To many, it is the carrot that dangles 10 feet off the ground, begging to be grabbed.
Dunking a basketball carries mystique among average-sized men. It's an inspiration for intense workout programs. It's the dream that just won't die.
But how exactly do you dunk a basketball?
Height and athleticism are the main factors, and all other wild cards bow down to the influence of these two. A 5-foot-6 guy probably doesn't have much of a shot with a 10-foot rim unless he's Spud Webb. At the same time, an average-sized guy--say, 5-11--won't have a chance without at least a little athletic ability.
Dunking isn't for everybody, but many men at least have a chance at pulling it off. Even so, it depends on a lot of variables for those on the fringe. Many guys have excess weight that keep them grounded. Some days your legs just aren't up to it. Other days, you don't have the right shoes on, or a certain basketball is hard to grip, or a past injury is hampering you. Little things like that can keep you from basketball glory when you're oh-so-close to throwing down.
If you're 5-5 and lacking great hops, nothing you read is going to pull a miracle. Sorry, Charlie. Don't sweat it, though--as many short shooters boast, "When dunks are worth three points, I'll start doing it."
Similarly, if you're the next Wilt Chamberlain and you can literally kiss the rim, you're too advanced for this course. Enjoy your Zeus-like ability.
If you're close but not quite over the hump, with decent height and decent hops, never forget: there is plenty of hope for you.
Let's get Dick Vitale screaming.
Building Your Strength
Being in great shape is the best way to start your quest toward a rim-rocking jam, and there are specific exercises you can keep in mind while improving your fitness.
LaRue Cook, a personal trainer and owner of LEC Fitness, recommends building your basic level of strength first. This can be done through common leg exercises like squats, lunges, hamstring curls and leg press.
Once that's established, Cook said that increasing your vertical is accomplished through boosting your power.
"Power can be defined as a combination of speed and strength," Cook said. "Dynamic exercises that combine speed and strength such as skips--low and high--and squat jumps and bounding are all ways to improve your leg power once a base of strength has been established."
The Jump
Generally, a player can get his highest when jumping off one foot and reaching up with one hand. For a right-hander, the most common way is approaching from the left and jumping off the left foot with the ball in the right hand. However, some people find jumping off two feet more comfortable, so experiment and find what's best for you.
Going up for a two-handed slam, while awesome, is a more advanced dunk and shouldn't be the goal just yet. To slip your hand over the rim and throw down a ball means to eliminate anything that might keep you from your vertical maximum. So your other hand should stay at your side to balance your body.
If you're not sure what your potential is, go up without a ball first. Get the hang of jumping this way, of (hopefully) touching the rim. Many of the newer rims are breakaway, and will snap down if you grab onto it. If you want to have a chance at dunking, you should be able to snap the rim down like this with some consistency.
Careful, though: If you grab the rim but can't get a grip, the momentum of your body could cause a violent spill. Be smart.
Progression
From there, work your way up. Jeff Haefner of Breakthrough Basketball suggests starting with smaller balls like a golf ball or tennis ball to practice timing and elevation. It's a little harder than just grabbing the rim, and a good step toward throwing down a big ball.
"You'll find it's much harder to dunk with a full-sized ball," Haefner said. "Your timing and vertical leap is the key."
Keep that in mind, and progress slowly. A mini basketball is a little more challenging than a tennis ball, but it's easy to palm and that helps. See if you can get high enough to get your hand over the rim--almost up to your wrist--so you can stuff the mini ball. If you can't throw it down with a little authority, a bigger basketball won't be any easier.
From there, you can try a four-square ball or a volleyball. Both are a pretty good size but soft enough to be able to grip.
Remember that fatigue is a factor, and you probably have only so many jumps in a session before your legs wear out. Once you're not 100 percent, you don't stand a chance at dunking for the first time. Don't get frustrated if your 15th attempt of the day isn't as good as your third or fourth try. That's normal.
With a Ball
If you're on the verge of dunking, being able to palm a normal basketball will help immensely. If your hands aren't big enough, you can go up holding the ball over your hand like a waiter holding a plate of food. Take care of it--the rock often gets away from players mid-jump, making the attempt worthless.
Work at it, and focus. You'll probably get painfully close dozens of times before you break through and finally get a clean one. You're first "dunk" might be a little ugly and won't be with force. It doesn't mean it doesn't count.
