Workouts To Increase Your Vertical Jump

You can use a variety of workouts to improve your vertical jump. These include plyometric training, jumping exercises and single-leg training. Many of these workouts put higher than normal force on your musculoskeletal system. That makes warming up and cooling down essential, advises Brian Mac, United Kingdom Athletics performance coach. It's also advisable to work up to more advanced exercises instead of jumping right into them.

Plyometrics

Plyometric workouts are an effective way to improve your vertical jump. If you're just starting out, just jump up and grab your knees at the top of the movement. Land on the balls of your feet and spring up as fast as you can for each jump, keeping the time the feet touch the floor to a minimum. Do five to 10 repetitions per set, and one to three sets.
Box jumps are a more advanced plyometric exercise. Start in a deep squat position at the end of a row of six boxes. Place your hands on your head. Jump onto a box and land in a squat position, with weight on the balls of your feet. Jump to the ground and land the same way. Jump onto the next box, minimizing the time your feet touch the floor. Do up to three sets of this exercise.
Drop jumps are an extremely intense plyometric exercise. Drop, do not jump, the floor from an 18-inch box, then immediately jump up. Minimize the amount of time your feet touch the floor. Do three sets of 10 drop jumps.

Jumping Drills

Jumping drills will train your muscles for the task at hand. Do these for time, working up from 20 seconds. Start with ankle hops. Hold your arms straight over your head, bend your knees slightly and bounce off your toes. Do quick jumps and focus on your calf muscles.
Perform squat jumps to build power. Start in a squat with feet shoulder-width apart. Explode upward, jumping as high as you can. Land softly. Work on 180-degree jumps to help refine your jumping skills. Start in a half-squat position, jump as high as possible, and rotate 180 degrees in the air. Land softly. Repeat, jumping in the opposite direction.
Box jumps are a more advanced jumping exercise. Stand about a foot and a half away from a 12- to 36-inch box. Use your arms for momentum and jump atop the box. Keep your focus on achieving a soft, controlled landing. Step off the box and repeat for your chosen time frame.

Single Leg Workouts

Single leg workouts are build strength and power. Single leg jumps can be done for time, staring with 20 seconds. Jump from one leg to your other leg. Focus on going straight up, not sideways. Hold the landing for two seconds each time. Increase pace as you progress.
Single leg squats are a standard in vertical jump training. Stand on your right leg, leaning forward so your chest comes almost perpendicular to the ground. For balance put your left leg back on a bench. Lower your right knee in a half-squat position. Return to the start position. Do 10 repetitions for each leg.
Also perform hamstring curls in which you raise the weight with both legs, but lower it with only one leg. Do three sets of eight repetitions.

Jump Rope

Jumping rope will build your vertical leap. Start slowly to warm up. Focus on landing softly, not slamming to the floor. If you hear your feet hitting the ground, you are not jumping lightly enough. Increase your speed after warming up. As you advance, use a speed rope instead of a regular jump rope because it will cut through the air faster.