Exercises To Jump Higher
Strength + Speed + Technique = Higher Jumps
Three Jump Higher Tips That Are Often Overlooked
Athletes of all sports can benefit from jumping higher. The ability to jump higher is often a result of being more explosive from the ground. This has a host of benefits in sports such as basketball, football, volleyball and track and field. If you are looking to increase your vertical jump, here are some jump higher tips to include in your jumping program.
Improve Body Composition
Having a lower body fat can help you add inches to your vertical. Excess body fat is just extra baggage you have to carry when trying to jump in the air. Notice that we said improve body composition which different from simply losing weight. Different positions in all sports require different body types. If you are a 300 lb lineman, you don’t want to slim down to 260 lb just to improve your jump. As a 300 lineman, you can lose some body fat and add muscle which results in little change in bodyweight. The best way to improve body composition is improve your diet and engage in high intensity exercise such as weight training and sprints.
Increase Flexibility
This is one of the jump higher tips that is often overlooked. Greater flexibility can have a profound effect your ability to jump higher. Having flexibility means that your muscles have a greater ability to expand and contract which results in greater strength output. The best way to increase your flexibility is to engage in regular stretching. Make it a part of your workout during each session. Not only will stretching will improve your vertical, it will prevent many sports injuries.
Get Strong
This is an overlooked aspect in most jump higher programs. Many athletes don’t see the correlation between strength and their vertical jump. Most athletes mistakenly believe that adding muscle will make them muscle bound and will be a detriment to their vertical jump. Added muscle, without excess body fat and decrease in flexibility, will increase your ability to explode from the ground. I know this to be true as I know 250+ lb power lifters that can hit box jumps of 40” or more. Jumping isn’t even part of their sport! This increased jumping ability comes from heavy weight training exercises such as squats. You don’t need to train like a power lifter but you should be adding regular strength training exercise as part of your jumping program.
These were a few tips to get the most out of your exercises to jump higher. Incorporate these tips in your jumping program.
