A new (but familiar) challenge...

When New Year's 2015 came around, I chose to make a resolution that was more fun than the standard "lose weight" or "make more money".  I wanted to make a health-focused resolution, but also set myself up for a challenge that I would actually enjoy taking on.

Before I get to my 2015 goal, a bit more about me:  I'm 38 years old, and married with 2 young daughters. I have a career that keeps me extremely busy, but I try to make it to a weekly Monday night basketball game if I'm in town.

I also love watching basketball - NBA, NCAA, and beyond. Each year since I was a kid, the NBA Slam Dunk contest was something I'd make sure to both watch live AND record so that me and my friends could replay every dunk over and over to study and then try to later emulate in our driveways and school gymnasiums.

In high school, I could dunk. I first remember dunking at the end of grade 9 (on one of the slightly bent rims in my high school gym). By grade 10, I could dunk on a regulation 10ft rim, and by grades 11-12, I could occasionally throw down a few trickier ones. The last time I remember being able to dunk consistently was during university in my early twenties.

So - my 2015 resolution is not to dunk for the first time... but rather to dunk for the first time IN OVER 15 YEARS.

A few key stats:
Height = 6'3"
Weight (as of January 1st 2015) = 226 lbs.
Standing Reach = Approximately 8'1" (97")

Now, when it comes to my vertical jump, I haven't yet measured it accurately. However, using some rudimentary tests, I'd estimate a standing vertical of 23" (I can barely touch a 10' rim), and a running vertical of about 27" (I can get my fingers over the rim).

As you can see, I have a lot of advantages aiding me in my quest:  I'm tall enough, I have long arms & big hands, and I've dunked in the past.  However, the days of throwing down bounce dunks in high school gyms are well behind me, and I'm carrying an extra 40+ lbs from my high school days.


This is where my quest begins... stay tuned for updates (including some videos) throughout 2015!