Improving vertical leap ability is an important skill for athletes such as basketball and volleyball players. To increase your vertical leap, strengthen the muscles responsible for vertical leaps through a combination of weight training and plyometrics. While practicing your vertical leap is a key to increasing jumping ability, dedicating specific time to strengthening the muscles that power you through the move will also provide effective, rapid results.
Function
Vertical leap weight training is an important component of leap training because it allows you to strengthen both the muscles that are responsible for carrying the body into the air and other muscles that are not typically recruited. If the muscles that are not used in vertical leaping are not strengthened, it can create imbalances in the body that increase the likelihood of injury.
Features
Weight training is only one component of vertical leap training. The other portions are plyometric drills and practicing the vertical leap. Because of the different workouts necessary to increase your vertical leap, a full-body weight lifting workout completed two or three days a week is a good choice for weight training. This leaves ample time during the week for other types of workouts.
Benefits
Full-body weight training creates strong muscles, joints and tendons. This strength is important, of course, to help increase your vertical jumping ability, but it also reduces your risk of injury and helps you fight fatigue during competition.
Misconceptions
Weight lifting for vertical leap training involves more than strengthening the parts of the body used during the jump. Use full body workouts and select exercises that use multiple muscle groups, such as pull-ups and squats. These exercises not only increase strength, but boost proprioceptive awareness, or the sensation of knowing where different parts of your body are in space, an important component of athletic endeavors, including vertical leaps.
Warning
Weight lifting, plyometrics and practicing vertical leaps are all important parts of vertical leap training. Arrange your schedule so that you can fit regular workouts as well as rest periods in each week. Watch for signs of overtraining, such as an elevated heart rate while resting, extreme fatigue, trouble sleeping, nagging pain, loss of appetite or a decrease in your ability to perform. If you notice any of these symptoms, scale back your workouts and get more rest.
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