The slam dunk is a beautiful play that only a small portion of the population can do, which adds to the allure of it. If you're right on the dunk's doorstep, don't give up. Work hard at it and keep your confidence high. When it finally does go down, it will be worth it in the end.
That's a promise.
Breakthrough Basketball - 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 exercises 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.
How to Improve Your Vertical Jump
If you want to improve your vertical jump, we highly recommend you follow a program that utlizes the "Pryamid of Development" -- that you see at most of the top Div I college programs.
This allows you to develop overall athleticm, to not only help you dunk, but also improve your defense, speed, balance, and effectiveness on the basketball court. And more importantly (in our opinion), the Pryamid of Development gives you the foundation and balanced muscle growth that reduces the risk of injury.
We highly recommend the Cody Roberts Athletic Development Program to improve your vertical jump, explosiveness and agility. It's very effective program that is designed the right way.
Basketball coaching hacks: how to score goals for beginners
Even if you are a novice basketball player, we will not give you a training plan, but we will tell you why the ball flies anywhere but into the ring and into your hands. It's all about technique: even with regular training and perseverance, novice adults and children often make simple mistakes. It's a shame, let's fix it. Below are 11 life hacks on how to hone your technique to increase the likelihood of a goal for your team.
Basketball Shot Rules for Beginners
1. Hands up
In pursuit of the attacker, raise your hands, even if you are standing with your back to the pass, and even more so if the ring is in front of you. Your raised hands will increase the chance of intercepting the ball from the opponent by 2 times. Don't overlook this little thing!
2. Make shield rolls
Even Tim Duncan did not neglect them! A square is drawn on the basketball backboard. If you are standing opposite the ring, then aim at the middle of the upper part of the square, if you are standing on the side, then at the corner. If you hit this square, then the ball is at 90% of cases will fall into the ring. The law of physics and no cheating!
3.
Look at the ring, not at the ball
Practice driving the ball with your hand, not your eyes, develop tactile control. Your eyes should be on the hoop while dribbling and be aware of the position of your body in relation to the hoop. Then you will be able to take the correct posture, and the throw will be effective.
4. Dribble with the balls of your fingers only
The palm should not touch the ball, only the pads of the fingers. Dribbling should become familiar to you, like an extension of your hand. Then you can change its trajectory at any time and you will have more chances to score goals. Practice with the ball constantly.
5. Throw with one hand
If you throw the ball with two hands, you reduce the chance of hitting the basket. All the efforts of the throw are in one hand (in the right for right-handers, in the left for left-handers). The other hand only holds the ball, the leading one holds it with the fingers, not the palm.
6.
Do not jump when protecting the ring
Jumping is the main mistake of rookie defenders. To intercept the ball and block the shot, simply stick out your hands. When you are in a jump, the attacker will easily bypass you.
7. Don't look back
When you dribble, don't look back, but dribble and aim for the ring, focus on shooting (or passing to another player on your team).
8. Bring the throw to automatism
Incorporate the most basic basketball techniques into your training plan and bring the shot to automatism. Throw first from a distance of half a meter from the ring, gradually increasing it. Learn to throw the ball so that it hits the hoop without touching the edge.
Throw the ball with all fives and jump
Throwing Rules:
Head in the center of the body - if tilted, accuracy is lost.
Look at the ring: mentally build a trajectory. If you are far away, the ball flies in a curved curve with a maximum height of 2 meters above the hoop.
A strong hand is in front and throws, a weak hand is on the side and directs, only holding the ball. The elbow of the throwing hand must be in line with the ring.
The ball must rest on the fingers without touching the palm. The fingers are as far apart as possible and grab the ball.
Throwing arm bent 90 degrees, forearm perpendicular to the floor. If you bend less, then you get not a throw, but a throwing of the ball horizontally.
The main thing in the throw is the position of the body and its balance. Place your feet apart and parallel to each other: it is important to orient them in the middle of the basket. Then the direction of the body during the jump will coincide with the direction of the throw, and the ball will fly straight into the ring. When the feet are uneven, the ball flies in the wrong direction or does not reach (although the throw was normal).
Take a deep breath and release as you exhale.
How to hold the ball and shoot in basketball
How to throw correctly: straighten your arm, point your wrist up, and with your hand set the ball to rotate in the opposite direction from the flight. The ball should seem to "roll" off your fingers.
