Kevin Durant or How to Increase Vertical Jump

Did you see Kevin Durant's fastbreak-dunk over Mike Miller yesterday (11.3.2008)?

How about his tomahawk-slam over Nesterovic? Right - the Rookie of the Year can jump.

In fact, Durant has a 33-inch vertical! But the interesting fact here is the skinny forward (only 215 lbs. at 6'9'') has never worked out with weights to increase his vertical jump. By using weights you can get bulky and lose speed and flexibility real fast. But that's what Durant's game is all about.

So, what are the exercises he used to improve his vertical?

1) Jump rope:

This is a must-do! Almost every NBA player uses this "old" exercise. Jumping rope is a great way to build stamina, and work on your leg strength. In addition, it builds jumping ability (explosiveness, calf strength, etc.).

2) Explosive leaps:

One-legged jumps: leap as high as possible off of one foot, then come down and immediately leap as high as possible off the other leg. Repeat this for 10 to 15 jumps.

Two-legged leaps: squat down so you are in the triple threat position. Now explode up and off the ground as if you are reaching for a rebound. Come down, gather yourself for a second or two, then leap up again, as high as possible. Do this 8 to 10 times.

3) Run stairs:

Running stairs can really help your vertical leap because it build stamina, leg strength, and when done right, explosiveness. To work on explosiveness, use "bounding" movements. In otherwords, don't just get from one step the the next, but really leap and bound up from one step to the next.

These are just some of the exercises that help to increase your vertical real fast.

For the rest of the exercises and crucial things to know about vertical jump (f.e. why often what you "don't" do is more important then what you "do" do) please take a look at: