Q and A LIVE
Hello. My name is Azir Rivera, 50.5 inch vertical. John Evans, 41 inch vertical, sometimes 42. And Austin Burke, sometimes 47 at the on the low end 45 inch vertical. The low end three,
Austin:three inch vertical.
Isaiah:And today we're gonna be answering random questions. The first topic, we'll go left to right. Right. When was your first dunk? How old are you?
Isaiah:How tall were you? And what's the story behind it?
Austin:Five eight. I think it it was, like, probably a nine foot eight rim. No. I thought it was 10 foot. I was in my friend Keith's driveway, and I was wearing Converse and cargo shorts.
Austin:And, I went to his camera to see it. And that's when I learned his cameras don't work. I was 16 or 15? 15. 15.
Isaiah:15 and five eight. Wait. How long were you trying?
Austin:Since, like, eighth grade. So probably since I was, like, 13.
Isaiah:Nice.
Austin:I was trying to dunk.
John:You're a young baby in
Austin:eighth grade. Yeah. I didn't have armpit hair yet. I couldn't dunk before I'd jump.
Isaiah:How high could you jump, like, in eighth grade?
Austin:I can grab the rim with stuff two foot.
Isaiah:I would've thought he was a god.
Austin:I was a god.
Isaiah:They called me Arab Berkey. Because you were a tall boy.
Austin:Yeah. I was tiny.
John:I was five ten.
Isaiah:Oh, that's actually not that. Yeah. Woah. You got dang. That's crazy.
Isaiah:I would've been a midget compared
John:to you guys. Alright. Ready? Yeah. Also, is live.
John:These questions are live.
Isaiah:So Wait. I have one more question for Austin.
Austin:Go ahead. Yes, dad.
Isaiah:What were I'm sorry. I'm gonna this is for the for the sake of the viewers. For the sake of viewers.
John:Hold this, Austin.
Isaiah:What was your training looking like in those two years?
Austin:I jumped a ton, like, every single day. I filled a book bag with a bunch of weights, and I did a thousand calf raises a night, pretty much. Because my mom told me to do that. My mom has gigantic calves. And she was like, do a thousand calf raises.
Austin:So I would put on Seinfeld and just do calf raises through episodes and episodes of Seinfeld. I love Seinfeld. Is that anything else?
Isaiah:He was just doing calf raises to Seinfeld?
Austin:With a weighted book bag. Yeah. Was like,
John:write that down, kids.
Austin:Write it down. Alright.
John:Alright. Next one? Yeah. So I was 14. I got a rim grazer, but I don't really count that one.
John:Okay. Actually, I'll say that was my first one. It was in an open gym in the summer after my eighth grade year. The whole of eighth grade, I was just backrooming, backrooming, backrooming before games. Went through high jump, that track season, And then that summer, it was in an open gym, and I just got, like, a little rim grazer on 10.
John:I was five ten at the time, probably one thirty, and I was barely, like, about to turn 15. Then when I was 15, ninth grade, punched a dunk in layup lines. I made three dunks that day actually off one down the middle. I backroomed one like crazy coming from the right side, jumping off my left leg, and then came down the middle, drove up, just crushed it. Everyone started throwing the balls off the wall.
John:People couldn't believe it. Balls off the wall. Balls on the walls.
Isaiah:Did you have wait. You were by yourself?
John:Yeah. You hit yours?
Austin:Keith was playing video games on his computer, and I went in there screaming and stuff.
John:He was hype. Like Daniel Daisy. Shout out Daniel Daisy.
Austin:Shout out
John:Daniel. That was epic. That was epic.
Isaiah:That was actually one of the Yeah. Best reaction
Austin:I've That was probably
John:the best I've ever seen.
Isaiah:Alright. You're up. Alright. I was 16 years old. I was five foot nine.
Isaiah:16 years old in, seven months, specifically. I had been trying I started training to jump higher at 14. I touched rim at 15. Around 15 is when I started doing weight training, three sets of five deadlift power clean and squat and then just jump every day. And, yeah, it took me I think I was five six when I touched him for the first time.
John:What training
Isaiah:I was doing. Oh, yeah. What training were you doing?
John:Stop it. I started training when I was 13. I did jump manual first and did that until I was 14. 14, bought a book called Power Polymetrics. Did that basically my seventh grade year, read the whole book.
John:Did that seventh grade into eighth grade, so that, like, summer. And then I was backrooming dunks in eighth grade. Then from eighth grade to ninth grade, I repeated power ply metrics. I think I maybe had started lifting loosely at the time as well, and then that's whenever I got my my first dunk.
