Exercises To Jump Higher
Strength + Speed + Technique = Higher Jumps
Simple Workout to Jump Higher and Farther. No Gym Necessary
Don’t have access to a gym? Do you have limited equipment? Try this simple workout to increase your vertical jump. This can be done with free space and a jump rope. Check out this article from www.washingtonian .com
With the track-and-field events in full swing at the Olympics, our minds are blown by how the athletes can run faster, jump higher, and throw farther than any normal human being. While I obviously never progressed to Olympic status, as a high jumper for 12 years I’ve often been asked if I can jump over the nearest ten-foot fence or pole. Answer: No, and I wouldn’t recommend you try it, either. Read the rest here…
Below is a video of a Rocket Jump that is described in the video.
NFL Combine Wide Receiver Verticals
The NFL combine is a place where some of the greatest athletes in the world try to display their athleticism in hopes to land a spot on a NFL team. One of the test at them combines is the vertical jump. It is a test to display a prospects explosive jumping ability. This test is especially important for receivers as they are involved in “jump ball” situations where they have to come down with the ball for that first down or make that catch in the back of the endzone.
Wide receivers just completed their tests this here and here are some of the results. They best jump by a receiver is 43.5″ by UCONN receiver Kasif Moore. Please be aware that other intangibles go into making a great receiver but be sure that Kasif got a lot of scouts attention.
VIDEO: How to Jump Higher for Basketball
I came across a nice vid that talks about the best exercises to jump higher. He emphasizes exercise the work the muscle specifically needed to jump higher in sports like basketball and volleyball. Check out the vid and let me know what you think.
CNS and Vertical Jump Training
There is more to performing at peak levels than getting faster and stronger. In addition to training your muscles, you also need to train your central nervous system (CNS). Often when you are peaking for competition, you are also training your CNS to handle the increased demands. Here is an article from Scott Bias that explains how you can train your CNS for a higher vertical Jump. Here is an excerpt.
You have something that’s probably more responsible for your level of athleticism than every muscle fiber and tendon in your body put together but few trainers address it. In fact everyone is so busy focusing on muscle strength and fiber type that they tend to forget about what’s causing muscle contraction in the first place. Read the rest of the article here…
Why is Training the Vertical Jumping Important
I read a simple article about why it is important to train the vertical jump. There aren’t many practical tips like you’d find here but it serves as a reminder why vertical jump training is important to athletes. Here’s an excerpt:
If you are an athlete you definitely know what the word competition means. Sports are all about competition, though a lot of us are into sport for leisure there is a great number of individuals who takes it with much professionalism. These are the individuals who consider the sport as their lifetime career. Success is very difficult to achieve in such competitive world. You need to be the best all the time. That is why most athletes today train how to jump higher. Read the rest here...
Should You Be Vertical Jumping?
Just read a great article that questions the need for the initial vertical jump test. My coaches and websites (this site included) recommends the usual plyometrics and vertical jumping drills but is this a mistake? Is your body ready for plyo drills? Here’s an excerpt from the article, you be the judge.
1) The vertical jump simply isn’t an appropriate test for most (but not all) high school athletes. Not only are there other methods of assessing one’s athletic potential, but continually making an athlete jump up and down with maximal effort can be dangerous. Let me briefly explain. Read the full article.
Jump Higher in 3 Weeks? New Study
Men’s Health Magazine revealed a new study performed by European researchers that say you should make big jumps in exercise volume in a short period of time. This will lead to more muscle damage which will lead to bigger gains. Below is an excerpt of the article. You can click the link to read the entire article.
Want to get the same jump-boosting benefits as the study participants? Here’s their routine: Complete 40 jump squats 3 days a week, resting for 3 seconds between each rep. In week 2, increase to 70 jump squats. During the third week, add 5 pounds of weight and continue to complete 70 reps. Read the entire article here…
Vertical Jump Targeted Muscle Training
I found an interesting article about training the muscles used in jumping. This article stresses the importance of developing strength and speed to increase your vertical. Below is an excerpt of the article with a link to the actual site. What do you think? If you are still having difficulty putting together a training program, you can find a proven program to add 6-10 inches to your vertical here.
The quads and calves are the two target muscles you need to concentrate on to make real gains with your vertical jump workouts. You will also be inadvertently working out your other leg muscles in the process-which is a good thing!-but really concentrating on your quads and calves are where the best gains in power and jump height will be found. Read the rest here…
Random Training Aids to Increase Your Vertical Jump
Some athletes were blessed with a great vertical jump and others were not. If you are one of these athletes that has to work for every inch of hops, some of these random training aids will help you boost your vertical. These are not listed in any particular order.
