i'm 16 and i am 5'8 or maybe 5'9 and i can touch the rim. i am trying to dunk by summer 2007. i need help
912516
This is such a fun question.  I don't want to hold you back but as you advance toward your goal, please remember my experience and  advice.   I completely severed the bone in my left arm known as the humorous, it was quite horrifying, while attempting my very first dunk.    Take what you are trying to do serious and advance incrementally while avoiding injury.   \n\nThe largest and most powerful muscles are in your hips and buttocks.  Do exercises that strengthen and tone these areas such as lunges and thrust ups (put your jumping leg up on a chair then from a still position use your hip muscle to thrust yourself straight up).  Jump rope, especially the weighted ones.  \n\nThe next point will seem not important but I think otherwise.  In later years even though my jumping level decreased, I could dunk easier.   I did not grow and get a bigger hand, just much stronger grip.  Use one of those grip squeeze exercises tools and practice lifting (palming) a basketball with one hand.\n  \nAnd one last thing, watch Jordan (on old highlight tapes) on his dunk where he takes off from the free throw line during the NBA slam dunk contest.  Note how when he lands he keeps his shoulders square with the direction he is soaring and absorbs the landing shock with his knees in the proper position.  Short guys like us can sometimes get rotated when we are way up there and it makes for harsh landings; I also blew my leg out having not realized this last point.  I tore multiple ligaments and now I can't soar to score.\n\nStay healthy!
752382
Bulk up a little if you want to be a power forward.  Also work on your quickness and jumping ability.  You are going to have to work harder to jump higher since you are at a disadvantage in height.  The extra mass (muscle of course) will help you to box out the taller players.  \n\nGood luck.  Work hard.
817528
To be sure you could go to a growth specialist, but my guess is that you will grow to be at least on the shorter end of average. Don't expect to be NBA tall, but also don't worry so much about your height, you are many years before your growth stops.
812305
start by practicing your approach to the basket without a ball. timing and movement are more important than anything else at this point. you need to time your foot work with your layup. after about a couple days or so use the ball. this will help you judge more accurately the timing you need to let go of the ball on the height of your jump toward the basket. of course doing this with your left hand if you are right handed will take some time to master but it will help. good luck
587363
well you have do develop speed and quickness. try running sprints often. also ball control is very much needed. this can be achieved by dribbling 2 balls at once this will give you great ball control. then of course your shooting. just shoot 100 shots per area on the court. If you use to be a 4-5 and can achieve this you will be a good 1-2
968363
play as much as possible...try to play with people who are better than you so that you will always have a challenge and continue to improve...meanwhile try looking for some basketball camps for the summer and go there, you can also buy a dvd called "Better Basketball" it helps trust me...so do these things and you WILL be the best
713088
Play as much basketball as possible. I mean alot of basketball. To get to the NBA, you have to have three thrings...Natural ability, strong work ethic, and lots of luck. And being over 6 feet doesn't hurt at all.
854743
You should play basketball regularly.\nShould hang on a bar by holding the bar with hands regularly three times a day.\nshould while standing on your feet touch the ground with flat hands without bending your knees ten times a day.\nThese things will definitely help you in gaining height.
749130
There are alot of things you can do to help your game. Do some dribbling drills where you are on both sides of the court looking at the rim only. Do straight dribbles with both right and left hands, making sure the ball does not go above your waist. Then do between the legs down the court with your head facing the basket and still looking at the rim. Every dribbling drill you do, you should ALWAYS be looking at the rim. The reason you look at the rim is because it helps you with your court vision, giving you the ability to see the whole floor and not miss your teammates when they're open. You should be low on your dribbles all the time. Then go up and down the court going between your legs backwards, the same way you go between your legs frontward, do it backwards.  Then go behind your back up and down. MAKE SURE YOU  ARE LOOKING AT THE BASKET! Then take 3 dribbles to the right and go between the legs and dribble to the left (with the left hand) and do the same thing down the floor, LOOKING AT THE BASKET. Those are just some things to start out with. You can email me and I will help you out a little more. But if you cannot look at the basket while you are doing some of these drills, you will not improve your dribbling skills. You must use all three lanes when doing these drills also. Start on the left side of the court and then go to the right side and finish off in the middle and watch your court vision increase.  \nAs far as shooting goes, you need a partner. It is okay to shoot by yourself sometimes but you need to have a partner that can get your rebounds. The one thing I suggest by yourself is to shoot a lot of free throws and dribble from the timeline to second hash mark line where you set up for free throws and shoot from there. Then do the same thing, this time shoot from the 3rd line. But shooting you need a partner. \nGOD BLESS YOU and good luck this year
107361
from one basketball player to another. I learned how to jump playing volleyball. stand against the wall and jump as far as you can, have someone mark it and then try to touch it again and again. as time goes on move up the mark and try to touch it. you have to do this about 30 times I'd say about three times a day. You can put ankle weights on too, just wear shoes.
