The vertical jump is an important training tool for athletes. Besides the obvious importance to sports like basketball and volleyball, the vertical jump is used in other sports as an indicator of leg strength and power, as well as a measure of overall athleticism. Using weight vest training exercises is one way to improve your vertical jump training.
Basic Vertical Jump
The simplest exercise for using a weight vest to improve your vertical jump is to simply perform vertical jumps while wearing a weight vest. This should be done while exercising due caution, however, as the added resistance of the vest can make vertical jumps far more demanding on the joints of your lower body, as well as the spine. Perform five to 10 vertical jumps with a weight vest on, taking as much as 30 to 60 seconds of rest interval between each jump. This will allow your body to recover from the exertion of weighted vertical jumps, allowing you to jump higher for each repetition.
Plyo Jump Landings
The use of plyometric exercises in athletic training is well-established. Good plyo exercises stress the eccentric, or landing phase of an exercise. To perform plyo jump landings, stand on an elevated height, such as a bench or jump box. Hop off the box and land, lowering all the way to the bottom limit of your stretch. Control the rate of descent once your feet touch the ground in order to stress the muscles of the lower legs and hips used for the vertical jump. This will also serve to help protect the joints from damage while strengthening the stressed muscles.
Box Jumps
The box jump is a basic athletic exercise beloved by high school football and basketball coaches. Stand one or more boxes in a row. Stand facing the first box, feet shoulder-width apart, a comfortable distance away from the box. Squat down deeply, then explode upward, landing on the box with both feet simultaneously. Step forward to the edge of the box and jump off, landing on both feet as in a plyo jump landing. Repeat to the end of the row of boxes. An ideal routine is to perform three to five jumps, then rest for 60 to 120 seconds. Do for three or four repetitions per training session.
References
- "Jumping Into Plyometrics: 100 Exercises for Power and Strength;" Donald A. Chu; 1998
- "Power Training for Sports: Plyometrics for Maximum Power Development;" Tudor O. Bompa; 1997
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