1. Train for the Slam Dunk
Unless you possess incredible leaping ability, you must work and train diligently to be able to dunk the basketball. You will see programs that tout incredible results in just a few weeks but they are fool's gold. While some of those programs can help, nothing beside hard work and training is going to improve your leaping ability to the point where you can dunk. Be careful not to overtrain--there are no great dunkers who look like bodybuilders. Also, allow at least a day between intense workouts for your muscles to recover from the workout.
2. Basketball Abs
From a physical standpoint, the abdominal muscles are probably the most overlooked aspect of dunking the basketball. Most players concentrate on their legs and rightfully so. The legs are the propellant that makes you able to jump higher in order to dunk. However, body control is just as important when you are attempting to dunk the basketball, especially during competitive games. Therefore, work out those abdominal muscles and do those crunch workouts to become a better dunker.
3. Helping Hands
There are plenty of players who can jump high, but not all of them can dunk, particularly during a game. One of the primary reasons these high-rising individuals cannot dunk is due to lack of hand and wrist strength. To perform acrobatic dunks you must have strong hands that can securely grip the basketball as it flies through the air. A functional way to increase hand strength is to try to palm the basketball as often as possible.
4. Get a Jump Rope
Jumping rope may seem a bit childish at first, but it is probably the best workout to improve your vertical leap. Dunking a basketball is all about fast twitch muscles in the legs and jumping rope fits the workout bill perfectly. Other workouts, like the calf raise, leg press and squat lifts, will improve your vertical leap. To increase your dunking ability concentrate on three main muscle areas in the leg. These are the calf, hamstring and quadriceps muscles. Any workouts that improve these muscle groups will help your leaping ability.
5. The Take-Off
You can jump off one foot or two feet to begin the dunking process. Some say the one-foot jump is better because it is quicker and you do not have to come to a stop like you do with a two-foot take-off. The take-off is really about personal preference--one is not necessarily better than another. For example, Michael Jordan, possibly the greatest dunker of all time, could not jump off two feet well. Moreover, his teammate on the Bulls, Charles Oakley, could not jump off one foot to dunk. No matter what the coaches said or tried, he just could not do it. Therefore, the type of take-off is up to you and your body.
Unless you possess incredible leaping ability, you must work and train diligently to be able to dunk the basketball. You will see programs that tout incredible results in just a few weeks but they are fool's gold. While some of those programs can help, nothing beside hard work and training is going to improve your leaping ability to the point where you can dunk. Be careful not to overtrain--there are no great dunkers who look like bodybuilders. Also, allow at least a day between intense workouts for your muscles to recover from the workout.
2. Basketball Abs
From a physical standpoint, the abdominal muscles are probably the most overlooked aspect of dunking the basketball. Most players concentrate on their legs and rightfully so. The legs are the propellant that makes you able to jump higher in order to dunk. However, body control is just as important when you are attempting to dunk the basketball, especially during competitive games. Therefore, work out those abdominal muscles and do those crunch workouts to become a better dunker.
3. Helping Hands
There are plenty of players who can jump high, but not all of them can dunk, particularly during a game. One of the primary reasons these high-rising individuals cannot dunk is due to lack of hand and wrist strength. To perform acrobatic dunks you must have strong hands that can securely grip the basketball as it flies through the air. A functional way to increase hand strength is to try to palm the basketball as often as possible.
4. Get a Jump Rope
Jumping rope may seem a bit childish at first, but it is probably the best workout to improve your vertical leap. Dunking a basketball is all about fast twitch muscles in the legs and jumping rope fits the workout bill perfectly. Other workouts, like the calf raise, leg press and squat lifts, will improve your vertical leap. To increase your dunking ability concentrate on three main muscle areas in the leg. These are the calf, hamstring and quadriceps muscles. Any workouts that improve these muscle groups will help your leaping ability.
5. The Take-Off
You can jump off one foot or two feet to begin the dunking process. Some say the one-foot jump is better because it is quicker and you do not have to come to a stop like you do with a two-foot take-off. The take-off is really about personal preference--one is not necessarily better than another. For example, Michael Jordan, possibly the greatest dunker of all time, could not jump off two feet well. Moreover, his teammate on the Bulls, Charles Oakley, could not jump off one foot to dunk. No matter what the coaches said or tried, he just could not do it. Therefore, the type of take-off is up to you and your body.
