Increasing your vertical jump can be a great way to improve your ability to compete in sports. When you jump higher in basketball, you have a greater chance to score, rebound, and help your team. Volleyball players who can get up higher have a more powerful swing when they strike the ball. A receiver in football has an advantage when he can jump higher than his defender. Jumping higher is also indicative of being in improved condition, so even non-competitive athletes have a chance to get in better shape by improving their vertical leap.
Hill Running
Hill climbs and hill running can increase your vertical jump. Sprinting up a hill will build the powerful leaping muscles in your calf. Start at the bottom of the hill, and sprint 200 feet. Take a 30-second break and sprint another 200 feet. If you don't have a hill large enough to do a second sprint, walk down to the bottom and repeat the exercise. Hall of Fame football players Jerry Rice and Walter Payton did this exercise, and say it enabled them outrun and out-jump opponents. "When I went up for the ball I always felt like it belonged to me," said Rice.
Jump Soles
Jump soles are devices that attach to the front of your gym or running shoes, and can help you jump higher and run faster. Jump soles isolate the calf muscles in your leg and walking, running, or jumping on them will increase your vertical leap. One of the best exercises with jump soles is to alternate 20-yard sprints with 20-yard walks. Go to your local track and do five sets of these run-walk combinations. Take a one-minute break and then repeat the set.
Box Jumps
One of the best ways to increase your vertical jump is to jump. Place a 15-inch high box in the middle of a room with a hard floor. Stand to the left of the box, and jump over it to the right. Jump back to the starting point. Do this 15 times, take a 30-second break, and repeat the set. Next, stand behind the box and jump over it, to the front of the box. Jump back over it. Do this 15 times, take a 30-second break, and repeat the set.
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