to get bigger, use heavier weights and lower reps. It’s really all about trial and error, because you have to figure out which exercises work best for you.
You can also try some plyometric exercises (extremely efficient exercises) to improve your vertical jump. Plyometrics works the eccentric contraction of a muscle and then quickly follows it up with a concentric contraction. And that’s exactly what basketball players looking to improve their verticality need (most strengthening exercises, where you use weights, work only the concentric contraction of a muscle). But you can’t start with plyometrics! Before using such exercises, 3 months of basic vertical training are essential. Because? Because plyometric exercises are very intense in nature. Such exercises should only be done in limited times, for example, only for 2 months (only 1-2 times a week). You’ll find some great exercises at howtodunk.org
You can also combine plyometrics with some weight lifting moves like push presses and hang cleans.
P.S.
Bonus Tip: Always warm up before training! Studies have also shown that warming up increases the speed of nerve impulses to the muscles. The result: faster reaction times. This is one of the reasons why professional athletes spend more time warming up compared to many recreational athletes – they know this will prevent injury and help them compete better.
