Dwight howard it was a bit disappointing in the NBA slam dunk contest 2009… At least now we know he can nail a 12 foot hoop! He was actually most impressive in 2008, as he won with an arsenal of never-before-seen huge dunks (including the sick superman).

By the way, did you know that Dwight can kiss the edge? And remember the 2007 Slam Dunk Contest where he completed an alley oop dunk from his teammate Jameer Nelson and pasted a sticker on the dash that reached 12 feet 6 inches?

Here’s another interesting tidbit: Did you know that the 23-year-old Orlando Magic Center had the most dunks in the NBA in the past three seasons? This season (2008-2009) he already leads the league in dunks (127 until All Star Break).

By now it should be clean, the guy can jump; actually has a 39-inch vertical.

So what is your training about?

First of all, Dwight is a rebounding machine. And fighting for rebounds requires more than great benefits. First of all, you need strong lower back muscles to explode towards the ball. That’s why The Beast includes back extensions or single leg deadlifts in every workout. But in addition to these exercises, Dwight also uses some special plyometric exercises to improve his vertical:

Tuck Jump:

Starting position: half squat position with hips back, knees on toes and shoulders on knees. Keep your hands extended in front of you for balance.
Then jump as high as you can and bring your knees to your chest at the top of the jump. Land with your hips back and your shoulders on your knees. Hold this position for 2 seconds and repeat the jump.

Squat jump:

Starting position: squat with hands touching the ground in front of toes with feet shoulder-width apart. The knees should be bent at 90 degrees. Then jump as high as you can and land with your hips back, your knees on your toes in the starting position. Immediately repeat the jump for 15 seconds.

Besides weight training, what does the 6’11 ” Core do to gain its inhuman strength?
“Every night I play a boxing video game (Fight Night Round 2). Between each round I do 20 to 40 push-ups.” – Dwight Howard

Dwight averages 10 games a night, from two rounds to 12. His estimate: 400 push-ups a night.

For more exercises and crucial things to know about vertical jump (why what you “don’t” do is often more important than what you “do”), check out this page. I highly recommend: