Shooting, rebounding and blocking are all integral components of basketball, each dependent on strong jumping skills for optimal effectiveness. While being tall is an advantage for basketball players, having a big vertical leap can virtually add inches to your frame. A combination of effective workouts can help you maximize your jumping ability.
Power Clean
The power clean is an Olympic lift that helps you build explosive power. Elite Athlete Training Systems notes that the power clean is effective for developing your jumping skills because it closely parallels the jumping motion in sports such as basketball. In addition, the power clean builds leg strength, which adds power to your jump.
To perform a power clean, crouch down behind a loaded barbell. Grip the bar with both hands using an overhand grip. In one fluid motion, stand up, straighten your legs and pull the barbell up to your shoulders.
One-legged Squats
The motion of the squat is nearly identical to that of jumping. In fact, to put more power on your jump, crouching down into a squat position can help. Conditioning specialist Josh Henkin recommends performing one-legged exercises, such as squats, to improve your lower body strength for basketball. One-legged exercises are particularly useful because they ensure that one of your legs isn't carrying the bulk of the load. These exercises can help you eliminate muscle imbalances.
To perform one-legged squats, hold a dumbbell in each hand, keeping the weight up at the level of your shoulders. Bend one knee so that you are standing on one leg. Slowly squat down on your other leg, bending your knee as far as you can. Slowly reverse the motion and repeat.
Jumping Rope
It's often said that practice makes perfect, so if you want to perfect your jump, jumping rope is an effective strategy. Coach John Davies, founder of Renegade Training, recommends jumping rope not just to add height to your jump, but also because it can improve your strength, endurance and foot speed. Jumping rope requires very little space and equipment and there is little risk of injury.
Dynamic Stretching
Flexibility can play a major role in the height of your jump. Strength doesn't mean much if you don't have a wide range of motion in your legs. Coach Lisa Ciaravella of the WNBA recommends dynamic stretches such as these for improving basketball flexibility. Dynamic stretches are different from regular stretches because they involve movement, rather than holding one position.
One dynamic stretch Ciaravella recommends is called squat ins and outs. To perform this exercise, stand in a squat position, and quickly rotate your toes inward and outward as fast as you can. Another stretch is leg raises. For this stretch, lie on your back with your legs outstretched. Raise one leg to a position perpendicular with the floor and then lower it. Repeat with the other leg.
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