Flickr: Fabio Aro
Alright, so this is the question that many have on their minds. And that question is “How can I jump higher?”
The answer is really simple. It breaks down to doing effective exercises the right way.
Now having the ability to jump higher doesn’t just apply to just baskestball. You can use this skill for volleyball, football, track, and even free running (parkour).
To keep everything simple. I’ve broken it down to one exercise that you can do right now that will help to drastically improve your vertical jump.
If you continue to do this workout you will see significant results.
I call this workout the calf explosion workout. Here’s how it works:
The first thing you need to understand about this exercise is that we are not going for repetition. Repetition of the same exercise will not, I repeat, will not improve your vertical gains. If you want results you have to train in the improvement zone. This will require you to workout with some heavy weights at 80% of your max. So just to be safe you want to start off with small weights first and then move up. Ease your way into the heavy weights. We do not want to occur any injuries.
If you are not familiar with the max workouts then…
Here’s How to Get Your Max Workout:
You will need a partner, someone who can assist you with the weights. It’s important that you have someone who is capable of lifting heavy weights.
Start light and continue to move up with the weights. What you are trying to do is find a weight that you can only do once.
For example, if you want to find the max on your bench press. You would load up enough weights that you can only do it going down all the way and up all the way only ONCE. Just ONCE. Not two or three times.
So lets say your max for the bench press is 335 pounds. (Meaning you were only able to get this going down all the way and back up all the way, once). You then calculate 80% of 335 pounds.
335 Pounds x 80% = 268 pounds.
That means in order for you to continue to improve and build up your muscles you need to lift 268 pounds consistently.
This requires doing at least 3 or 5 sets of 8 reps.
Remember this. I see a lot of newbie weight lifters thinking it’s all about repetition. And after a few months at it they don’t see any gains. I wonder why?
Calf Explosion Exercise:
There’s a reason why it’s called the calf explosion workout. One reason is you will gain vertical explosion from this and second because you are going to explode when going up with the weights. Let me explain.
Find a calf machine or some other calf machine that is available to use. Load with the proper weights so that you can do about 8 reps. Again, start light then move up to the proper weights.
Rest the weight on the front part of your foot. Slowly lower the weights, (if you find yourself unable to control the weight then you need to go lighter) stop when you feel you can not go any lower and EXPLODE back up to the starting position. Keep doing this for 3 to 5 sets. That is 3 to 5 sets of 8 reps.
1st set – 8 reps
2nd set – 8 reps
3rd set – 8 reps
4th set – 8 reps
5th set – 8 reps
After successfully completing this workout your calf muscle should feel exhausted. But there’s one thing to remember.
Rest is CRITICAL to Your Success
Don’t overdo it. You need to have proper rest and recover. You also need a balance of other exercises. And you only want to do this maybe 2 to 3 times a week. Not everyday.
Most of your muscle growth comes from proper rest and recovery.
If you want a complete training program that can increase your vertical to jump higher. Then check out the Jump Manual. The Jump Manual is one of the most effective jump training program available.
Click HERE to Learn More
Image by: Fabio AroOne of the key aspects to improving your vertical is strength + quickness. Strength gives you the capacity to generate force. You can build up your strength by working out. Mostly by working out the fast twitch muscles. The best exercises to do are leg presses, squats, or calf machines.
The quickness part is how fast you can generate the force of strength. This can be attained by doing the workouts a certain way. Such as going down slow with the weights and EXPLODING back up to the starting position. This helps to develop your fast twitch muscles.
If you’ve watched the video. You probably noticed that he seemed to have skipped a couple. Probably, due to the editing.
Another thing to note is since the creation of this video. Jacob has changed it from 10 to 9 essential variables. Which are listed below.
1. Strength
2. Quickness
3. Neurological recruitment & conditioning
4. Fuel
5. Stability and balance
6. Form
7. Flexibility
8. Body composition
9. Hereditary factors
All these are covered in great detail in his jump training program.
Click HERE to Learn More
Flickr: aussiegall
Measuring your vertical jump is easier than you think. And no you don’t need any fancy equipment. I’ll show you an easy and inexpensive way on how to measure your vertical jump.
What You Need:
- 1 Tape measure
- Tape or Chalk – to mark your spot
- Nice pair of shoes – a snug pair of shoes that are comfortable to jump in.
Now before we get into measuring your vertical it’s important that you do some warm-up stretches. This will ensure that you get the most out of your jump.
Another important aspect is your form. When gearing for the jump. Squat down, and explode up swinging your arms in an upward motion and extend your strong arm (right or left) touching the highest point.
Alright, back to the lesson at hand.
Start off with measuring your standing reach. Stand next to a wall and extend your strong arm as high as you can with your foot flat on the ground. Mark the spot. You can have a friend put tape on the spot or apply chalk to your fingertips.
Now to measure your jump. Without taking a step or a running start. Start in a standing position and jump as high as you can and mark the spot you touched. Again, you can have your friend be a spotter and stick tape to the spot. Or you can apply chalk to your fingertips. Remember a good form will get you better results.
Keep doing this until you feel certain that you have reached your highest spot.
Calculating Your Vertical: (Math! Oh crap.)
Don’t worry it’s basic math, really. Here’s how you do it.
Subtract your standing reach from your highest jumping point. For example, if your standing reach is 7 feet and the highest point you’ve touched on the wall is 10 feet, your vertical jump is 3 feet (36 inches).
10 feet – 7 feet = 3 feet
Not hard, eh.
So there you go! Now you can keep track of your progress as you improve your vertical jump.
I hope this has helped you on how to measure your vertical jump. If you enjoyed this post make sure to bookmark it and share it with others. Hey, maybe they will thank you for it.
You also might be interested in the Jump Manual. The Jump Manual is an effective jump training program that will help to increase your vertical. It’s a popular program that is used by athletes around the world today.