If you want to improve your vertical jump, you'll need to build leg strength and explosiveness. Using your own body weight can provide more than enough resistance to train your lower body muscles, and working one leg at a time can intensify the benefits of each exercise, providing noticeable benefits in much less time than two-legged workouts.
Single-Leg Squat
Sometimes known as a piston squat, a single-leg squat enhances leg muscle strength in the quadriceps and hamstrings while increasing flexibility and balance, resulting in an improved vertical jump. To perform a single-leg squat, hold your arms straight out in front of you to aid with balance, then stand on one leg with your other leg extended out in front of you. Try to lift the extended leg as high as possible. Now sit down into a standard squat, lowering your bottom as far as possible before standing up. Remember to keep the supporting knee and foot in perfect alignment and to never allow the raised leg to touch the ground. Repeat for 10 reps, then switch legs for the next set.
Single-Leg Deadlift
In a single-leg deadlift, you start by balancing on one leg, with the other leg bent at the knee and its foot suspended in the air behind you. Now bend your supporting knee and bend at the hip to lower your body until you can reach in front of you and touch the ground. Stand back up and repeat for 10 reps, then switch legs for the next set. While your body weight alone is enough of a challenge, you can also bend over and pick up a medicine ball, dumbbell or other weight to add extra resistance. The motion targets the hamstrings, glutes and core muscles.
Single-Leg Tuck Jump
Plyometric training involves quick, explosive movements to build muscle strength. The tuck jump, a standard plyometric jumping technique, starts with you standing, with your feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent and arms hanging at your sides. Now spring into the air and lift your knees up toward your chest. Land on the balls of your feet and immediately jump again. Performing tuck jumps with one leg takes exceptional strength and balance, but they will greatly improve vertical jumps, particularly for sports such as basketball, in which one-legged takeoffs are common.
Single-Leg Lateral Hops
Another plyometric maneuver, the single-leg lateral hop, helps achieve desired leg explosiveness for increased vertical jumping. Stand on one leg with your hands on your waist or down at your sides -- whichever allows for greater balance. Now hop on one leg to the side, land on the ball of your foot and immediately spring back to the starting position. Short obstacles can be placed on the floor to increase hopping difficulty.
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