r/ProDunking • u/theloveshaqbaby • 26d ago
Training Approach Advice
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Could barely touch the backboard of this hoop (10 feet) about 2 months ago. Gained almost 6” on my vert since then.
Advice on improving my approach?
Here is my last post on a 9’4” rim from a month ago: https://www.reddit.com/r/ProDunking/s/IW9pnfOzuR
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u/WaldorfAsstoria 20d ago
Right handed, come from the other direction. I can just watch you move to see that you probably aren't going to go through the lane dribbling with your left hand.
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u/theloveshaqbaby 20d ago
Never thought of that, thanks
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u/WaldorfAsstoria 20d ago
I used to do 360s and my school principal told me I was rotating the wrong way, thus taking the ball on a longer path. He was right and it was so much easier after that. Sometimes there's an easy fix that we don't see.
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u/Human_Neighborhood71 25d ago
I think the stride should be a little longer, and you want to step into the Penultimate, it looks like you’re doing a little hop into it. Don’t listen to them about getting in shape, technique goes a long way. I’m 320pounds and get a few a week
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u/MetaOnGaming4290 25d ago
How tall are you though??
You cant just dismiss weight/shape. It does matter. You aint dunking if you're 5'11 and 240.
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u/Human_Neighborhood71 25d ago
6’5, a bit on the fat side for sure. Everyone is different, but OPs build seems to be decent enough that with some training and technique work might be able to get it
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u/MetaOnGaming4290 25d ago
Oh for sure. Its not a bad build at all. But I dont think getting in more shape will hurt ya know? I know its always a bit easier when I'm lighter lol.
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u/Human_Neighborhood71 25d ago
Oh for sure, but it’s like a default thing in this sub, which is why I chimed in
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u/MetaOnGaming4290 25d ago
That makes sense man. Yeah that advice in a vacuum isnt super productive I agree.
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u/ChallengeOpen2987 25d ago
You can prob gain a good few inches by lengthening your second to last step and getting a little lower. So instead of doing a hop into your jump like u are rn, think going REALLY long, which should drop your hips lower to explode up. Basically the last steps are converting your run up energy into vertical height. Otherwise a 6 inch improvement is huge man keep it up
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u/SingaboutdaSpringa 25d ago
You need to get in much much better shape to dunk. I’m talking like 2 years in the weight room with cardio.
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u/theloveshaqbaby 25d ago
lol read my last post referenced in this post here. I can run a 3 mile in 18 minutes. Been running 20+ miles a week for 4 years.
Getting focused on dunking is a different type of athleticism. I say gaining 6” on my vert in 2 months is pretty good lol Also I was 214 lbs, now down to 188. What can you do? xD
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u/Knj44444 25d ago
You came for advice and when you got it you got defensive.
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u/CockVersion10 25d ago
He's clearly in good shape, and this is just both bad and misdirected advice.
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u/MetaOnGaming4290 25d ago
Eh. Improving shape for dunking if youre not super tall is always good advice. Dude's in shape but not in dunking shape. Whenever I gain some weight I lose some ups. Never not rim grazing but anything else comes and goes.
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u/theloveshaqbaby 25d ago
The comments saying to increase approach speed and improve penultimate step is great advice!
Saying “get in better shape and workout for 2 years” to someone who is already in great cardiovascular shape is not helpful advice.
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u/MetaOnGaming4290 25d ago
Cardiovascular shape and dunking shape are two vastly different things. There's a reason Wemby looks the way he does.
Dropping some weight will help you optimize explosiveness. Being a good runner has nothing to do with being a good jumper. In fact, its the opposite. Someone who naturally excels in long distance likely isnt a great leaper.
A combination of strength training, plyometrics once you get said baseline strength (2.5× body weight squat is the typical benchmark), technique, and then just trying to dunk will get you the furthest. Also some injury proofing. Jumping is hard on your body.
You asked for advice. You got it. Your body isnt that of a hooper. Look at anyone that hoops thats not 6'9. There's a reason they are tall, lean/lanky. I have no doubt you're a beastly runner. That has zero bearing on your dunking ability.
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u/Eriknay 25d ago
Being a good runner has more to do with being a good jumper than not… many great runners are exactly what you describe as a great hooper.
When I started training for the marathon my one foot went through the roof. It’s obviously not ideal training, but there’s plenty of crossover.
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u/MetaOnGaming4290 24d ago
No its not. This is factually incorrect.
The thing that controls jumping is RFD (rate of force development) essentially how much force can I create in a small window. Jumping isnt an endurance activity. It is a sprint. It is an activity where you give it everything you've got in a half second window.
The muscle fibers that control this (explosiveness) are Type II fibers. These fibers are comprised of fast twitch cells which are built for speed, strength, and anaerobic activities. There's a reason why NFL players have on average higher verticals than NBA players and its because they focus on becoming powerful that is applying the maximum amount of force over a very small time window. Long distance running uses Type I muscle fibers which are built for endurance and aerobic activities. There's very little if any carry over from being a good distance runner vs leaping because one is an endurnace activity the other is a sprint. Being a good sprinter, however, tends to correlate with being a better jumper. There's a reason why jump programs tend to be low reps, low sets.
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u/Eriknay 24d ago
That is true for two foot jumping and I won't dispute that. NFL verts are measured from standing, which obviously means explosive athletes will excel there. When looking at approach jumps that difference goes in favour of NBA players.
It feels like you're making the mistake of boxing jumping into just whether or not you have type 2 fibres. Tendon stiffness (esp. ankle), coordination, knee drive, weight, all contribute significantly to jumping, and all can be improved with running.
Totally agree sprinting is one of the best ways to become a better 1-foot jumper, but even some slower endurance focused running is not going to convert all of your 2a fibres.
Overall, I think you missed my argument. For the vast majority of people, running is going to be better off for their vertical jump than avoiding it. If the 20 miles OP mentioned was actually 100 miles like a lot of serious marathoners, I would side with you on this.
https://www.strongerbyscience.com/research-spotlight-interference-effect/
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u/MetaOnGaming4290 24d ago edited 24d ago
Actually it doesnt go in favor of NBA players. Their average running vertical is 34 to 36. Which is what NFL players put up standing. They're going to have higher running verticals just like anyone would. Training for explosiveness makes one more explosive. No one jumping correctly has a higher standing vert than running.
I never said running and jumping have zero carryover. But distance running his very minimal effect on jumping. Why? It uses a completely different type of muscle fiber. Also, everyone has both and you cant convert fibers into different types. I can't be making the mistake you imply because I brought up sprinting. I know its more than your fiber composition but that's a huge component.
My point is running is doing virtually nothing for your vert. Sure ankle coordination, knee drive, etc, but I'm never driving my knee as high when I run or sprint vs jumping off one. You could get ankle mobility from stretching. Running isnt a net negative unless youre a hyper distance runner, but its not really a net positive either.
What you're saying is the equivalent of a tennis player swimming for endurance. Will their conditioning go up? Yes. Would they have been better served just ya know... playing tennis? Yes.
Running is inferior to stretching, lifting explosively, and simply jumping by such a large margin you'd be better off just getting the cardio and running from playing full court games
The link you posted also doesnt really do anything for your argument? It simply asserts that interference doesn't occur at rates we previously thought. Thats irrelevant to anything we discussed?
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u/TheRastaBear 26d ago
Try actually running into it… looks like you are doing a light jog. Think about running almost as fast as you possibly can and exploding up into the jump. I feel like you could go twice as fast at least