Weighted Vest
This handy device can increase any athletic attribute tremendously. You can increase your speed and strength with a weighted vest. These are vests that you can wear during your training. They have little pockets in which you can add weights. You can sprint, jump, play ball, and do pull-ups while wearing your vest. Most retail stores carry vests up to 40 lbs. You probably need to shop online for heavier vests.
Jump Boxes
Jump boxes are primarily used for plyometric training. Plyometrics are vital to your jump higher program. With these boxes, you can perform box jumps and depth jumps. These can also be used as a box to perform box squats. Boxes come in various heights. There are box sets that are stackable so you can adjust the height of your box.
Weights
In order to increase your vertical jump, you have to get faster and stronger. You don’t have to build muscle like a bodybuilder but you have to become stronger than what you are now. Weight training is the best way to increase your strength. A membership to a good gym or your school gym should supply all the weights you need. If you prefer to workout at home, your basic set up should include a rack for squats and bench press, an adjustable bench, barbell, and weights. That should get you started.
Jump Rope
Jump ropes are one of the most underrated training aids due to its simplicity and “old school” roots. Athletes have been jumping rope for many decades. So how does this increase your vertical jump? It helps develop quickness and reaction speed. It’s also a great conditioning tool to help shed any unwanted fat.
Cones
Cones are good for setting up your plyometric drills and sprints. If you want to jump higher for basketball, you need to be doing these drills. Drills like forward bounds, slalom jumps, suicides, and sprints benefit from having cones to measure your distances and to keep you from cutting that 60 yard sprint 10 yards short.
Protein Supplements
Good nutrition should be part of any jump higher program. If you aren’t maximizing your eating habits, you are cutting yourself short. Protein supplements are not a must have but they are helpful. Hard training athletes need more protein than suggested by the RDA. It’s often recommended that athletes get 1 gram of protein per lb of body weight. So, if your weigh 200 lbs, you should get 200 grams of protein daily. If you find it difficult to get that much protein from real food, you can supplement with protein shakes to reach your daily protein intake.
These were a few random training aids to increase your vertical jump. If you are not blessed with great leaping ability, you are going to have to work for it. With the right jump higher training program, you can definitely increase your vertical and some of these training aids can help.
Click Here to Add 10″ to Your Vertical with the Jump Manual!
Incorporate Sprints into Your Workouts to Jump Higher
Those who have sought workouts to jump higher have come across the usual suspects: Plyometrics, various jumping drills, and calf exercises. One exercise that seems to get left out of the discussion is sprints. We all know that sprints are great for increasing speed but they are also great for increasing your vertical jump. Not only will they increase your vertical, it will make a better overall player because they will improve your conditioning and speed. Sprinting should be part of your jumping routine.
Sprints are a high intensity running exercise. High intensity exercises are known to increase testosterone production and build muscle. Building stronger muscles are necessary to increase your vertical jump to a significant degree. The higher testosterone and stronger legs will lead to a bigger vertical.
To get the most out of this exercise, you need to sprint hard. You cannot substitute sprints with long distance runs. If you examine the mechanics of the sprint, after your forward leg hits the ground, you are pushing off the surface very hard to propel yourself forward. This hard pushing motion is building your hamstring, glute, quad, and calf muscles. If you need more evidence of stronger and faster muscles, compare the musculature of sprinters and long distance runners!
One benefit of sprinting is the increase in leg strength. The other benefits include more speed and better conditioning. In order to jump higher, you need to jump faster. If you ever tried to jump on to a 24” box in slow motion, you know how difficult it is. Try the same feat explosively and you’ll find it is much easier. Improved conditioning will lower your body fat which results in less baggage you need to carry when jumping. Building leg strength is only one component of a jumping program. If you build muscle along with extra body fat, you negate the effects of building muscle in the first place. This is why adding conditioning to your workouts to jump higher is important.
The sprinting portion of your workouts to jump higher can be performed after a weight training session or on a separate day. You should vary your distances to maximize its effectiveness. Distances of 40-100 yards should suffice. The longer the distance, the less sets are required. If you are sprinting 40 yards, you may need to repeat 10 sets of sprints. If you are sprinting 100 yards, you may only need 5 sets.
Sprinting had a myriad of benefits that include better conditioning, stronger legs, and more speed. All these attributes are crucial if you need a bigger jump. Not only will you have more hops, you will become a better overall player. It is advisable to add sprints into your bag of workouts to jump higher.
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