Jumping is an athletic skill used by all football players except offensive linemen. Anyone who carries the ball may have to jump over diving tacklers, and all defensive players will have to jump to deflect pass attempts. The ability to jump quickly and with significant height can allow you to make a game-changing play. The key to training for this ability is to realize that you are not making yourself a better football player; instead, you are making yourself a better athlete. Because of this you do not have to train for any football-specific purpose.
Step 1
Perform as many workouts as possible with a weighted vest. Jumping will require more power on the football field because of the equipment you will be wearing. The additional weight of the vest will speed up the progress of your workouts and get you ready for action on the field. During off-season workouts or any workout in which you are not wearing pads, using the weight vest can add resistance to your running and jumping. You should avoid using the weight vest during plyometric workouts because of the excess load placed on the joints upon landing.
Step 2
Lift weights explosively. Slowly lowering the weight before accelerating it rapidly builds explosiveness in the muscles. The most common exercises that you should be doing are squats, lunges and step-ups. These movements most closely resemble jumping and can be done explosively to increase the power in your lower body. When using weights to build power, you should always use moderate weight to maximize benefits without greatly increasing injury risk. When squatting, you should lower the weight slowly before standing as quickly as possible while maintaining proper form. Step-ups can be done on a plyometic box or a bench. Place a foot on the box and drive off of the leg, stepping up onto the bench. With your other leg, drive your knee up to your chest. This will prevent you from compensating and completely isolate the leg you are stepping up with.
Step 3
Jump over plyometic boxes in your workouts. Plyometrics are one of the most popular methods for building the explosion necessary to jump on the football field. Boxes range from 1 to 3 feet in height, and you can jump from the ground onto the tops of the boxes, or jump completely over the boxes. Plyometrics carry significant benefits, but also pose risk of injury to the hips, knees and ankles because of the repeated landings. Using plyometrics once a week is generally considered the most efficient way to train while protecting yourself from injury.
Tips and Warnings
- Training with a goal of increasing your vertical leap is not directly related to football. The only difference between jumping higher in basketball and football is the extra weight you must carry in football because of the padding. Any program designed to increase your vertical will be beneficial for football to some extent.
Things You'll Need
- Weighted vest
- Cones
- Plyometric boxes
References
- "Jumping into Plyometrics: 100 Exercises for Power and Strength"; Donald Chu; 1998
- "Plyometrics for Athletes at All Levels: A Training Guide for Explosive Speed and Power"; Neal Pire; 2006
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