The ability to dunk is something every basketball player, including myself, dream of. We have watched videos, playlists and looked at taller guys with admiration and envy.
A lot of basketball player constantly dream of dunking, but not everyone has the commitment and determination to put in the required hard work. It would be various excuses of every kind. Now worries, I made those excuses myself at some point. But a few months ago, I decided it was time to quit messing around and set a goal for myself.
I knew I was going to be dunking before my 23rd birthday.
Once I set my mind to begin training, there was no going back, and the 8 Week Vert Shock training program made sure that I would get the job done.
Now guess what, I am almost 23 and I can dunk almost blindly. To celebrate, I want to take this chance to tell what I have learned in the past 5 months.
1- Dunking is like Disneyland. So much fun.
I never thought the day would come where I would admit that throwing a ball through a 10 foot high rim is so much fun.
There is something so thrilling and exciting about it. The adrenaline rush that comes along with hammering a ball through the basket net is unbelievable and so powerful. It makes you want to keep coming back to the court. And the thrill that comes along with your first dunk is unreal.
I fully understand now why NBA players like Zach Lavine (who is marvelous) acts like the man of the jungle whenever he scores his most powerful dunks.
If you can’t dunk on the high hoop right now, use a shorter one. If you’re feeling ambitious, use a trampoline for additional fun.
2- Dunking puts you on the map
Let’s be real, no matter how hard you try to keep it discreet, your newfound ability to dunk will automatically turn heads and draw the attention of people. This will happen whether you’re at basketball team tryouts, or you’re just messing around with friends.
If you’re anything like me, 5'11'' tall and not very athletic looking, your ability to jump high and dunk will come as a shock to a lot of people. You will defiantly catch them off-guard. I can’t tell you how many times people have come up me, thinking I’m some sort of expert, asking me how I’ve improved my vertical jump.
This may come as a shock to you, but a few shots in a row are not as powerful as one shockingly rim-rattling dunk.
3- Dunking mid-game is hard, but extremely rewarding
I have made one in-game dunk in my entire lifetime, and this is how it went down:
We had out-run our opponent by 35 points, so their coach decided to bring all the newer players to the court so he can give younger players a chance. One of them was dribbling the basketball nervously, and by the way he was handling the ball, I figured that he was trying to pass back at the top of the 3-point line to the point guard.
When he tried to pass the ball, I took it as my chance to jump the passing line to steal it and was suddenly chasing the ball towards the basket on the other side of court. I was way ahead and my opponent was slowly catching up, yet still far behind. I had a feeling deep down that I had every chance to take the risk and go for it.
The additional adrenaline in my veins boosted my jump more than I could imagine.
I did it! I actually dunked. Everyone was shocked: my teammates, our opponents, the coaches, and even the guys at the scoring table. It was the best feeling in the world, and I realized that all my hard work had finally paid off.
But I also have to give credit to the situation. There were no defenders around and I had every chance for a perfect in-game dunk. Usually, when the opponent team’s defense is in position, it is impossible to score a dunk easily. And honestly, a dunk like this one could had done me a lot of harm since I don’t have enough elasticity in my jump to avoid or absorb any bumps or falls, or over jump high over the defender’s head to score a dunk.
After that dunk, I realized it was very important that I restart my Vert Shock training the following spring or summer to increase both my vertical and jump and make them easier.
4- Rebounding can be really cool (sometimes)
It’s very rare that you find a basketball player who enjoys rebounding. I, for one, did not like it at all either. I know this hard to believe. But, it is unbelievable how fun it is to outnumber your opponent at rebounds and jump over a 7 foot gigantic players to steal the ball from them. In fact, the look on his face makes it all worth the while and don’t forget the gloomy looks he gets from teammates.
What’s more fun? A face-off against someone 6 inches taller than you are. You suddenly feel like you’re on top of the world (It also attracts the girls. Just saying).
5- There was much improvement in my first step and defense
I busted myself off to get to where I am. A great dunker, not only a lockdown defender. But the best part about this whole training process is that along with the improvement of my vertical jump, my defense has improved a lot more.
Being able to jump high is spurring your vertically as quickly as possible. Therefore, it is not surprising that the more your vertical acceleration improves, the better horizontal acceleration you achieve.
On the court, this shows much smoother defensive slides in the first stage and much more easily. Now I can easily protect men who used to break my ankles. I can protect myself a lot better.
I know this is not the reason I initially started training, but good bonus!
Hey, I’m Aleksandar and I am a Basketball freak! That is why I decided to create this blog. Teaching people How to dunk a basketball and How to Jump Higher in this sport or other related sports that require vertical jumping, is my specialty. If that’s your aim, then you have come to the right place.