How to Practice to Dunk

The slam dunk is one of the most exciting moves in sports. It combines leaping ability, power and athletic creativity. Some of the more advanced dunks have even been compared to ballet movements. When you are just beginning to learn how to dunk, however, you are a long way from wowing the crowd with amazing athleticism. Getting good at dunking the ball takes practice. The more spectacular you want your dunks to be, the more practice you will have to put in.

Things You'll Need

  • Basketball
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Instructions

    • 1

      Condition your body. Being lean helps your body lift itself more easily than if it is carrying a lot of weight. Lean body mass is important. Short, quick sprints on the basketball court will get you ready for the short bursts of speed you will need to dunk.

    • 2

      Strengthen your legs with weight training. Jumping requires power that comes from the calves and thighs. Squats and Calf Raises are good exercises to build these muscles.

    • 3

      Practice jumping. Plyometric exercises are great for improving your vertical jump. Box jumps, lunges and step exercises are some of the activities included with plyometric training. This type of training works the fast-twitch muscles in the legs and helps develop explosive power.

    • 4

      Practice your approach to the basket. The simplest way is to approach one side of the basket, almost the same as you would for a layup. If you're right-handed, approach the left side of the basket. Instead of approaching the rear of the rim, run right at the front and time your jump.

    • 5

      Practice handling the ball in the air. If you can palm a basketball this is easy. If you cannot palm a basketball, you will have to carry it up above the rim. The motion is similar to a layup, except that you push the ball up with your palm during your jump. As you near the rim, twist your hand so that your palm is behind and slightly on top of the ball.

    • 6

      Work on your timing. Being able to jump high is only one element of dunking a basketball. You have to time your jump and factor in your hang time so that you can get the ball into the rim. You want to dunk the ball when you are at the height of the jump, not when you are coming back down.

    • 7

      Practice dunking. The only way to learn how to do it is to try it. Every player has a different way of doing it.