9. Copy masters and play as a team
Watch professional basketball games and try to copy the movements of your favorite players in training. And be sure to conduct game sparring - this will allow you to develop more techniques.
10. Do not throw in a straight line
The higher the arc of the ball, the greater the chance of a goal and the less chance of blocking by the opponent.
11. Do not throw the ball from a full height stand
This is the biggest newbie mistake!
Before the throw, bend your knees slightly and at the moment of the throw, straighten your body, making a jump. You need to straighten up and push off the ground at the same time. When squatting, keep the elbow of the throwing arm close to the body and towards the ring.
The jump will give momentum to the ball and will allow you not to make sudden movements with the brush.
***
And to be a long-term player, do not forget about your health: take care of your joints and muscles, use tapes, do a warm-up. And be sure to strengthen your arms, legs and shoulder girdle, develop coordination. Regular exercises on uneven bars and horizontal bars will help you with this.
Special exercises for teaching basketball technique
I offer a set of special exercises for teaching the technique of basketball elements. The exercises are aimed at developing the basic techniques in basketball, as well as developing speed and agility on the basketball court. We will divide these exercises for basketball into 2 categories:
The 1st category of exercises and relay races will focus on honing the most common techniques used in basketball.
The 2nd category of exercises will help you develop agility and speed on the court, you will move and think much faster when you master all the described maneuvers.
Exercises for the development of basketball technique:
Stances and movements
Catching and passing the ball
Dribbling
Double step
Retrieving the ball
Basketball basic move video training
Basketball Speed Drills:
Super Shuttle
Zigzag
Shuttle with ball transfer
Square
Exercises for basketball
While playing basketball, the player needs to constantly accelerate and quickly jerk in different directions at distances from 1 to 20 meters, the basketball court will not allow for more. So great results in the 100m do not always lead to the same success when trying to run into a fast break. Much more important will be the ability to quickly "switch" between running forward and backward, left and right. Combining agility training with classic speed training will have a huge impact on your playing ability. As a result, you will not only be able to cover the distance from one ring to another much faster, but you will also be able to direct the remaining energy to perform other specific basketball elements, such as a jump, feint or throw.
Stands and movements
Jump rope in motion.
"Shuttle" run backwards.
"Fraction" in place, on signal - acceleration.
Tunnel relay (players stand in a column one at a time. Players take turns to crawl under the feet of the whole team).
Relay "Skiers" (standing on two sheets of paper, the player moves forward. Option: you can move by rearranging the sheets).
Relay "6-9-12" ("shuttle" run: odd players in the team arrange the cubes at a distance of 6, 9 and 12 m, even ones collect them).
Relay "Face to face" (move, standing facing the partner on his feet).
Relay "Cuttlefish" (movement in emphasis on the hands behind, the ball on the stomach).
"Kangaroo" relay (jumping on two legs to the conditional line, holding the ball with your feet, throwing into the ring, jumping back in the same position).
The outdoor game "Mirror" (move in pairs, one of which is the leader, in different ways, facing each other, and repeating all the actions of the leader).
Outdoor game "Pair leapfrog" (movement in pairs, jumping over the back of a leaning partner).
Outdoor game "Day and Night" (at the signal "Day!", the players perform basketball movements, at the signal "Night!" they freeze. Whoever moves is out of the game).
Relay - cuttlefish (ball on the stomach, hands point-blank behind) Game - double leapfrog (jump over partner's back)
This game requires 2 people. From the start line to the conditional obstacle, move by jumping over each other. Then a turn and in the opposite direction.
Catching and passing the ball
Throw the ball up, clap in front of the chest (behind the back, in front of the chest and behind the back, push up, crouch, turn 360°) and catch the ball.
Hold the ball over your head, release it behind your back, turn around and catch it.
Legs apart, ball behind the back; with a rebound from the floor, move the ball under your feet forward.
Passing two balls on the spot and on the move in pairs.
Passing the ball while lying on the back of one of the partners.
Passing the ball at a short distance between partners at maximum pace.
Passing the ball in opposing columns.
Running in a circle in a clockwise direction, passing the ball to a neighbor; on a signal to change the direction of movement.
Passing the ball in motion in threes with a change of place (“eight”).
