On a Wednesday back in September of 2024, I was supposed to have a normal low rim dunk session.
But a tweaked right shoulder changed all of that. I couldn’t lift my arm past a certain angle without sharp pain, and instead of pushing through it and making things worse, I made a decision to only dunk with my left hand.
It ended up being one of the most unexpectedly productive weeks I’ve had in a long time, even if it came with more injuries along the way.
Why I Trained Left-Hand-Only
I almost never dunk with my left hand. It’s weak, undertrained, and awkward. But if you watch top-tier dunkers like Jordan Kilganon or Isaiah Rivera, they’re fluid with both hands. That’s not a coincidence, it’s a skill they’ve built on purpose.
I’ve known for a while that developing my off-hand would make me more balanced, but it’s hard to commit to something you’re not good at. This week forced me to finally do it.
What Happened During the Session
I went outside that day with a plan: low rim, mostly 9 feet, left hand only. On the first few attempts my timing felt off, the power behind my dunks wasn’t there, and even my landings felt awkward.
What I didn’t anticipate was the physical cost. Midway through the session, I pulled something in my quad. My plant is slightly different when I jump off my left-right plant for left-hand dunks compared to right-hand. And since I don’t practice those often, my body wasn’t ready for the load.
By the end of the session, my left knee and right knee were both feeling early signs of patellar tendonitis. My quad was sore, borderline pulled. I cut the session short after about 30 minutes and tried to play it safe.
What I Got Out of It Anyway
Even though I was hurting, I still walked away with one big win:
I hit a left-hand Eastbay on a 9 feet rim.
I’d never landed that dunk with my left before. That alone made the session worth it.
In fact, I probably did more left-hand dunks that day than I had in the last year combined.
The Aftermath: Group Session in Minnesota
That Saturday, I had a group dunk session with the Minnesota dunkers. I was still banged up from Wednesday, but I didn’t want to miss it.
My right shoulder was still bugging me, so I mixed in more left-hand dunks. And something clicked.
I hit my second-ever left-hand windmill.
I’d spent so little time working on my left hand before this, but in just a few focused days, the improvement was obvious. Reps matter.
The Lesson: Use the Setbacks
Here’s what I’ve realized after all this:
- I hurt my shoulder because I didn’t warm up properly.
- I tweaked my quad because my body wasn’t used to certain jump patterns.
- But the biggest mistake would’ve been doing nothing.
This injury forced me to build something new. My left-hand dunking ability leveled up because I made a decision to use what I could do, not focus on what I couldn’t.
For You
You’re going to get injured. You’re going to have setbacks. Sometimes it’ll feel unfair.
But the choice is yours: use the moment, or waste it.
I could have sat out all week and gotten worse. Instead, I leaned into the weak side, and now I have a new skill I didn’t have before.
Train smart. Warm up. Be willing to adapt. And when life throws you off your routine, whether that’s in dunking or anything else, look for what it’s giving you instead.
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