This episode might be one of the most educational conversations we’ve ever had on the podcast. I (Dylan Haugen) and my co-host Hunter Castona sat down with Sam Liu, who is not only a dunker himself but also a PhD candidate researching the biomechanics of dunking and jumping. Sam breaks down the actual science behind how we generate force when we jump, and the insights from his research will change how you think about your approach and takeoff.
Who Is Sam Liu?
Sam is 5’11” and describes himself as a “dunk enjoyer.” He played basketball growing up, which is what got him into dunking, and his passion for the sport led him to pursue it academically. He’s currently a PhD candidate studying sport biomechanics, with his research focused specifically on the mechanics of dunking and baseball pitching. His research papers are published on ResearchGate, and he brings a level of scientific rigor to the dunk community that we rarely see. You can find him on Instagram @sam_likes_biomechanics and YouTube @samlikesbiomechanics8123.
The Plant Leg Does Way More Than You Think
One of the biggest takeaways from Sam’s research is about the plant leg versus the block leg during a running jump. Most dunkers think of the block leg as the one that generates upward force, but Sam’s data shows that the plant leg (the penultimate step leg) actually does the majority of both the deceleration and the upward force production. This was a consistent finding across essentially every subject in his study, which in biomechanics research is unusual — when you see that kind of universal trend, it means it’s a fundamental feature of the movement itself, not just individual variation.
Why Dunking Should Have Coaching
Sam made a really compelling argument that I hadn’t fully considered before. High jump has coaches. Long jump has coaches. Every track and field event that involves jumping has dedicated technique coaching. So why does the dunk community largely treat jumping technique as something you just figure out naturally? Sam’s counterargument to the “natural athlete” position is straightforward: yes, there are genetically gifted jumpers like Jordan Kilganon who seem to just have it, but that doesn’t mean coaching wouldn’t make them even better or help the rest of us close the gap. The science behind optimal approach angles, penultimate step mechanics, and force application is well-established — it just hasn’t been widely applied to dunking yet.
Applying Biomechanics to Your Training
The practical side of this conversation was incredibly valuable. Understanding that your plant leg is doing the heavy lifting (literally) during takeoff changes how you should think about your approach. It means the penultimate step — the second-to-last step before you leave the ground — deserves way more attention in your training than most dunkers give it. Strengthening that plant leg, optimizing your approach speed, and understanding how deceleration converts to vertical force are all areas where biomechanics research can directly translate into more inches on your vertical.
This episode is a must-watch for any dunker who wants to understand the science behind their jumping. Watch the full conversation with Sam Liu above, and check out his research papers on ResearchGate. Subscribe to the Dunk Talk Podcast on YouTube so you never miss an episode.