Passing the ball in threes with a screen 3 x 3, 4 x 4.
Pick Up Object Relay (toss the ball up and collect as many objects from the floor as possible).
Passed - sit down relay (the captain is located opposite his column and passes the ball to the players who must catch the ball, return it to the captain and sit down).
Outdoor game "Race of balls in a circle" (players are arranged in a circle, having previously calculated for "first-second", the balls are with the captains of the "first" and "second"; on a signal, the balls are passed to the players of their number until they hit the captain).
Outdoor game "Ball in the center" (players form a circle and pass the ball to each other; two drivers try to intercept the ball).
Mobile game "10 passes" (players are combined into two teams, each of which tries to make 10 passes in a row between its players, the second team tries to intercept the ball and start passing it between the players of its team).
The mobile game "Shtander" (the leader throws the ball up, calls any of the names of the players (at this time the players scatter), shouts: "Stop!". The one whose name was called must catch the ball and, without leaving the spot, try to hit ball to a nearby player).
Simple drills for basketball without dribbles, turns with the ball, etc.
Technique of passing the ball to a partner with two hands from the chest and passing with one hand from the shoulder
The simplest and at the same time reliable way of mastering the ball is considered to be catching the ball with two hands. The preparatory phase of the exercise for basketball goes like this: if the ball flies towards the player at chest or head level, you should stretch your arms towards the ball, with fingers and hands that are not tense, forming a kind of funnel, somewhat larger than the girth of the ball. The main phase: at the moment of contact with the ball, you need to grab it with your fingers, bringing your hands together, and bend your arms at the elbow joints, thereby pulling the ball to your chest. The final phase: after receiving the ball by the player, the body again moves slightly forward; the ball, sheltered from the opponent by spread elbows, is taken out in a position of readiness for subsequent actions.
Catching the ball with one hand. When the game situation does not allow reaching the flying ball and catching it with both hands, you should catch the ball with one hand.
Preparatory phase: the player extends his arm in such a way as to cross the flight path of the ball (the hand and fingers are not tense). The main phase: as soon as the ball touches the fingers, the hand must be taken back - down, as if continuing the flight of the ball (automated movement). Finishing phase: the ball must be supported with one hand, then firmly grasped with both hands so as to be ready to proceed immediately.
Ball Dribble - Basketball Exercises
With markers, hoops.
In place with a squat.
With one hand in an emphasis lying.
Jumping forward on one leg.
On the wall with one hand and alternately with both hands.
In pairs towards each other from the side lines of the court, exchange balls in the center.
During the "shuttle" run.
In the direction indicated by the teacher's gesture, stop on signal.
With the pronunciation of the number that the teacher shows with his fingers.
In groups of 5-6 players within the 3-second zone, each trying to knock the ball away from the other player.
On the gymnastic bench.
Sitting on a gymnastic bench, moving forward.
While changing from a column of one to a column of four.
With transfer from behind, stop, continue dribbling.
Relay race.
"Snake" relay (driving the ball "snake" between pins in pairs, holding with free hands).
"Train" relay (the first player circles the ball around the post, comes back, the second one joins him, then they continue to dribble together, then three, etc.).
And the most mobile exercises for basketball are the well-known Salki with the ball dribbling ”(the driver with the ball tries to touch the players running away from him with his hand. The driver is forbidden to walk with the ball and throw the ball at the players).
High dribbling technique
Dribbling with a transfer behind the back
Dribbling is a technique that allows a player to move the ball around the court with a wide range of speeds and in any direction. The dribble allows you to get away from a tight defender, get the ball out from under the shield after a successful fight for the rebound and organize a swift counterattack. With the help of dribbling, you can put up a barrier to a partner or, finally, distract an opponent who is guarding a partner for a while, in order to then pass the ball to him for an attack.
In all other cases, dribbling should not be abused, so as not to reduce the speed of counterattacks and not disturb the rhythm of the game. The dribbling is carried out by successive soft pushes of the ball with one hand (or alternately right and left) down and forward somewhat away from the feet.
Double step
After a partner pass.
While running nearby, take the ball from the teacher's hands, throw after a double step.
Dribbling, double step, passing the ball to a partner instead of throwing.
Throws into the ring in pairs, triplets, fours after a double step.
Passing in a pair of two balls in motion with a double step and a throw into the ring.