Isaiah:Alright. And then I think I covered mine. Right? Yeah. Dunk one zero sixteen.
John:Wanna say. Talk about training. Yeah. Next question.
Austin:Alright. A lot of questions probably in there now.
Isaiah:Yeah. Oh. Top 10 piles.
Austin:Jump jumping off one foot, jumping off two foot.
John:You want me to use?
Austin:That's mine. Yeah.
Isaiah:That's it. Yeah.
John:Sprint. I mean, test.
Isaiah:Let's go number one. Number one. Best plyo for jumping. Off one or two? Oh, that's a good question.
Isaiah:Let's do let's do top three plyos for one foot, top three plyos for two foot.
John:Alright. Number one for each of them is going to be full approach jumping with good technique.
Austin:I said that.
John:Yeah. Alright. One and two foot. The number two one is gonna be short approach jumping with perfect technique. And the number three one for high jump or sorry, one foot jumping, I'd say either single leg hops or single leg speed hops, probably something like that, I would like.
Isaiah:For height or for
John:I would say mix it up. Do it for height. Do it for distance. Yeah. Do it for speed.
John:Each leg. Like those. And stiffness hops. I like double leg pogos. Sure.
John:Ground contact time. What are your for two foot?
Isaiah:Two foot jumping. I'll just say my personal favorite. It's not necessarily what the best one is. Yeah. Definitely max approach, two foot jumping with max effort.
Isaiah:Number two, I actually really enjoy depth jumps. Really? Really, really enjoy them. Yeah.
John:Off 65 inch boxes?
Isaiah:Yeah. The higher the the more it makes me be like,
John:the more fear I have
Austin:Yes. The better.
John:Yeah. Perfect. Perfect.
Isaiah:Number three would probably be I actually really enjoy bounding.
John:Really?
Isaiah:Yeah. I love bounding. I hate bounding. I I specifically, I like I guess single leg hopping for height.
John:Yeah.
Isaiah:I find that really fun, and it's challenging. Is. Really challenging. Yeah.
John:I just keep having intrusive thoughts of him just
Austin:Yeah. I've been thinking that the whole time. Like, he
John:just loops around, fucking falls over.
Austin:I didn't really think the same thing.
Isaiah:Anyway It was okay.
Austin:What are
Isaiah:your favorite top three favorite playas?
John:For just choice jumping style.
Austin:Literally jumping. One foot jumping, two foot jumping. I don't really like plyos. I'm gonna be totally honest. Yeah.
Austin:I don't really like I I think it's fun. Like, think depth jumps are fun sometimes. Yeah. Like, springing
John:Springing is fun.
Austin:Is a good one. Yeah. Like, I I don't like, I think it's just like, I don't know. Yeah. The least I have to do the better.
Austin:I'm happy with. Like, just I'm trained, Haleel. If I if you I don't have to hop in the street or hop on the grass, I'm happy.
Isaiah:Austin, this is why you get those comments. Austin, this is We had a comment the other day. Wait. Did you say what the who who was it that brought up the comment?
Austin:Oh, me.
John:You did. I didn't
Austin:So there there was a comment on YouTube the other day basically, like, about how miserable I am when I lift. And it's basically borderline child abuse. And it's wrong to make Forcing me work out me to work out.
John:Himself permanently.
Austin:Yeah. Like this stuff. I literally I like being here. I enjoy it. I just have a very nihilistic approach to life, and I have As in John starting up a weapon.
Austin:Yeah. Like, I don't know. Like, man. I I I want everyone to know I enjoy
John:Feel the pressure
Austin:that's on the back of your head. I I want everyone to know I enjoy I enjoy being here. Blink twice. And they do not have me captive. So I want everyone to know that at all.
Isaiah:We don't keep you entertained
Austin:in the corner. Been here. Yeah. So I want everyone
John:to You're not forced to be here, but what did I say about you not being here today? I'm gonna score
Austin:I better be here today. I was about to take a nap. I'm really tired. We have another question. Tired.
Austin:Yeah. Was You had a long day.
Isaiah:Who would win in a one v one? Austin or John?
John:Or what?
Austin:Oh, me, definitely.
Isaiah:What about basketball?
John:Oh, I don't know if you ever played.
Austin:I I can whoop your ass, dude. I'm sorry.
John:I don't know if you can.
Austin:I can. I would love
Isaiah:to watch this.
Austin:Have you
John:ever seen
Austin:me try? See me try?
John:Yes.
Isaiah:He has has great defense. He's blocked me. That's fine.
John:I one in ones, I was, like, decent against. Yeah.
