Kobe Bryant Dunk or How to Increase Vertical Jump

Did you see Kobe Bryant's alley-oop dunk against the Denver Nuggets in game 3 of the 2009 playoffs? It was amazing, wasn't it? His 40 points against in game 1 of the 2009 Finals were impressive too. What about his sick dunk over Kirilenko in the 2008 Playoffs? Simply can't forget that one! And his self alley-oop of the glass? Kobe does it again and again.

Maybe you know that a couple of summers ago Kobe Bryant changed his workout program in order to get stronger - just like Michael Jordan back in the days. Kobe gained between 6 and 7 pounds of muscles (he was at 225 lbs. at that time), became a bit slower but still managed to maintain if not to increase his vertical jump! So, how did do that?

Let's have a look at his weight training program - it's a 6 days a week, 1 hour a day workout. The complete program consists of the weight training plus 2 hours of running, 2 hours of basketball, and 1 hour of cardio a day!


Day 1 & Day 4

Bench press
Lat pull-downs
Incline press
Military press
Abdominal crunches

Day 2 & Day 5

Lateral dumbbell raises
Bar dips
Tricep press-downs
Bicep curls
Abdominal crunches

Day 3 & Day 6

Back squats/Front squats
Leg curls
Leg extensions
Calf raises

 

As you can see day 1,2,4 and 5 are about building strength in the upper part of the body. Day 3 and 6 are all about the lower part of the body which gives you the power you need to jump real high.

Focusing on reducing his body fat percentage (its under 10 %) allowed Kobe to save some weight that he actually gained through building up muscles. Besides the workout (running, cardio) sticking to a good diet plan (e.g. avoid fat in the food you eat, take plenty of protein to you, eat red meat only once a week, drink a lot of water aso.) is crucial.

Now,before playing for Team USA (summer 2007) he lost almost 20 lbs. (he is at 205 lbs. now) to get his quickness back and worked also on his vertical. If you don't know how to improve your vertical jump, I seriously recommend The Jump Manual. This program will take you from A to Z and they even give you your money back if you don't add 10 inches to your vertical! That's real confidence in the own program!

But if need some initial tips, here are some:

First of all, you need to work on your overall fitness. You have to lose the extra pounds (if you got some, otherwise concentrate on reducing your body fat) and your legs must become strong enough to take up a vertical program.

For that, go Jogging and use the Jump Rope 3 times a week (jogging: minimum 45 min. 3 times/ week; jump rope: 100 jumps 3 times a week).

Jumping rope not only gives you explosiveness and calf strength but is also a great way to build stamina, and work on your overall leg strength.

Besides the jump rope, you have to build in the following, highly effective exercises in your workout:

Squats and Calf Raises as they train the most important muscle groups in the jumping process. Do these exercises every now and then (the days you do not run). But don't exaggerate (max. 1 set of 8 reps 2 times/ week)!
After 3-4 weeks (and a rest period of one week) your legs should be prepared for a concrete vertical program The Jump Manual.

The other, very effective exercises are:
1) Leg Presses - 3 x 7 reps
2) Lunges - 3 sets of 8
3) Leg Curls - 3 x 10
4) Shrugs - 3 sets x 15
5) Presses - 3 x 15

When you perform these exercises you work on your strength. But since power is strength multiplied with speed, you also need to work on your quickness.

In order to improve this aspect you can try:
1) Sprints (3 x 60 m)
2) Rim Jumps
3) Plyometric exercises (for example Split Squat Jumps)

P.S. Don't forget to stretch before and after your workout. Stretching not only prevents injuries but also keeps your muscles flexible - a huge point in the vertical jump! Studies have shown that warming up increases the speed of nerve impulses to muscles. The result: faster reaction times. This is one reason professional athletes spend more time warming up compared to many normal athletes - they know it will prevent injuries and help them reach better results.

By the way: Kobe Bryant did a great, insightful interview with Men's Fitness:

MF: Can you give us some insight into your training routine, both off-season and during the season?

Kobe: During the season, I focus a lot on weight training, obviously building up my strength level as the season progresses. In the off-season, it's about getting stronger as well, more agile. Also, conditioning plays an important part in that, because you want to make sure you come into the upcoming season in tip-top shape. Then, obviously, you want to get on the basketball floor and work on your skills.

MF: In the off-season, you probably spend many more hours training, is that right?

Kobe: During the season, it's probably about four hours or so a day, with practice and extra work.

MF: So specifically though, in the off-season, what kind of weight lifting are you doing? Is it explosive movements, like plyometrics?

Kobe: Not really, it's all Olympic lifts. I do a lot of track work.

MF: So like snatches, things like that?

Kobe: Yeah, clean-pulls, deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts, back squats, things of that nature.

MF: One of the most impressive aspects of your game is your stamina - your ability to play so many minutes per night at such a high level. If you could pass along some tips on how to get bigger, obviously, but also to stay agile and have extra energy, would you recommend Olympic lifts?

Kobe: That helps tremendously. I think it's a combination of lifting weights and doing a conditioning program. Whatever your program is, the key is to push yourself to a level where you're hurting. You can't gain conditioning without going through it. You're going to have to feel some pain, you're going to have to feel like your lungs are burning, and you know, you want to spit up blood, that sort of thing.

MF: Sure. So what kind of cardio do you have to do - I'm imagining that during the games and practice, you get plenty -

Kobe: No, but I do a lot more. When I get on the basketball floor, it's about fine-tuning my skills, it's not about conditioning. My conditioning comes from just running, whether it's on a track, or on a field, or on the court itself, just doing suicides, or sprints.

MF: So it's just a technique thing, shooting jumpers, things like that?

Kobe: Yeah, it's something I can do over and over, so I'm in great shape. MF: How many do you shoot in a day?

Kobe: It's between 700 to 1,000 makes a day.

MF: How has your training program changed over the years? You're already becoming a veteran of the league.

Kobe: It's become more efficient. I'm not just doing a whole bunch of things. I think when you first come into the league, you kind of figure out what works best for your body, what wears down your body, what doesn't, recovery, what works best in that area. I've been in the league 10 years, 11 years now so I know exactly what works and what doesn't work for me.

MF: Do you have any training tips, aside from Olympic lifts, that you'd recommend to younger basketball players?

Kobe: The thing that I tell them all the time is consistency. If they watch me train, running on a track, it doesn't look like I'm over-exerting myself. It's a consistency with which you do it, in other words, it's an every-day-thing. You have a program, and a schedule, and you have to abide by that, religiously. You just stick to it, and it's the consistency that pays off.

MF: If you could pinpoint one part of your game - and this would really be nitpicking - what would it be?

Kobe: It depends - I usually make those evaluations at the end of the season, along with Phil (Jackson) and the coaching staff, and break down the season and how I progress, and how I evolve as a player, go into the summer with a plan, exactly what I need to work on.

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