5 Ways to Increase Your Vertical Leap

1. Increase Your Flexibility

Imagine flinging a rubber band. To get more distance or speed you will stretch the band far. A muscle is like a rubber band because it lengthens and then shortens to gain speed or distance. The more flexible the muscle is, the greater the power of movement.
Complete dynamic (ballistic or active) stretches before the workout. Examples of these stretches are marching, skipping and alternate movement drills. Alternate movement drills are running backwards for a few steps, shuffling a couple and then completing carioca movements.
After the workout, stretch statically by holding each stretch for 20 to 30 seconds. Be sure to stretch all the muscles in the legs, calves, hamstrings, quads, groin and hips, after a workout designed to increase your vertical leap.

2. Jumping Drills

Beginners to advanced athletes should complete simple jumping drills. Jumping in place needs no explanation. Standing jumps can be horizontal or vertical and begin from a dead stop. Bounding exercises are like sprinting but with a maximal one leg jump with every step. Box jumps are when you leap onto a barrier. Depth jumps are stepping off a barrier and landing in a stable squat position. As you advance you can complete these exercises on one leg.

3. Hit the Weight Room

Strength coaches use a term called relative strength. Relative strength is the amount of load lifted that exceeds bodyweight. If a 200-pound man can squat 400 pounds, he has a relative strength of 200 pounds. This 200 pounds of relative strength can be directed vertically and explains how 5-foot, 10-inch bodybuilders can dunk a basketball.
To increase your relative strength on the squat, use 80 to 90 percent of your one-rep maximum for sets of four to six repetitions. Try to use 100 or 150 percent every four to six weeks to judge how much relative strength you have gained.

4. Loaded Plyos

Loaded plyos are exercises for advanced athletes who need resistance that exceeds bodyweight during sprinting and jumping training. Weight vests are beneficial for jumps in place, standing jumps, box drills and depth jumps. Tear-away cords and parachutes assist with bounding and sprinting exercises. Medicine balls are an effective and easy way to add resistance during explosive upper body and core movements.

5. Five--Five--Five Squats

Bodyweight jumping increases the vertical leap, as does weight lifting and loaded jumping. The combination of the three methods yields higher results than just one. Five--five--five squats combine all three variations in one exercise.
Hold dumbbells that weigh a combined 10 to 50 percent of your one-repetition maximum. Perform five slow squats followed by five speed squats and then five jump squats.