Besides agility exercises and weight loss, certain shoes may make you able to jump higher. Ever since teenagers have fantasized of jumping as high as successful basketball players, companies have been creating gadgets meant to help them do just that. Some shoes meant to put a spring in your step resemble standard basketball shoes; others come with a platform under the ball of your foot and some are made to strap onto your existing sneakers.
The Concept 1
The newest jump-higher shoes on the scene are called the Concept 1, by a company called Athletic Propulsion Labs. Designed by twin brothers Ryan and Adam Goldston, Concept 1s are touted as shoes that can instantly make you jump three inches or more higher without additional exercises or training. New Concept 1 shoes come impeded with a spring-like "Load n' Launch" feature in the front of the shoe. The makers cite two tests performed by researchers in Biomechanics, which show that the shoes increase vertical leap. At $300 per pair in 2011, these are not the least expensive athletic shoes around--however they do come with a money-back guarantee.
ATI Jump Training Shoes
Athletic Training Innovations, or ATI, Jump Training Shoes use construction methods that force you to use calf muscles rather than shifting most weight to the heel. The company states that the Jump Training Shoes, together with The ATI Training System, creates the "most advanced plyometric workout" available for athletes. ATI working in conjunction with Karl Frank created a 52-week in-season/off-season workout DVD that is meant to go with the shoes. Training in the ATI shoe puts more weight on the ball of the foot, forcing the calf muscles to support most of your body weight. The cost is $130 in 2011. Used correctly, the ATI training shoe may increase an athlete's vertical jump, coordination, speed, strength and flexibility.
Jumpsoles
Jumpsoles are one of the most popular devices meant to help you jump higher. They basically consist of platforms that can attach to your existing sneakers. According to the makers, Jump USA, Jumpsoles help build up twitch muscle fibers in the lower leg critical to jumping higher. By using Jumpsoles and their training DVD, you can increase vertical jumping by 5 to 10 inches, and decrease time in the 40 yd dash by .2 seconds. The company guarantees this improvement with a money back guarantee.
Upgrading Jumpsoles
Jumpsoles 4.0 can be upgraded with "Proprioceptor plugs," which can screw into the bottom of Jumpsoles, allowing you to do additional ankle and foot strengthening exercises. The cost is $100 for the Jumpsoles and training DVD; or $130 with the addition of Proprioceptor plugs.
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