11/24/2025
Dr. Olson's Dunk at 50 Challenge
No one has ever accused me of being athletic. My high school basketball career was middling at best. But my greatest athletic achievement was that I could dunk a basketball. And the pinnacle of my athletic career was the one time I missed a dunk. I stole the ball on defense…raced down the court on a fastbreak…soared through the air…and as I threw the ball down it nicked the back of the rim and…rattled out. It was the closest I ever got to dunking in a real game.
Those were my high school glory days. Now fast forward to 2025. I am 49 years old and next July I turn 50. It’s been nearly 30 years since the last time I could dunk. But I think I can do it again.
For the last few years my approach to exercise has been similar to what I recommend to my patients: Strength training twice a week. As much Zone 2 as you can do. Mix in a HIIT workout at least weekly. I think this approach has served me well, but I have the rest of my life to do this. For the next 8 months I am mixing things up. I’m going to train to increase my vertical leap and maybe, just maybe, dunk a basketball again.
For the next 8 months I’ll be doing less Zone 2 and HIIT workouts, keeping the strength training (especially legs), and adding in a bunch of plyometrics: Sprints, box jumps, jump rope, broad jumps, depth jumps, skater jumps, bounding, and more.
I’m not sure I’ll ever get that much spring in my legs again, but it will be fun try. I also have a little side competition with my oldest son, Caleb. Caleb turns 16 next month, is the exact same height as me (6 ft 2.5 in), and desperately wants to be able to dunk. No way he lets his old man get there first!
What do you think? Is it possible???