Austin:I Pretty decent. Percent of the time, I'm not trying. So
Isaiah:John, I think, has lots of basketball potential. It's just a confidence thing. It is. When he's feeling confident
Austin:I'm a hooper. I think mine's a laziness.
Isaiah:I've seen your your layup package Yeah. Way better. Your jump shot's gotten better.
Austin:John Isaiah's seen me go off, but I don't really try because I'm like too
Isaiah:Austin abuse Austin abuses his athleticism. That's how he plays. As soon as you take away his balance yeah.
Austin:I don't I don't wanna play anymore. If I can't jump, I'm done. I'm just throwing shots.
John:The thing that you guys don't know, in ones, I I can try as hard as
Isaiah:I want.
John:I bet
Austin:you a $100 like this.
John:It's only on me.
Austin:I bet you a $100.
John:I can Let's talk about let's talk about the time Austin said that he was gonna walk out of the car while hungover or drunk, take a shot of vodka, and end up touching 11 feet on his first attempt.
Isaiah:It just got twenty twenty. You remember that happening during COVID? When you guys were talking about who
John:took mad shit, and you called me and threatened me and told me and talked mad shit. Who won that who won that debate, by the way?
Austin:I think I still jumped higher there.
John:You touched ten seven, got depressed, and quit. That happened.
Austin:I was a bit fat. I'm about to go
John:lie. Okay.
Isaiah:I'm about to head in
John:And I literally said, I was like, when Austin's fit, he would kill me, but right now, he's out of shape. And you were like, no. And Isaiah was on his side.
Austin:I can beat you one on one barefoot. I can beat you one on one Sperry's. I can beat you one on one with just my right hand.
Isaiah:Comment who do you think would win and why do you think they would win?
John:I will play them once, but I don't I don't really care either way.
Austin:I think it would be interesting. I
Isaiah:don't think We need to make this happen, and you need
John:to be
Austin:to get
Isaiah:by me. Wait. We need
John:to But make stand like this.
Austin:I think you underestimate how quick I
John:Isaiah has tried to dunk on me several times.
Austin:I'm really fast. I don't I don't try.
John:Austin, there's a video of me destroying you at a 100 meter dash.
Austin:Yeah. When I was fat and out of shape and worked the night shift. I am in the top shape of my life.
John:You are underestimating me when I try. You're underestimating me.
Isaiah:Alright. This is what we're gonna do.
John:You said you're gonna
Isaiah:crush me.
Austin:I don't
John:think you're gonna crush me.
Isaiah:I think you're gonna do.
John:Don't think I don't think It
Austin:needs to
Isaiah:be high stakes. It needs to be high stakes.
John:No. I don't wanna
Isaiah:wait for play. Whoever loses has to give 20% of their paycheck to Nathan. No.
John:Nathan would love that. Nathan would love that. He would live for that.
Isaiah:I'm not
John:saying I would win. I'll say this. I'm not saying I would win, but I'm not saying that you would crush me quote unquote as confidently as you're saying.
Isaiah:I think so I my I think I think Austin would get the dub, but I do think you would you would be a good competitor. Be surprising. Like, I think you would play good defense. You would get a couple steals, couple blocks. If Austin's trying hard in defense, I do think it would hard for you.
Austin:When I I am a good defensive player if I wanna deep
Isaiah:But I don't know. You're you're long. It's the thing.
John:Yeah. Would just yoke at you.
Isaiah:Yeah. I would just fucking played like shit. I need to see this. I need to see this.
John:You can't what are gonna do? Foul me the whole time?
Austin:Yeah. I need
Isaiah:to see this. Alright. So we'll make this You're foul me the whole time.
Austin:Merit you.
John:That's that's okay. Then I'm out.
Austin:I'm just I'm playing.
Isaiah:I'm playing. Gonna It's
Austin:be fun, though.
Isaiah:I'm just Austin one v one at dunk camp. Andy Andy posted
Austin:Yeah.
Isaiah:A comment to that.
Austin:I will challenge anyone to one v one.
John:Wait. Andy wants to play Austin? No.
Isaiah:No. No. He wants you guys to play.
Austin:I I want a crowd. I want it to be I
John:don't want that. That's the opposite of what I want. I already have confidence issues in basketball.
Austin:No. I'm putting you in front
John:of a high stakes situation to watch you
Isaiah:But if you win, your confidence would probably increase Yeah.
Austin:A hundredfold. And you can make me depressed.
John:Which way? How is this a win win for anyone?
Austin:Alright. Get this It's a win
Isaiah:win for the viewers. Yeah. Oh my god. Alright. Alright.
Isaiah:Last question. Okay. Thank god. Anyone I actually wanna hear the answer from from all of you guys. I wanna hear Austin answer first then me then you.
