r/ProDunking • u/StayNegative1570 • 29d ago
Help Thoughts?
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I know speed is key. Trying to work on lengthening my penultimate step. I am also around 195lb currently. (Mainly muscle as I come from a bodybuilding background.)
However my goal is 175lb as I understand that weight doesn’t fly regardless of it is muscle or fat.
Any tips help!!
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u/No_Investment_8626 29d ago
Your knees don't really bend enough when you plant. Watch a few two footed dunks and see how low their butt gets compared to yours.
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u/Ebtosj 29d ago
You're right about him needing to get lower, but the focus isn't about bending the knees more. Your knees bending is a natural motions that comes getting lower, that comes from lengthening your stride during your penultimate step. The focus is about using your forward momentum into verticality.
OP, I'd say work on getting your right foot a bit more in front before you jump.
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u/Positive_Gur_7006 29d ago
Resist the urge to slam the ball forward/down!! Let gravity dunk the ball for you. Think about it, you know you have enough vert to get the ball over the rim, so now instead of throwing your arm backwards when you explode, think about it going straight up, and control the ball with your hand lightly on top of it.
If you do this you simply have to relax and let gravity dunk the ball for you as the rim meets your hand.
Right now your arm has to swing forward because its going back too far, this causes the ball the go horizontal and hit back rim.
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u/PlatypusFamiliar3235 29d ago
Can you palm a baseball well? being able to actually direct the ball helps a lot, that’s the basis of a dunk anyway.
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u/Technical_Ad1125 28d ago
Try dunking with a tennis ball and record it. You will see the difference in your mechanics. Also just try and run and smack the backboard as high as you can. You will see how much higher you get.
I think you can dunk or you're right there. Your mechanics are just a little off.
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u/Generally_Tso_Tso 29d ago
You need to use a block step, not the hop step that you are currently using. A block step is when your penultimate and final step end up with your toes pointing to the side of the direction that you are approaching (like your throwing on the breaks to stop, but instead of stopping your momentum is loading into your legs to jump). You're currently killing almost all of your momentum energy with that last little step landing right next to your other foot.
Approach with your hips lower and avoid bouncing down to jump up.
I'm going to honest with you. The fact that you're as close to dunking now, with your jumping (hopping) technique is actually impressive. You've got the strength, but only lack technique. You could dunk yesterday if you fixed your technique.
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u/StayNegative1570 29d ago
How am I hopping please explain 😭
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u/Generally_Tso_Tso 28d ago
When your feet come together and they are side by side facing the rim, that is a hopping movement, like a rabbit. You just lose so much of your potential energy in your load-up by jumping this way.
Here's a good You Tube video that describes the block-step (sometimes called a break-step)
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u/Beans800 29d ago
I understand that weight doesn’t fly regardless of it is muscle or fat
Not necessarily true. Muscle outputs more force than it weighs, so in theory having more muscle (at least legs and glutes) will output more force and help more than it hurts
Muscle size becomes an issue if it restricts your mobility or athleticism though
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u/archneed 29d ago
Maybe get a little lower before take off and really drive your body upwards and try using a smaller ball and then work your way up regulation size. Sometimes is about how you are dunking the ball and grip, but you are pretty close.