587637
The first guy who answered was retarded. If you want to get better you must\nA.)Practice your jump shot. Copy Jordan's. You must be able to jump in the air then shoot. That will enable you to do more difficult things like turn arounds, and fade aways.\nB.)Practice your ball handling. It may not always be fun, but unless you are 6 foot 8 you will need superior ball handling skills. You need a crossover and to be able to dribble with both hands.\nC.)Your inside game. The left handed lay-up will give you an edge because you will be able to go left or right. Work on hook shots, and floaters as well. \nD.)You must play people better than you and be willing to get your butt spanked for a while before you will learn little tricks they do and eventually surpass them through practice and hard work.\nE.)You must be in great cardio shape. Which means running a lot. Sprinting makes you faster.\n\n*Here's a little trick. Notice which foot your defender has closest to you and drive in that direction. They have less time to adjust that way. It's less effective to drive the other way unless you're gonna pull up and fade away, or your defender is slower than you.
697188
Being short is not a curse. I am 18 years old and have been 4 11 since i was a sophomore in High school. I love being the way I am. I would not want to be any taller if I had the chance. You still have time to grow. Just eat healthy and perhaps you can get the most out of the growing time you have left. If you want to know whether or not you are done growing go to your doctor and get an x-ray of your growth plates in your legs. If they are fused together you are done growing. I have been done for  a very long time. Embrace your height, it is not a bad thing. Granted you will never be a basket ball player but you have many other things to your advantage.
1013981
I'm 17 I just started playing when i was 14 and I'm already pretty good. I'm addicted to basketball that's why I'm better already than some of my friends who have liked far longer than me (not that i'm bragging). I can't dunk though hehe i'm only 5'7 and I don't really get to work out my legs regularly because I have to study.
185905
I say you go to some bball camps and do some workouts over the summer. Play some pick up games and anything that will improve your basketball ability.
959792
here r somethings u can do 2 become better.. \n\nFigure 8's - with dribble \nSpread legs dribble the ball in a figure eight motion around and between the legs. Do this with a lot of dribbles and then with as few as possible. Stay low! \n\n\nDrum dribble \nEither standing or on one knee have players dribble ball changing hands with each touch. Start with a steady dribble then work down to super fast low dribbles. then have them dribble with one finger on each hand and with their balled up fist. \n\nKeep your head up\nWhen you dribble the ball, your intent is to go somewhere. Maybe you are dribbling up the court on a fast break, maybe you are dribbling to the wing as part of the offense, or maybe you are driving past the defender and to the basket. Whatever your goal and wherever you are going, you need to see the floor. Never dribble the ball with your head down, looking at the ball. By keeping your head up and seeing the floor, you can see where the defense is and what your next move might have to be. You can also see where your teammates are, who might be open, and what a good passing opportunity might be.\n\nThis is a great drill for getting used to dribbling with your head up so you can see the floor: simply start at one baseline and dribble full speed the full length of the court, keeping your head up at all times. DO NOT look down at the ball. Switch hands at half court. You can also try this drill with your eyes closed. But only dribble at half speed, and make sure to open your eyes after a few dribbles to make sure you aren't going to run into anything.\n\n\nBe able to dribble with either hand\nIf you can only dribble effectively with your strong hand, you are very limited as an offensive threat. If I'm a defender, and I know you can only dribble to your right side, it will be very easy to guard you. But if you can drive to either your right or left, and have a good outside shot, then you're a real threat. Then I have to guard against a shot, and a drive to either side. Now you've got me guessing about what you might do next. Work on dribbling with both hands so that you don't have a weak dribbling hand. Work at it enough that you can dribble and drive to the baset equally well with either hand.\n\nThere are two ways to build your off-hand dribbling skills: one is simply to practice with your off hand. Make a point to do ONLY off hand dribbling drills for 15 or 20 mins a day for the next week. You'll be amazed at how much better your off hand will be in just that short amount of time.\n\nAnother amazing set of drills for developing your off hand are two-ball drills. Get two basketballs and start off at the baseline. Dribble both balls in a zig-zag pattern for the full length of the court, bouncing the balls at the same time. Once you reach the other end of the floor, do the same drill, but this time bounce the balls at different times (one ball hits the ground as the other ball comes up to your other hand, etc.). Remember, don't look down at the balls as you dribble. Do these drills for a few weeks and your off hand dribbling ability will be much improved.\n\n\nBALL SLAP DRILL \nThe ball slap drill is performed by taking the ball and with your left hand slap the ball hard, and then taking your right hand and slap the ball hard. This ball slap drill is a good way to warm your hands up and this will help you get a good feel for the ball. Continue performing the slap the ball dribbling drill until your hands are good, awake, and ready to begin. \n\n\nAROUND THE WORLD DRILL \nBasketball Dribbling Drill #2: The around the world basketball drill stats by circling the ball around your head, than your waist, and finally put your legs together and take the ball around both legs at the knees. Then, bend at the waist, spread your legs, and circle the ball around one leg, then the other. The around the world basketball drill will give you a great feel for the ball in addition to hand coordination and
293247
DUDE IM 5'11 208 IN VARSITY I PLAY DE AND I WAS 5'9 220 IN JV WHEN I PLAYED DT/DE SO YEAH IT MATTERS YOUR AGE IF YOUR 13 14 THEN YOU WILL GROW IF YOUR 16 17 DONT COUNT ON IT. JUST BE GOOD WITH THE SIZE YOU GOT. IM A SOPHMORE IN VARSITY.
724350
i know people who that height who can dunk