Improving your vertical leap can be a great benefit in any sport. In basketball, it will help your offensive game and your rebounding. In soccer, a player with a good vertical leap can get up over the defender and head a shot on goal. Volleyball players will also benefit from increasing their vertical leap by getting in a position to hit winners with greater frequency. Jumping higher and getting in a position to dominate your opponent will help you become a more confident athlete.
Step 1
Run hills to build strength and leaping power in your leg muscles. Hall of Fame football players Jerry Rice and Walter Payton used this technique to build strength, stamina, and leaping ability. Running hills will build strength in the calf muscles, hamstrings, and glutes. The calf muscles have more to do with the ability to leap high than any one other muscle. "I wanted to do something that would get me ready to make a play," Rice said. "I wanted endurance and I wanted to be able to go up and get it when I needed to. This exercise always helped me jump higher."
Step 2
Train in jump soles to increase your vertical leap. Jump soles attach to the front of your gym shoes, and exercising in them will isolate your calf muscle and help you gain significant leaping ability. In order to get the most out of the jump soles, use them at the local running track. Sprint 20 yards while wearing them, then walk 10 yards. Do this four times, then repeat this set later on. Do this four times a week to improve your vertical jump.
Step 3
Jump over a 15-inch box to increase your vertical jump. Stand to the left of the box. Jump over it so that you are on the right side when you finish the jump. Jump back over it to the left. Do this 10 times, take a 30-second break, and repeat the set. Now stand behind the box, and jump over it so you are in front of it. Jump over it so you are behind the box again. Do this 10 times, take a 30-second break, and repeat the set. Do the box jump four times per week.
Step 4
Stand under a basketball backboard, and do 10 two-footed leaps to touch the backboard. After a very short break, do 10 left-footed leaps, and touch the backboard each time. Take a 30-second break, and do 10 more two-footed leaps, then 10 jumps off your right foot. Alternating two-footed and one-footed leaps will help increase your vertical jumping ability.
Things You'll Need
- Jump soles
- Gym shoes
- Ankle weights
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