It is the golden egg of the basketball court, easily achievable by the NBA giants, but an unattainable feat for many, or so they would think. Spud Webb is 5-foot-7, a foot shorter than the NBA average, and a regular killer. Before he rose to fame, however, Webb overcame many challenges early in his basketball career. He was often discriminated against for his small stature.But when allowed to try out for his high school team, he proved to be such an impressive player that he was offered a scholarship to the University of North Carolina.In his first practice session, Webb scored a slam- Two-handed dunk at the tiny 4’11 “height. With his arms outstretched, he had a reach of almost two meters, but this still required a vertical lift of more than a meter, more than half his own height. He eventually won the 1986 NBA Slam Dunk competition, in a sport in which many players can easily flip while standing on the ground.

Before thinking about how to catch the ball or whether to do a 360 windmill or alley-oop from the board, you need to develop your vertical jump. This is not just the key to diving, but a fundamental skill in basketball. Obviously it helps to be a basketball player as you will have developed your muscles in the correct way to jump, but if all you want to do is capsize then you will need to train seriously.

Official basketball hoops are 10 feet tall, an official basketball is just under 9.5 “and you need to grab the ball from the top to push it down through the hoop, so you should assume you will need a minimum vertical reach of 10 ’10 “, for reference that’s about as tall as the top of the storage box on the dash. Being able to touch the rim is a start, but if that’s as far as you can go, you’re far from diving in.

The best way to build your body strength for high jumps is to squat with your full back; it works on the back and all parts of the legs. Preferably use proper weights, but if you don’t have any, hold sandbags or something heavy on your shoulders or head and keep your back straight, repeat squats as many times as possible every day. Repetition is key, but be sure to increase your load when it is bearable.

At game speed, a typical dunk is done with a quick run, so practice high-intensity sprints with quick turns like any standard basketball workout. A good run will allow you to gain more height with your speed and to perform better and more useful dunks that can be used in the game. Train jumping with both legs and one leg, as a run only allows you to jump with one foot.

It’s important to visualize your success as blasting into the ring with your legs. It will be easier to get higher if you can imagine how you will jump instead of just aiming for that ring. Practice this and other techniques away from a ring, if you are in a sports hall, reach for the high ceilings as you will never really get there and will always strive to get higher.

Once you’ve developed the vertical jump needed to hit a dunk, it helps to develop your dunk technique, which most assume is how you hold the ball. In fact, the key to your technique is running and taking off. As you crouch down, ready to jump, swing your arms up forcefully just before jumping, as this is the only time your arms will help your reach, once in the air, they can only be helpful if extend. It helps to be able to catch the ball with one hand, but if you can’t, you’ll have to make up for it, as two-handed dunks are more difficult.

When you are going to do a dunk, dribble towards the basket with speed, hold the ball about 10 – 12 feet from the basket, take your two allowed steps at full speed, in the second step; push up and use all your strength in your jump. To avoid losing the ball, keep your arm extended, hit the ball hard through the hoop to make sure it goes in, avoid hanging from the hoop as it is not cold and you may also be penalized. Finally, act as if it is not your first dunk, nor the last, in addition to a tactical play, the dunk is a psychological tool against your opponent since it is very difficult to defend yourself.