Summer Breakthrough
Let's get back to the journey and the jumping
Hello dearest reader! Welcome back to another edition of Dunk Day. If you’re reading this that means you’ve most likely read my other recent rambles, including my take on Nike’s Olympic campaign and some not-so-relevant insights on international travel rules for basketball up until 2021. And yet you’re still here, patiently waiting for me to get back to the important things now that the Olympics have concluded. So let’s return to the central motif - trying to dunk a basketball.
That hasn’t changed, and my routine has stayed relatively consistent throughout the summer, with some pleasant interruptions for travel, friends, and family that have brought welcome respite. There haven’t really been any gravity-defying updates recently, and that’s okay. This is all about finding joy in the journey. But recently, there was finally a breakthrough. As we’ve discussed, you’re still here, so I bet you want to hear all about that, don’t you?
To lean on a favorite here at Dunk Day - let me immediately caveat that breakthrough with the disclaimer that I still haven’t dunked on 10’. You’re stuck with me indefinitely, and you signed up for this (or you’re an immediate family member that I signed up for this. Either way, you’re stuck with me!) But let me promise you, dearest reader, this is a big update! Longtime followers of this Substack might remember the concept of jump balance, the skill of jumping (relatively) equally off of all four approaches. I went deep on it awhile back but this 36 second video shows the different approaches (along with how bad I was at them).
Okay but Tim what’s the breakthrough? Seems like you really enjoy building this up.
Duh. The buildup is my favorite part. Remember how you’re stuck with me indefinitely? So, the breakthrough. In a recent jump session, I tried the left-right approach, which I had always associated with left-handed dunk, but I tried my right hand. In the video you just watched, I couldn’t even do it because it felt so unnatural. The other day when I tried it, I immediately noticed a tangible difference. I don’t want to say I got up but Dennis, the king1 of one of the parks I jump at said “Man, you got nice hops!” So that’s gotta be something. Let’s compare the above video with these two other videos to really see what I’m talking about.
In the first jump here, I’m going right-left. I think of this as natural for a right hander, and my internet research into the topic seems to agree with me. This approach has felt strong but not quite life-changing in the way that will help me dunk a basketball. The second jump is left-right.
Now let’s add in the ball. I’m so close to finishing that dunk on 9’6”. You’ll know which one I’m talking about because it’ll be easy to tell cause none of the others are close. That one is off of left-right, while the rest are off of right-left.
This has been a great breakthrough, and now I need to really figure out my lobs. In my most recent jump session I dragged my fiancé along to throw them for me. She’s a good sport, and there was one attempt that was even closer than the one in the video. Stay tuned for more of those, coming your way soon (and cross your fingers I can get her to keep throwing alley-oops to me).
Oh yeah one more thing, I touched the rim on 10’ the other day. For the fourth time in my life, and first time in roughly ten years (and never consistently). How’s that for the buildup? Let’s go back to some quick math, another Dunk Day staple:
The rim is 10’ or 120”
My standing reach is 7’5” or 89”
That means I had a running vertical of 2’7” (this is a funny way to put it) or 31” (a more standard way of putting it)
I need to add another 6” to that running vert to get to my goal - this feels more attainable than it ever has
Let’s start a Dunk Day checklist for some goals along the way, mostly cause I’m excited to cross one of these off. Feels good to have some progress!
Touch the rim on 10’Dunk on 9’6”
Dunk with all approaches on 9’6”
Dunk a tennis ball on 9’10”
Dunk a tennis ball with all approaches on 9’10”
Dunk on 9’10”
Dunk with all approaches on 9’10”
Dunk a tennis ball on 10’
Dunk a tennis ball with all approaches on 10’
Celebrate. Like really, really celebrate.
Thanks, as always, for jammin with me! Stay tuned for more updates on the journey!
Dennis is a nice guy but will talk to anybody about anything for any amout of time. He can often be found playing against the local middle schoolers, quite the contrast as he seems to be missing most of his teeth and is recovering from what I presume to be an ACL tear. But he remembered my name after not seeing me for like two years, so yeah, he’s a nice guy.