How to Dunk a Basketball
Our first advice is to forget about dunking and learn the
fundamentals of basketball! Learn proper shooting form, footwork, moving
without the ball, defense, and so on. This will help you become a better
player.
Now that we've given you our honest opinion, you still
probably want to know how to dunk....
Dunking is a dramatic, crowd-pleasing offensive move. Many
times, a rousing dunk can turn that mysterious factor, momentum, right around
in your favor. Clearly, dunking is easier if you're tall and can palm the ball
with one hand, but there have been relatively short players who couldn't palm
the ball who worked hard enough to be able to dunk. If you are considering
adding the dunk shot to your repertoire, follow these steps:
Step #1 - Practice dunking on a rim lowered to your current
jumping ability.
This will allow you to get used to the feel of dunking right
away. To prepare yourself for the real thing, the basket height should still
require you to jump your highest in order to dunk. If it's too low, then you
won't be building the muscles or the memory needed for dunking at the
regulation-height hoop.
Step #2 - Be able to touch the rim with your wrist.
You will need to get at least that high to be able to snap
the ball into the basket. If you're relatively short, then you have your work
cut out for you. Developing a one-handed dunk requires less vertical ability
than a two-handed dunk, and, for most players, jumping off of one foot from a
running start makes it easier to jump high enough to dunk. There are many
things that you can do to work on your vertical leap.
To increase your vertical leap, you should do a variety of
exercise and follow a strategic work out plan. The workout should include
plyometrics, strength training, and stretching.
Step #3 - Use small balls to begin with, and gradually
increase the size of ball that you use as you develop your technique and
coordination.
Start with a ping-pong ball, then a tennis ball, then a
softball, then a volleyball, then a youth-sized basketball, and on up until you
can dunk with a regulation size ball. If you can't palm the ball, then you will
need to learn how to control the ball with two hands until the last minute
extension for the dunk with one hand, or you will have to jump high enough to
dunk two-handed.
Step #4 - Learn how to finish the dunk safely.
Dunking exposes you to some extra risk of injury. First of
all, you can get low-bridged or get your legs tangled up with defenders near
the hoop, causing you to fall awkwardly from a significant height. You can also
throw yourself off balance by trying to hang on the rim and slipping off,
resulting in awkward falls. If you are in heavy traffic on the dunk, then being
able to grab and hang on the rim until the clutter beneath you clears is a
safety technique. If you are in the clear on a dunk, then avoiding hanging on
the rim at all is the recommended safety technique (It's also a technical foul
to hang on the rim in that situation). Whatever the situation, you need to come
down with control and balance. Ankle, knee, neck, and head injuries await those
who fail to control their momentum after a dunk.
Remember, even though dunking is dramatic and exciting, it
still counts only two points. If you can't dunk, it's not the end of the world.
You can be an extremely effective scorer without ever dunking the ball. In
fact, dunking has very little to do with proper shooting technique.
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