Josh Smith from the Atlanta Hawks is a hell of a dunker. In fact, the 6' 9'' small forward may now have the highest vertical in the NBA (41-inch). The 2005 Slam Dunk Champion had more dunks (101) last season (2006-2007) than Vince Carter (86), Shaquille O'Neil (83), Kobe Bryant (59) or Dwyane Wade (59)!

"I first learned how to dunk at age 13, going from seventh grade to eighth. I was going in for a layup and I kept rising, so I figured let's keep going here, and I dunked it." - Josh Smith

The 21 year old always had decent jumping ability, but that doesn't mean he doesn't work on it at all. Far from it! Just about every morning of the NBA off-season Smith heads down to the gym. There, he spends a lot of time on two things:lifting and plyometrics. Josh Smith' jumping program has two essential elements, both of which focus on:

strength and quickness

The first part of the workout consists of Olympic-style weightlifting moves like the push press and hang clean, which combine traditional strengthening exercises with plyometric-like moves.

The second part is all about the plyometrics themselves. Plyometrics work the lengthening contraction of a muscle and then follow it quickly with a concentric contraction, which has particular benefits for basketball players looking to jump higher and more quickly.

If your legs are already strong enough (that means you have been training your legs for some time), you can add the following elements to your workout twice a week for the power and quickness you need to rise in the air for a dunk. If not, you first have to establish a basic leg strength to avoid injuries.

Push Press:

Start the exercise with a barbell across the top of your back. Keep your ankles and torso rigid and your heels on the floor, bend quickly at the knees and hips and then explode upward, pushing the barbell up so it's extended over your head. Bend your knees as you bring the barbell back to your shoulders, and repeat. Never do more than five reps. Start with light weights; when your technique is solid, add weight and do four sets of just one or two reps.

Hang Clean:

Hold the bar just above the knees with your hips back and your torso at a 45-degree angle to the floor. Explode hips forward, and pull the bar up along your body. Raise onto your toes, shrug your shoulders, and quickly pull your body forward, catching the bar across the front of your shoulders as you assume a squat position. Keep your elbows forward as you stand. Start with light weights and do three to five sets of five reps. Add weight later and work to one rep per set.

For more exercises and crucial things to know about vertical jump (f.e. why often what you "don't" do is more important then what you "do" do) please take a look at this page I strongly recommend:

www.howtodunk.org

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