Do you dream of dunking a basketball like your favorite NBA pro? If it feels like you've put in endless hours of practice and still have not been able to pull off a dunk, Mahalo's guide on how to dunk a basketball may help you master the technique.

Do you dream of dunking a basketball like your favorite NBA pro? If it feels like you've put in endless hours of practice and still have not been able to pull off a dunk, Mahalo's guide on how to dunk a basketball may help you master the technique.

• If you've watched NBA games or the annual NBA Slam Dunk Contest, you've probably learned that the slam dunk is one of the most exciting aspects of the game of basketball. As you'll know if you've tried to dunk, it's also one of the most difficult basketball skills to master.

(Creative Commons photo by terren in Virginia)

• To effectively slam dunk, you need to be able to jump fairly high. To improve your vertical jump, you'll need to tone your leg muscles. Some of the exercises that target your leg muscles and can help you build the power you'll need to dunk include:

1. Squats
2. Lunges
3. Squat jumps
4. Jumping rope
5. Leg presses

• Although you may find yourself most impressed by the two-handed dunk, most people can get more air and have increased dunking success by taking off from one foot and dunking with one hand. To maintain stability and balance while jumping, you'll likely want to jump with one foot while dunking with the opposite hand. So, if you're a right-handed shot, take off with your left foot while holding the ball in your right hand—like a lay-up, but with a much higher jump. To fully concentrate on jumping, try mastering this technique without a ball at first. Try to touch the rim—if you can, you're almost there.

• Once you feel that your jumping is up to par, it's time to try dunking. If you find yourself unable to dunk a basketball, practice your technique using a smaller ball, like a golf ball or tennis ball. If you're having some success dunking these smaller balls, gradually work your way up to dunking a full-sized basketball.

• Like most sports-based skills, learning how to dunk a basketball requires not only athletic ability, but also lots of practice. Learn the right technique and keep practicing, and you may find yourself dunking like the pros.

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• Introduction
• Step 1: Get In Shape
• Step 2: Lean How to Jump
• Step 3: Practice
• Conclusion