Could a woman under 5'10" dunk a basketball?
monikker
Posts: 322 Member
I know it's an odd question, but I'm curious.
Without a doubt, tall women can dunk. Lisa Leslie, Candace Parker, Brittney Griner etc...but I believe they're all over 6 ft or right on it.
On the men's side, guys as small/short as 5'3" (Muggsy Bogues!) have been able to dunk. Plenty of other 5'5" and 5'7" dudes have come along and dunked.
With all this in mind, my question is: could a woman around 5'8" with a fantastic fitness regimen and hard work with a program specific to increasing vertical leaping ability, ever be able to dunk?
And if anyone knows of such a training program, please link me.
Without a doubt, tall women can dunk. Lisa Leslie, Candace Parker, Brittney Griner etc...but I believe they're all over 6 ft or right on it.
On the men's side, guys as small/short as 5'3" (Muggsy Bogues!) have been able to dunk. Plenty of other 5'5" and 5'7" dudes have come along and dunked.
With all this in mind, my question is: could a woman around 5'8" with a fantastic fitness regimen and hard work with a program specific to increasing vertical leaping ability, ever be able to dunk?
And if anyone knows of such a training program, please link me.
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Also, this is assuming the goal is at its regular height, which is...10 feet?0
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Hmmm...do you have a trampoline?0
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I'm going to take a shot in the dark and say yes. I did not have a regimen that was for basketball but I did do a program that did increase my vertical. I'm 5'7" and was able to grab the rim. So give me another 3 inches in height and another 4-6 inches on my vertical and I could probably have dunked a girls ball.0
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most likely not. most 5'10" guys can't dunk on a standard rim, and when you say that "plenty of 5'7" and under guys have" what you mean to say is that .00001% of the male population at that height has been able to dunk a basketball. most men can't generate enough power for the leap so it's going to be a SUPAH special snowflake of a woman that can do it.
but SUPAH special snowflakes exist. just unlikely that they exist, AND play basketball, AND have the coordination required to dunk, AND AND AND.0 -
Yeah you're right, I wasn't thinking when I said plenty. I guess I just meant there are enough examples to be optimistic.
I did find this video of a teen at 5'7" - yes he is male though. It took him 6 months. He tracked his progress and shared it. http://youtu.be/hGvyEg4_v300 -
SemperAnticus1643 wrote: »I'm going to take a shot in the dark and say yes. I did not have a regimen that was for basketball but I did do a program that did increase my vertical. I'm 5'7" and was able to grab the rim. So give me another 3 inches in height and another 4-6 inches on my vertical and I could probably have dunked a girls ball.
Any idea what program or type of program you were doing?0 -
Any idea what program or type of program you were doing?
That was 15 years ago but I'm sure there are plenty of programs available. You could probably google "how to increase my vertical" and find a few things. I did a lot of jump rope, high jumps, squats and lateral jumps. I had actually used the program to build speed on a softball field. But I was also playing basketball in the off season and could see the difference.
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SemperAnticus1643 wrote: »I'm going to take a shot in the dark and say yes. I did not have a regimen that was for basketball but I did do a program that did increase my vertical. I'm 5'7" and was able to grab the rim. So give me another 3 inches in height and another 4-6 inches on my vertical and I could probably have dunked a girls ball.
if you're already trained and at the upper reaches of your vertical leap, adding another 4-6 inches to that is a LOT0 -
If you could grab the rim, why would need that many more inches to dunk?0
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I've seen a 5'10" guy dunk but he was 17 and an extraordinary athlete in perfect physical condition. Best girls player I've seen is person is 6'1" and can nowhere near dunk.
I'd say not likely but probably not impossible.0 -
nate robinson is 5'9" and he won the dunk competition a few years ago:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjDmyW4RJ64
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If you could grab the rim, why would need that many more inches to dunk?
Grabbing the rim versus dunking a basketball you need about 7 more inches. You only to get stuck at the rim once to know it needs more then 3-4 inches. Karch Kiraly (volleyball Olympian '84 or '88 first Olympics) had a routine where he did 24 inch box jumps with 50 pound dumbbells. He was a very unique human. Today with enhancement drugs(steroids) many Olympians have verticals greater then 40 inches. Is it possible at 5'10" odds are against it.
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I don't know about you, but, I've seen it done. I played basketball in hs and college and yes, it is possible...but it depends on the person.0
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If that 5'7" guy I posted can do it after working on it for 6 months, I bet more people around that height can. It just might take a super long time.0
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I don't know, but if that's what I wanted to do, I would do my best to get there. I might never get there, but I'd be proud of the work I'd put in, because I'd have given it all I had.0
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If you could grab the rim, why would need that many more inches to dunk?
there's a basketball that's 12 inches or so (i only remember it by it's 30 inch diameter) that has to clear the rim, and the tip of your finger is going to need to be near the top of ball. so we're not talking about touching the rim or even grabbing the rim, but getting a full hand length or more above the rim.
and there's still the coordination to consider.0 -
If that 5'7" guy I posted can do it after working on it for 6 months, I bet more people around that height can. It just might take a super long time.
that kid had incredible hops to begin with. if he actually couldn't touch the rim in week one it was because of poor technique in transferring his power, not a lack of power. add in some dedicated training, and sure, he can get there just like any short NBA player that we've seen dunk.
but, and this is a BIG BUT, we're talking an upper echelon athletic teenage male. ability to adapt to training is at its peak as well as a crapload of natural hormones flowing thru his body just begging for something to do. i'm in no way trying to downplay the athletic potential of female athletes but they are going to be at a 1000% disadvantage to a kid like this.
i am....well, i used to be, an amazing leaper. i can still out vertical everyone at my gym (we have the board).....except for one person. a 26 year old pro female volleyball player. she's AMAZING. but she can't dunk either. hell, her playing partner is 6'5" and also an incredible athlete, but she can't dunk either.
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