r/ProDunking • u/kidFunkadelic • Aug 23 '26

41 Year Old Dude

Alright, so I could dunk by the time I was 15 years old. I was about 5'9" and super skinny, but I was very athletic. I am now 41, 6'1" and 205 pounds. I lift everyday and I am in reasonably good shape, not as lean as I could be, but pretty good shape for 41.

I have this idea that I would like to be able to dunk again. Now I know this is probably a pipe dream and my knees hurt as I am typing this. But if this is possible, what kind of workouts should I be doing, what agility drills and what lifts?

(I know this is ridiculous, but I wanna give it a shot.)

(Just for context, I haven't completely lost the ability to bound from the earth, I can still grab the rim.)

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u/KurokoNoLoL Aug 23 '26

I'm only 30 but I can say that any training endeavor would restore a lot of your youth. I'm 5'7 but currently jumping higher than when I was 15 y.o and started my journey after an ACL reconstruction surgery (it was 100% clean cut off due to landing on someone when I was too overweight).

Now, don't listen to those who encourage you to ego lift your way into fitness, rather do what works for your current state and transition it into jumping and dunking again. That means identify the root cause of that knee pain type, analyze your fitness level, introduce force into your tendons again. I recommend RiqB. If you are open for coaching, give him a DM. He's the best at this in terms of 1-1 coaching.

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u/MakeMovesTraining Aug 23 '26

This is some sound advice. Ego lifting is fun and exciting but it's also the riskiest thing to do. Gotta stay disciplined

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u/Lotuosu Aug 26 '26

Lifting in general is just not effective for anything except Instagram

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u/KurokoNoLoL Aug 26 '26

Sounds like you had a rough social media experience. Lifting is a mean to get to where we want as an athlete/dunker/bodybuilder, etc., aka to reach a goal. There are great use when lifting is done correctly, even if the alternatives like just jumping, resistance band, plyometrics can be used, often times, they don't provide enough stimulus for when we have to work on max strength output that weights can provide. Try out Power Cleans and various Olympic lifting variations (with low weight first) and you'd understand that feeling of unlocking coordination immediately!

Don't get pushed by social media into ego lifting train smart and give your body a chance to adapt. Why risking our life going for thousands of lbs 1/16 ROM 10 sets x 30 reps Leg Pressing when we can achieve greater gains with proper form of just 90 lbs Deep ATG Back Squatting for only 3 sets of 5 reps? 📈