Isaiah:Okay. Is a 40 inch vertical possible for anyone?
Austin:Dude, yes. It's way more accessible than people think, a 100%. 40 doesn't even sound like much anymore to me. Like, being around you, I think you've ruined dunking for me for the rest of my life, but it's okay. Yeah.
Austin:Definitely. Definitely.
Isaiah:I think if you don't have any, like, physical defects or anything like that, like some, like, genetic disorder or something like that, and you played sports growing up, I think it's possible. Yeah. Think it's possible. If you have a wide base of sports LTAD?
John:LTAD, yeah. Yeah. With good I agree. With good LTAD, yes. If you have royally screwed yourself in your development and you are like just this I would say the majority the very, very, very large majority of people probably can.
John:I have generally bad genetics for jumping and I still have a 40 in vertical.
Isaiah:The caveat is you have to have you make it your life.
John:Work ethic.
Isaiah:You have to make it your life.
John:Like like if you the more talented you are, the less work you have to put in. The more the less talented you are, the earlier you have to start developing it.
Austin:Yeah. How often do guys think about dunking? Like, in training?
John:Literally. Never. I literally come in, I think about Really?
Austin:I think about it all the time before.
John:It's it's just it's not that I think about it, it's just it it is. Yeah. It just is. It's not that I like sit and ruminate about it. I think about it like maybe once a day for ten minutes.
John:Like dunking? Like I'm gonna go have a dunk session? What do mean?
Isaiah:Training in general? Like if it's training or dunking thoughts?
John:Used to be used to be a lot. Now I think I'm more focused on coaching and work. I'm more focused on checking all the boxes on my to do list for the day. So like, yeah, in that sense, but it's like after 07:00, that's hilarious. After 07:30 when I finish work and my my eyes are bloodshot, and I've worked all day around jumping and training and dunking, I need to unload my brain so I can rest, refresh, and get ready for the next day.
John:So I would say like before a dunk day, when I know I'm gonna jump high, it's nonstop. I would say that. When it's yeah. When it's high pressure,
Isaiah:it's Exactly. Yeah. And we didn't break the schedule this week.
Austin:Oh. Nice.
Isaiah:I think about dunking from nine to five.
John:Nice. So you're like me.
Isaiah:I actually so I think about it a lot if there is a dunk actually that I'm trying to hit. Yeah. Like when I was younger, there was always
Austin:a dunk I
Isaiah:was trying to work on and it was basically nonstop all day. I'm sorry. Now it's essentially nine to five. What kind of friend are you? I'm a shitty friend.
Isaiah:Now now it's essentially nine to five and then actually, when I think about it a lot is if I'm hurt, like a like a bad injury. You know?
John:Yeah. Yeah. That's true. I'm like, it's so hard for me.
Austin:I I I think about it I think about it in the sense of, like, I used to be so much better. I used to be
Isaiah:so much old videos. Yeah.
Austin:I see the videos. I'm like, damn.
Isaiah:The Wolverine meme where he's, like, looking at a picture? No. He's like he's like this and, like, they're like Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Isaiah:That's you with, like, old, like, Instagram?
Austin:Like, if I see any videos of me from 2022, like, Nathan's been booze in the b roll, and I'm just like I'm like, who is this guy? Who is this man?
Isaiah:I was like that until this year, and now I'm like, oh, that lizard.
John:Catch him.
Isaiah:You guys wanna see this lizard?
John:We're about to show that.
Austin:You guys wanna see this lizard?
John:Yeah. Bro, he's a big song, but look, he's gonna do it. Oh.
Austin:Oh, shoot.
John:Alright. Anyways, I'm good. Alright. Wait.
Austin:Wait. Sponsors.
John:Thanks for watching the podcast, guys. Huge shout out to our sponsors over at THB Strength. If you're looking to jump higher and be a better athlete, make sure that you go to thbstrength.com and
Austin:You know what we should do?
John:What should we do, Austin?
Austin:We should give them a discount.
John:Oh, a discount? How much should we offer a discount for?
Austin:Alright, how about this guys? 10% off your first month with a code THP. So if you've been weary, if your knees pop when you get out of bed and you can't see your toes because of your beer belly, it's time. It's time to get it. So Merry Christmas THP first month.
John:10% off your first month. Yep.
Isaiah:And if you're not gonna purchase the coaching, the least you can do is like the video.
John:Maybe leave a comment.
Austin:We're joining a free school community.
John:Or subscribe.
Austin:We do everything. There's options. There's options.
John:Thanks for watching guys. We'll catch you tomorrow.
