Increasing your ability to jump high will help your performance in nearly every sport. To increase your vertical leap, you need to increase the strength and explosiveness in your calf muscles. In addition to helping you perform in competition, increasing your vertical leap will improve your overall conditioning.
Step 1
Jump rope regularly to improve strength in your calf muscles. Boxers have jumped rope for generations to build quickness, speed in the ring and coordination. Rope jumping builds up the strength in the calf muscles that are used for leaping. Jump rope for three minutes at a time, take a one-minute break and then jump for another three-minute period. As you get more accomplished in rope jumping, try to turn the rope twice for each jump to help improve your ability to get high in the air. Do this three times per week.
Step 2
Run in jump soles. Jump soles isolate your calf muscles, and you can attach them to your athletic shoes. When you learn to balance on them, you can do exercises to build up your leg strength. Sprinting in jump soles is one of the most effective exercises. Go to the local high school or college track and sprint 25 yards. Follow that by walking 10 yards. Do four more sets of running 25 yards followed by walking 10 yards to build up explosive jumping ability. Do this three times per week.
Step 3
Build up your calf muscles with calf raises. You can do this at various times throughout the day. Stand in the middle of a hard floor--not carpeted--with your feet shoulder width apart. Raise up on your toes so that your heels are off the ground. Hold the lift for two seconds and return to the starting position. Do this 20 times, take a 30-second break and repeat the set. Do this up to three times per day.
Step 4
Do one-legged jumps on a basketball floor to improve your leg strength. Get under the back board and jump as high as you can off your right leg and try to hit the backboard with your hand. As you come down, gather yourself and go back up immediately. Do this 10 times, and then do the same exercise by jumping off your left foot. Take a one-minute break and then repeat the set.
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