The ability to jump high is an important skill for many sports, like basketball and track and field. Some have an innate talent for jumping high and others have to train to increase their vertical leap. Training to increase vertical leap includes building strength and power in the legs and also working on muscle memory and muscle reaction. Weight training in the gym and practicing drills on a regular basis will help you jump higher and excel in your sport of choice.
Step 1
Strength train to build power in your legs. The stronger your legs, the more rebound you will have to push yourself off the ground and into the air. Choose exercises that mimic the vertical leap, such as squats, calf raises and lunges. Also include some ballistic exercises, or weight training exercises done at a fast pace, such as power cleans. These will help build the explosive power needed to jump higher. Don't forget to train the upper body and abdominal muscles as well; a powerful vertical jump requires total body strength, not just leg strength.
Step 2
Train with plyometrics. Plyometrics are exercises that specifically involve jumping, and they are an effective way to train the body for speed, agility and explosiveness. Box jumps are an example of an effective plyometrics exercise for gradually building the height of your jump. To do box jumps, build or buy sturdy wooden boxes in three sizes: 16 inches, 20 inches and 24 inches. Start with the shortest box and work up to the tallest box. Stand in front of the box, and moving both feet at the same time, jump up onto it. Land both feet together with your toes and heels completely on the box. Land with your knees and hips slightly bent and then straighten up through the hips. Now, jump down off the box landing both feet together. Try this a few times slowly and then try to link your jumps, pausing only a moment on the ground before jumping again. Work on using the power in your legs, abdominals and upper body to propel yourself up onto the box. Do as many jumps as you can in a row and then rest. After you feel comfortable on the shortest box, move up to the mid-size box and then to the tallest box. If you want to go even further, you can buy or build taller boxes up to 40 inches.
Step 3
Train for speed and endurance by running sprints. Jumping high takes quick spurts of explosive power in the legs and in the lungs. If your cardiovascular system is not used to responding quickly to produce the energy needed for the jump, you won't be able to jump as high. Practice running a 200-meter sprint as fast as you can. Really, give it everything you've got. Recover for 1 to 2 minutes and then do it again. Try timing your sprint to overtime to see how much you improve on speed. Practice sprints at least one time a week.
Things You'll Need
- 3 strong wooden boxes (16 inches, 20 inches, 24 inches)
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