How long will it take me to dunk a basketball?

How long will it take me to dunk a basketball?

A monster dunk is one of the most exciting things to see in sports. Although it only earns two points for a team, it looks much more relaxed. Consequently, a dunk is still a best chance to score field goals in basketball, a dunk is a skill worth mastering.

There are some players that have the desire to dunk, but have the wrong impression that only the tallest players can master this art. Even though being taller is an added advantage, any individual can develop skills and build up muscles required to dunk a basketball on a 10-foot rim, regardless of experience and height.

Drills Required for Carrying out a Dunk

Stage 1: Training to Dunk

• Building Strength exercise

Physical strength is the biggest limitation for most players. It is just simple – a stronger person will move more efficiently and easily carry their body weight as they jump in space. There are people that are natural athletes because they are born with a high percentage of lean muscles. But for other people, they’ll need to put in enough effort to increase their muscular and physical strength, and that means doing strength exercises.

• Increase your Vertical Jump

To effectively dunk, your legs will need to lift you up in space and up to the rim. This is an interesting aspect because unlike reach and height which are acquired genetically, a person can train to have a great vertical jump, by making use of the right training program. Carrying out the right leg workouts that will increase the flexibility and twitch strength of your lower body is necessary in increasing your vertical jump, thereby getting you closer to the basketball rim.

• Perform Plyometric Exercise

This is designed to develop strength needed to jump higher by using the body’s resistance. Although it might take some time to learn how to jump higher, but focusing on the right muscles can increase explosiveness and jump height. Such muscles include hamstrings and gluteals which are found around the hip region, calves that relax the ankles and develop initial hop, and quadriceps that flexes the knees.

• Flexibility

Developing strength on the legs is not enough. Your body muscles need to be flexible enough to give you sufficient movement to carry out a dunk. Flexibility can be developed by doing elastic training such as stretches and possibly yoga. Some muscle groups that need to be flexible include hamstring and hip muscles.

• Run Up and Down Stairs

This is important in building strength and flexibility around the legs by developing all hips, calves and quadriceps. This workout is also affordable, as it can be done at home, school, or even on benches.

• Jump on the Court

While on court, try jump as high as you can from one end to the other. While you build on this, try touching the net at least ten times consecutively. Set daily goals and ensure you meet the target.

Stage 2: Practice Dunking

• Dribble as you approach the basket

As you do this, take the required two steps for a normal layup and palm the ball on hand you’ll use to dunk. Control your approach while at it. It is important to first learn how to dunk using one hand before moving to a two-hand dunk which takes more time and higher leap to master.

• Use a ball that’s much smaller

It is simpler as you start out to slam with a ball that’s smaller because you can easily palm it and control your body movement, giving you a more satisfying maneuver. But remember to only use a smaller ball for the dunk practice. Always dribble and shoot with the right ball.

• Perfect your Ball Handling

Practice maneuvering and controlling the ball while in space by learning how to control the ball with an extended arm. This will help you avoid losing grip while slamming.

• Have the Correct Landing

Most people only practice slamming the ball into the rim and end up landing awkwardly, which could result in an injury. This also happens to professionals. But it is best to learn the entire dunk sequence and master the art of safe landing. This will give you a more accurate and consistent dunk.

• First Learn on a Rim that’s Shorter

If you can get a basket that’s adjustable, practice your dunk on that first, before advancing to a higher rim. When you lower the height of the rim, feel the dunk and then increase it gradually till you get to the standard level.

• Have Quality Shoes

A lot of players have confessed that wearing shoes that are of high quality improve their dunk ability, and also prevents them from injuries while landing.

• Don’t give up

It is possible that you’ll embarrass yourself while first trying out a dunk, but rise up and try again. You’ll definitely improve as you remain persistent in practicing your leaps and building your leg strength and flexibility.

Avoiding Injury While Dunking

Once you master the art of dunking, you will feel excited. To avoid embarrassment and injuries, there are some precautionary measures to take:

• Dunk carefully: The rims in some courts may be worn out. That could tear your arm. Take note of the court you’re playing on, and ensure the rims are perfect before attempting a dunk.
• Guard your knees and ankles: Guys that are under 6-foot can easily fall and get injured. Always remain in control, particularly when playing with other players. Your entire season could get ruined if you injure your ankle.
• While practicing dunks, don’t use goals that are portable: You could easily end up hospitalized because they are prone to tip over when you put your bodyweight on them.
• Don’t unnecessarily grab the rim: It is only when you are trying to protect other players or yourself that you should hang on the rim after a dunk.

Basically, there is no specific time frame for mastering a perfect dunk. It all depends on the amount of work you put in and your general height. A person will need to jump approximately 24 inches to touch the rim and 30 inches to slam a standard basketball. Even though it is much easier for taller people to jump and touch the rim, that doesn’t mean that shorter individuals cannot achieve this. With the right workout routine and determination, anybody can learn to dunk a basketball.