How to Jump Higher
54
How to Jump Higher
WAYS TO INCREASE YOUR VERTICAL JUMP
Whether you are playing basketball with friends, for a team, or have just always wanted to touch the rim. There are a few exercises that can greatly increase your vertical jump in a short amount of time.
First we have to know exactly what muscles are used when jumping for max height.
MAJOR MUSCLES USED FOR JUMPING
· Quadracepts (Quads)
· Hamstrings (Hammies)
· Calf Muscles
SECONDARY MUSCLES USED FOR JUMPING
· Anterior deltoids
· latissimus dorsi
· traps
· medial deltoids
· posterior deltoids
However since the majority of the movement comes from the QUADS, HAMMIES AND CALF MUSCLES those are the muscles you need to be focusing on.
SIMPLE DAILY EXERCISES
There are a few simple exercises that you will not need to visit a gym for, and will drastically increase your vertical jump.
Calf Raises put your back against the wall and roll your feet with you calves until you are standing at the top of your toes and then come slowly come back down. Try doing three sets of fifty of these during the day, or at least until you feel a good burning sensation in your calves.
Squat jumps, Squat jumps are a great easy way to increase your vertical, slowly lower down into the squat position(ninety degree angle with your knees) and powerfully jump as high as you can, repeat until burnout.
Stretching, stretching will greatly increase your vertical ability, usually more than leg strength itself.
Important stretches, Squat, lunges, butterfly, laying down toe touches, standing up toe touches and sideways lunges.
Uphill running, uphill sprints target a lot of the same muscles used for jumping and will greatly increase you’re jumping power.
If you own a bicycle or jump rope , both these workouts concentrate a lot more on strengthing the legs than jogging and walking and will increase your jumping power.
GYM WORKOUTS
Squats Squats Squat, Squats are the most well-known and popular way of using weights to increase your speed and vertical. REMEMBER it’s not about how much weight you can squat with, doing it correctly (90 degree angle) with low weight is so much more important for increasing your power.
Box jumps, IF your gym happens to have these tall boxes that have a rubber pad at the top, jumping on them and then off them is a great way to increase your vertical.
Bungee jumps, many gyms have a special box with a harness that allows you to jump with bungee cords applying pressure. Many professional athletes use this equipment to increase their vertical.
Stair climber, this is an all around great workout and really helps strengthen the legs.
Weighted lunges, whether you put a barbell on your back or dumbbells in your hands lunges are great workout for strength training.
No matter which workouts you prefer, I hope this list helps someone in some way achieve your goals. But always be sure to keep hydrated AND STRETCH DAILY.
Other Articles by this Author:
How to add weight to your Bench Press!
