Alright, so I’ve been trying to improve my vertical lately, and naturally, I’ve been looking at some of the NBA’s high-flyers for inspiration. Lauri Markkanen’s dunks have always caught my eye – he’s got that smooth, powerful style.
So, I started by watching a bunch of Markkanen’s highlight reels. Just over and over. I wasn’t really doing anything scientific, just trying to get a feel for his movement, his approach, and how he explodes off the ground.
Breaking It Down
Then I went a bit further. I started to Focus my attention on the following points:
- The Approach: How many steps does he take? Where does he start his run-up?
- The Plant: Which foot does he plant with? How far is it from the basket?
- The Jump: Does he jump off one foot or two? How high does he get his hips?
- The Finish: How does he extend his arm? Does he dunk with one hand or two?
After getting a decent visual, I headed to the gym. First, I just warmed up, some light jogging, stretching, you know the drill. Then I started practicing my approach. I wasn’t even worried about dunking at first, just trying to mimic Markkanen’s run-up, the rhythm of his steps.
Next, I focused on the plant. This felt awkward at first. I’m used to planting off my left foot, but Markkanen often plants off his right. So, I spent a good amount of time just jumping off my right foot, getting used to the feeling, building up that explosive power.
It felt weird, I am not gonna lie. It’s like my body was not used to it or something. It felt way better and smoother when using my left foot.
Finally, I started actually trying to dunk. And… yeah, it wasn’t pretty. I clanked a few off the rim, missed a couple completely. But I kept at it, trying to incorporate everything I’d observed and practiced. Slowly, I started to get a little more air, a little more control.
I definitely haven’t mastered the “Markkanen dunk” yet, but I feel like I’m making progress. It’s all about repetition, breaking down the mechanics, and building up that muscle memory. I’ll keep working on it, and maybe one day I’ll be throwing it down with the same kind of effortless power as Lauri.
