Can 32 Year Old Engineer Dunk?

**CyinCo** · 06-27-2007, 02:38 PM

I used to be able to dunk. At the time, I didn't think anything of it. I was in high school and it just came naturally. Then, in college I played lots of pick up ball at the Rec. I could dunk then too and better than in high school probably because of all the jumping around in games.

After college has been a different story. I've been out for 10 years now. At one point, I had put on about 15 lbs more than I weighed in college. I have essentially quit playing bball. No pick up games. Nothing. I don't even own a hoop.

YET

I have a desire to dunk again. I recently tried at a friends house and I wasn't too far off. Since moving to CO, I'm probably in the best shape of my life. I've got my weight back down to a good number and my body fat is at about 8%. Despite all of that, my jumping ability has decreased lots.

I'm 6' 2". I'm almost 33. And I want to dunk again.

Any advice? Or am I just going to hurt myself and I should quit this right now?

As you can tell...i'm very bored today...

**SuperCy** · 06-27-2007, 02:40 PM

Get an adjustable hoop system and lower it to 8 feet.

**CyinCo** · 06-27-2007, 02:41 PM

Originally Posted by SuperCy

Get an adjustable hoop system and lower it to 8 feet.

Come on! Give me some credit. I could probably put it at 8 1/2 feet.

**rworkman83** · 06-27-2007, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by SuperCy

Get an adjustable hoop system and lower it to 8 feet.

Best posts of the day. Positive rep for you...

**cybsball20** · 06-27-2007, 02:44 PM

Plyometrics! We did a ton of plyo work my senior year of college, differnt jumps, form running, etc... There are tons of books and websites for it... I think everyone on the team had a marked improvement in their vert.

**bos** · 06-27-2007, 02:45 PM

Stand in front of a wall with your arms up and jump. While jumping tap the highest spot on the wall repeatedly. Do this a little every day and you should start to notice after awhile that you can reach higher than before. You can do other exercises to work your legs as well.

**chadm** · 06-27-2007, 02:47 PM

**dmclone** · 06-27-2007, 03:04 PM

I'm in my mid thirties, 6'1, and haven't played basketball since high school. In high school I could just barely dunk. A few years back I got the urge to play a little so I bought a ball and headed to the local court. After about 10 minutes when no one was looking I decided to see if I still had it in me. I went up to dunk it and the ball didn't even touch the bottom of the rim. I turned around, threw the basketball back in the car and decided to never try something so stupid again. I wish I would have never tried it because I always thought in the back of my mind that I still had it in me.

The good news is that I can run a mile faster than when I was in high school.

**ISUonthemove** · 06-27-2007, 03:05 PM

Have you ever tried the Strength Shoes. It gave me almost another foot in my long jump. That was in high school also, but I was able to dunk at 5'11". They really do work, but it just depends how serious you are about it. I used the in track season and the summer to train for football and basketball.

So basically what I'm saying here is, I've got a great pair of Strength Shoes for the low price of $90. That's a $35 discount. Act now! The odor is only minor.

**psycln11** · 06-27-2007, 03:07 PM

Build up the calves. The lack of running and jumping since college has probably decreased your calf muscle strength.

Although I do like some of the other suggestions also (lower the hoop and trampoline)

**CyinCo** · 06-27-2007, 03:08 PM

Originally Posted by ISUonthemove

Have you ever tried the Strength Shoes. It gave me almost another foot in my long jump. That was in high school also, but I was able to dunk at 5'11". They really do work, but it just depends how serious you are about it. I used the in track season and the summer to train for football and basketball.

So basically what I'm saying here is, I've got a great pair of Strength Shoes for the low price of $90. That's a $35 discount. Act now! The odor is only minor.

I'm not sure i'm serious enough to buy specialized equipment. Even with the discount and odor.

**isucyfan** · 06-27-2007, 03:14 PM

When I was in 8th Grade, I wanted to catch up to some friends' abilities in basketball, so one of the things I did was jump with a cinder block on my shoulders. I'm sure I would hurt something now if I tried that, but it seemed to work (and be a good idea) at the time.

**jbhtexas** · 06-27-2007, 03:16 PM

Originally Posted by CyinCo

Or am I just going to hurt myself and I should quit this right now?

And in preparation for 40 (I'm 41), I recommend that you go buy a couple of those mondo steel-reinforced knee braces and ankle braces, so that you are used to carrying the extra weight of those devices when the inevitable time comes...

A young, tall, ex-college MBB post/PF player came over to play BB with us the other night, and since it was at my house, I called, without shame or fear of ridicule, "No Dunking". Just like on the rare occasions when I golf, and all the young bucks want to tee off from the pro tees, I hit my ball from the shortest men's tee, again without shame or fear.

But I can still dunk at 8-1/2 ft

**brianhos** · 06-27-2007, 03:17 PM

Squats, Squats, Squats, increase at least 5 lbs in your squats every week, and go DEEP, butt to the calves. Also jump training, take some dumbbells and hold them out your side, squat down and explode up. Keep doing that with heavier and heavier weight.

I also use a medicine ball exercise that helps a ton, start with a 6lb ball, touch it to the floor and explode up throwing the ball straight up as high as you can, let it bounce once catch it, squat down and do it again. Keep progressing up with heavier and heavier medicine balls. I am short, but I can jump a lot higher now with after doing this routine.

**jparker22** · 06-27-2007, 03:21 PM

Originally Posted by isucyfan

When I was in 8th Grade, I wanted to catch up to some friends' abilities in basketball, so one of the things I did was jump with a cinder block on my shoulders. I'm sure I would hurt something now if I tried that, but it seemed to work (and be a good idea) at the time.

Reminds me of a joke.

A girl asks her mom how she was named.

Mother says, "Well when you were born the doctor placed you in my arms. Your father brought me flowers and a rose petal fell on your forehead. We could only call you Rose sweetie."

The girls younger sister then asks how she was named.

Mother says, "Ah, well when you were born the doctor placed you in my arms. Your father brought me flowers and a daisey petal fell on your forehead. We could only call you Daisey sweetie."

The girls youngest sister then runs up and says, "momma nyan nyan mmanhhegdm mmsngh umph.!"

And the mother says, " Oh be quiet Cinder Block!"