Dribbling, passing back to a partner who takes a double step and throws into the ring.
Team competition (players attack different rings after dribbling and double step, counting team hits aloud).
Double step and ring shot
Retrieve the ball
Passing the ball in a double jump, positioned on both sides of the backboard.
Rebounding balls in pairs (players try to pick up and throw the ball into the ring).
Outdoor game "Fight for the ball" (players stand in circles and pass the ball to each other. Several drivers move between circles and try to intercept the ball. The one who caught the ball announces a change of circles. The one who was left without a circle becomes the leader).
Outdoor game "Get rid of the ball" (players are united into two teams that stand on different sides of the area where the balls are located. The task of the players is to throw all the balls to the opponent's area).
Methodology for teaching the basic technique in basketball to elementary school students
Exercise for developing speed - Super Shuttle
- Starting position - on the front line under the ring - Start moving to point "A" in a protective stance
and a quick jerk from “A” to “B”, we pay attention to minimizing the time to turn around -From point “B” with an added step in a protective stance, we move to the starting position -Jump and touch the shield (well, or to the ring). -Again in the defensive stance, move to "C" -Turn and jerk from "C" to "D" -Additional step in the defensive stance, return to the starting position -Jump and touch the shield or ring
Exercise for training - Zigzag
- Place 4 markers, it can be absolutely
any things: chips, balls, stones, etc.
The main thing is to spread them on the same line at
about 3 meters apart from each other -Now stand in the middle between the first and
with the second cone, measure 3 meters to the side and
be sure to put another marker
(after that you will need to put 3 more markers). - Perform a dash to the first marker - then
in a defensive stance move to the left - when you get to the marker
- step forward in a defensive stance to the right -After the last marker, perform a short jerk (3-5 meters)
Such exercises for basketball as a zigzag must be performed 6-8 times, a break is the time until you reach the start.
Exercise - shuttle with the transfer of the ball
-So, we start the movement from the front line (START). The ring is on your left. -Dash to point "A" and receive a pass from the coach (partner) -Immediately give the pass back, turn around and dash to the end line "B" -At point "B" jump out and touch the backboard, net or rings -After landing, we run out to the perimeter again, we get a pass and return it back -Again, a dash to the ring, a jump, we return to the coach, we receive a pass and now we don’t give it back -Turn around and perform a quick dribbling to the ring and finish with a lay-up or dunk.
See if you can get high enough to get your hand over the rim--almost up to your wrist--so you can stuff the mini ball. If you can't throw it down with a little authority, a bigger basketball won't be any easier. 
You'll probably get painfully close dozens of times before you break through and finally get a clean one. You're first "dunk" might be a little ugly and won't be with force. It doesn't mean it doesn't count. 
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: 
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. 
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.
It's all about technique: even with regular training and perseverance, novice adults and children often make simple mistakes. It's a shame, let's fix it. Below are 11 life hacks on how to hone your technique to increase the likelihood of a goal for your team. 
Look at the ring, not at the ball 
Do not jump when protecting the ring 
As a result, you will not only be able to cover the distance from one ring to another much faster, but you will also be able to direct the remaining energy to perform other specific basketball elements, such as a jump, feint or throw. 
The preparatory phase of the exercise for basketball goes like this: if the ball flies towards the player at chest or head level, you should stretch your arms towards the ball, with fingers and hands that are not tense, forming a kind of funnel, somewhat larger than the girth of the ball. The main phase: at the moment of contact with the ball, you need to grab it with your fingers, bringing your hands together, and bend your arms at the elbow joints, thereby pulling the ball to your chest. The final phase: after receiving the ball by the player, the body again moves slightly forward; the ball, sheltered from the opponent by spread elbows, is taken out in a position of readiness for subsequent actions. 
The main phase: as soon as the ball touches the fingers, the hand must be taken back - down, as if continuing the flight of the ball (automated movement). Finishing phase: the ball must be supported with one hand, then firmly grasped with both hands so as to be ready to proceed immediately. 
The dribble allows you to get away from a tight defender, get the ball out from under the shield after a successful fight for the rebound and organize a swift counterattack. With the help of dribbling, you can put up a barrier to a partner or, finally, distract an opponent who is guarding a partner for a while, in order to then pass the ball to him for an attack. 
The task of the players is to throw all the balls to the opponent's area). 
