Being able to jump high might not have much impact on your daily tasks, but it can make a big difference if you are a recreational or professional athlete. Basketball, football, volleyball, tennis and baseball require repetitive jumping from the start of the game to the end. To increase your leaping ability quickly, focus on the right areas of your body and combine a number of training modalities.
Step 1
Perform weight lifting exercises that target your jumping muscles. These include the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and calf muscles. Strengthen these muscles with exercises like squats, leg presses, deadlifts, lunges, step-ups and stiff-leg deadlifts. Aim for 10 to 12 reps, do three or four sets and use the heaviest weights you can handle with each exercise.
Step 2
Execute plyometric exercises to develop more overall power during jumps. Plyometrics are done in an explosive fashion and they simulate sport-related actions. Do exercises like squat jumps, split-leg lunge jumps, box jumps, stair hops, tuck jumps and bounding. Perform 10 to 12 reps and three or four sets of these exercises.
Step 3
Add resistance to your body to increase your weight. Wear ankle weights, weighted vests, wrist weights or gravity belts when doing your plyometric exercises and when walking around during the day. Your body will adapt to this excess resistance and you will be able to jump higher once you take it off.
Step 4
Attend yoga classes two or three times a week to lengthen your muscles. Tight muscles can not only compromise your jumping ability, but they can also increase your chances of getting injured. Purchase a yoga DVD or check one out at your library and practice from home if you do not have access to classes.
Step 5
Increase your core strength with specific exercises. During jumping, a lot of power is generated from your abs, obliques and lower back. Perform exercises like reverse crunches, alternating leg raises, Russian twists, side bends, crunches, supermans and stability ball sit-ups to strengthen these areas and improve your jumps. Aim for 15 to 20 reps and do three or four sets of each exercise.
Tips and Warnings
- Bounding is a type of running where you take long, high leaps with each step. Be steady and deliberate when you bound. Do your plyometric and core exercises in the same workouts. Perform them twice a week; do your weight lifting exercises twice a week as well.
Things You'll Need
- Free weights
- Ankle weights
- Weighted vest
- Wrist weights
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