Can you dunk? That's probably the number one question every basketball player has been asked.

In basketball, nothing gets players, fans and the media more stoked than the slam-dunk. Michael Jordan is famous for his graceful, acrobatic dunks; almost looked like he was suspended in mid-air. And everybody knows that Shaquille O'Neal shattered a few glass backboards with his power-dunking.

Whether it's the dunk, the jump shot, rebounding, offensive or defensive play, just about every skill-set in basketball requires core-balance, power and agility.

"Striking a balance between stability and strength is the basis of basketball training as well as most other sports." - Erik Phillips, M.S., A.T.C. Phoenix Suns head strength and conditioning coast.

Even after you successfully initiate a play; safely executing that dunk, jump-shot or rebound isn't complete until you've landed without injury? And to do that, you need this:

• Core balance stability and balance recovery
• Strength under load
• Plyometric power (jump training)
• Proprioception/Spacial awareness
• Joint, tendon and ligament stability
• Ability to deflect and defend your defensive and offensive positions

Which brings us to the question, how do you train? For basketball players, it's on a Vew-Do Zippy Balance Board. The Zippy is the perfect intermediate multiple sport balance trainer for cagers. This versatile balance board trains you for:

• Core Balance - 360 degrees of dynamic balance and graduated heel/toe balance recovery.
• Strength - When used for loaded and unloaded exercises with weights, resistance bands or body weight.
• Plyometrics - For power and quickness, the Zippy is a plyometric ready balance board.
• Proprioception - For in-air core stability and centering body rotations.
• Endurance - Full cardio and fitness balance board training routines.
• Injury Prevention - Joint specific strengthening and stability under stress.
• Balance recovery and stability from external forces.

Heck, don't just take our word for it. In a recent article in Men's Health Magazine on alternative training methods, 2 time MVP Steve Nash of the Phoenix Suns is pictured doing his strength training workout on a Vew-Do Balance Board. And its one reason why the Suns consistently rank as one of the least injured teams in the NBA.

Correct take-off, proprioception and landing technique are key to shot and rebound execution. Basketball play also requires bursts of speed and constant adjustment of foot patterns for both offensive and defensive play.

All this activity begs for core balance stability at the start of execution. Moves begun with poor balance stability lead to bad take-offs, bad in-air body alignment and poor, off-balance landings. Offensive and defensive maneuvers like lateral shuffling and dribbling require the ability to maintain a balanced stance at all times.

IIn addition to the above, two barriers for success and longevity in this sport are injury prevention and joint stability. Both of these are often ignored in all sports even though you can train for both of them. Strengthen the large and small muscle groups around your joints and you're building a personal insurance policy against injuring tendons and ligaments from over-stress during play.

That brings us right back to a great training tool addition to your routine - The Vew-Do Zippy Balance Board. Get the balance board that gets it done.

By: Rick Contrata