So, you have seen Vince Carter dunk over the 7’2 French center Frederic Weis? Right. You have seen Air Canada dunk on Alonzo Mourning. And you heard about Vinsanity touching the top of the backboard? Right, the guy has mad hoops – he just jumps out the building!
But hey, there is one good thing about jumping – it’s not about genes or how tall you are. It’s about work! You can learn to jump and you can learn to dunk!
But there are some basic secrets about increasing your vertical many people don’t even think about. Maybe because they sound quite simple. But they are crucial as well as effective. So, if you want to increase your vertical and go up like Air Canada – here are the five Vince Carter Dunk Secrets:
# 1: Loose Weight. Every pound counts. So every extra pound is unnecessary weight you have to get up in the air. And this costs a lot of energy. Even Michael Jordan had a stiff fitness workout just to avoid the extra pounds. The best dunkers in the world are athletic but at the same time quite skinny. Note: they never look like bodybuilders (s. also secret # 3). Examples? Vince, Gerald Green, Air Up There, Mike or James White. How to loose the extra pounds? Just cut the desert.
# 2: Use the Jump Rope. The two time NBA Slam Dunk Champion Jason Richardson, last year winner Nate Robinson and Vince Carter have constantly used this element in their training routines. It’s not only a perfect exercise for your coordination and quick feet but also one of the most effective for boosting your vertical jump real fast.
# 3: Don’t train too much! Yes, that’s right. Why? Because a lot of people are highly motivated at the beginning and start building muscles like bodybuilders. Thus they become heavy and attached. They try to jump, realize the extra pounds and loose motivation. How to avoid this? Don’t ever spend more than 30 minutes a day training your vertical. Otherwise you are in danger becoming too heavy.
# 4: Not the number of repetitions counts but the quality of your execution. Jumping like hell maybe ok, but not effective. Instead your should rather pay attention to your jump-motion. The technique is crucial. Make sure that you use all of your power and don’t forget to use your arms. Note: One clean jump with full strength is better than ten half-assed consecutive. Besides Air Canada Gerald Green is a perfect example for a clean execution.
# 5: Stretching – before and after the workout. A lot of people just cut that element. But the flexibility of your muscles is essential for your jumping ability. That’s why it is a basic element of Vinsanity’s day-to-day workout. Next time you watch Vince Carter dunk just pay attention how pliant his body is. Unlike Kobe Bryant who build up a lot of muscles over the last years – and lost some hoops and speed that way – Vince always attached importance to staying quick and versatile.