How to Increase Your Vertical Jump

Many athletes rely on their ability to jump but how can that ability be improved and higher heights reached? Some people:

-use squats
-focus on building leg muscles
-use plyometrics
-do speed drills
-stretch
But what will work for you?

Well first you have to know what factors that affect a vertical jump. Let's see:

-Body Type
-Limb lengths
-Body structure
-Muscle make-up (fast twitch or slow)
-Muscle to fat ratio
-Height
-Genetics

(You'll notice I haven't included race. That's simply because WHITE MEN CAN JUMP!)

You need to remember that no two athletes are identical so what works for someone else may not work for you. What you need to be able to do before embarking on a program, is to identify what your weaknesses are in relation to the factors above. When you can do that you then know what you have to improve. Getting the smaller things right makes the big jump bigger!

Secondly, you need to remember there are different types of jumps:
1. Standstill (e.g. for cheerleaders)
2. Running start (e.g. basketball players - whether dunking or defending!)
3. One-legged (e.g. high-jumpers)
Each of these jumps utilise different muscles and therefore being good a one type won't necessarily mean you're good at the other. It also means you have to train differently to improve the different types.

RECCOMMENDED GUIDE: Vertical Jump Development Bible ACCESS HERE

To lift yourself into the air from a standing position requires pure POWER! Height is a factor but Leg muscle strength is the key here. Strong quads (thigh muscles) in particular are necessary. Squats are a very typical excercise to try build quads and involve repetitive movements bending at your knees with or without weights.

With a running start there is the addition of SPEED! The combination of power and speed creates a greater force to propel you into the air. For basketballers, long jumpers, etc. it is vital to be able to harness this force.

For effective jumps you need to be built like a SPRINTER: Strong quads on Fast legs!

Sprint drills are an effective excercise for anyone wishing to increase speed.

You also need to consider the impact of your UPPER body here. Strong arms help with speed and also propulsion. You also need to consider your stretching range in your upper body to help you REACH and almost pull yourself up into the air.

Reccommended Stretches:

Single leg jumps bring in the STRETCH factor! Like upper body reaching for a running start, leg reaching is also possible with the leading leg.

Here you have to learn to combine POWER propulsion from your standing leg, upwards reaching with your leading leg and upper body reaching. This requires optimum stretch between the legs so there's no backwards force restricting you and upper body stretching.

Reccommended Leg Stretches:

Strength Training System Strength Shoe

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If you're looking for a vertical jump program to help you jump higher you'll find only the best of them here:

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SERIOUS UPS: Get dunking ASAP! and increase your speed. Ideal program for BASKETBALLERS.

JUMP EXPERTS: Learn from 13 experts in vertical jumping. The program contains a manual and 7 hours of AUDIO.