How to Dunk a Basketball

Learn How to Dunk a Basketball in 7 Steps

Step 1

Leap higher: The key to dunking is to increase your ability to jump. In order to increase the height of your leap, you will need to strengthen your legs. If your legs aren’t strong enough to jump high, then dunking might be impossible. If your legs aren’t strong, however, there’s no need to panic. It is very easy to get them into shape. Lunges and squats are great exercises for leg strength because they work the right muscles. You’ll need focus on basketball workout that promotes lunges and squats. Calf raises will also help strengthen your legs. Focus on strengthening your calves, hamstrings, quadriceps and inner thighs.

Step 2

Get flexible: Believe it or not, your legs need to be flexible in order to be able to dunk. Gaining flexibility isn’t easy, but with work, you’ll get there. You can gain flexibility by stretching on a daily basis. Yoga is also a fantastic way to obtain flexibility.

Step 3

The right shoes: Some basketball players swear that the right footwear affects their ability to dunk. Investing in high quality shoes is key if you want to dunk because they’ll keep your feet safe from injuries. Look for shoes that have cushioning on the inside because that will keep your ankles safe from getting twisted.

Step 4

Practice holding the ball correctly: Even the most skilled basketball players drop the ball at some point when trying to dunk. Practice holding the ball with one hand because that will help you when you extend your hands to go in for the dunk. If you can’t hold the ball with 1 hand, make sure you strengthen your fingertips and forearms so that you can have firm control with 2 hands guiding the ball to the rim.

Step 5

Eat lots of calcium and protein: Dunking puts a lot of stress on your bones, so you’ll need to keep them strong by drinking lots of milk and eating lots of dairy products. You’ll also need to eat plenty of protein in order to build muscles in your legs.

Step 6

Do backboard touches: A great way to practice leaping is by doing backboard touches. To do this, all you have to do is jump and slap the backboard with your hand. You should do 30 of them each day because it’ll help you develop strong and quick reacting muscles. If you aren’t able to touch the backboard, you need to focus on strengthening your legs. In the meantime, try to touch the net.

Step 7

Practice: The only way you’re going to learn to dunk is by practicing until you get it right. At first, you can try leaping without the ball so you can gain height. Once you have the ability to leap high, try dunking the ball in the hoop. It might take you a while to get the hang of it, and there might be a point where you’ll feel like giving up, but keep trying and soon you’ll get it. Here are two ways to practice dunking with another person or by yourself.

Dunking by yourself – Stand around the 3 point line so that you can get a good running start. Throw the ball high in the air, where it can bounce in front of the rim, so you can dunk it off the bounce. Check out this video for help.

Dunking with someone’s help – This is probably the most easiest of the two. Have someone stand on the side of the rim. Get a running start from the three point line, have the other player toss the ball slightly above the rim so that you can run and dunk it as the basketball is coming down. Check out this video for instructions.

I’m only 5’9″ and I utilized some of these tactics when I was much younger and I would try to dunk every time I stepped on the court. Dunking is like anything else, practice makes perfect. I just kept trying to dunk and never gave up and eventually I could dunk a basketball. Also, you can start off by dunking with a tennis ball. This will help build your confidence.

Check out this video to give you some encouragement when trying to dunk a basketball. If Nate and I can do it, you can and believe me I have never been super athletic. Nate Robinson is only 5’9″! Spud Webb is 5’7″! Both of these guys could dunk, so dunking is possible for the short guys. I’m 5’9″ and was able to dunk in my prime!

I’m also recommending the products below, because they definitely helped me strengthen my legs and calf muscles so that I could dunk. I use to walk around all the time with jumpsoles. I’m excited for you, let the dunking begin!