Muscle Training - How To Increase Your Vertical Jump

Whether you're a regular on the basketball court and looking to improve your performance or you just want to reach new highs on your vertical jump, incorporate exercises into your workout that'll help increase your vertical jump. In doing so, you'll get the secondary benefits of explosive power, better leg strength and improved neuromuscular coordination.

jumping basics

First, let's define what jumping really is: power. And what is power? Power is the rate at which work can be performed. There are a few different ways you can go about increasing the amount of power you’re able to generate. First, increase your force output; second, increase the distance over which you are applying the force over (while keeping force and time constant); third, decrease the time over which the movement is performed. If you can do one of these more effectively than before, you will see an increase in your vertical jump.
So, in order to increase your vertical jump, here are some training factors you need to know.

Quad strength

The best way to work on your quad strength is through squat exercises since this movement is similar to jumping. So, before doing any other training, get yourself onto the squat machine. When performing the squat action, you'll want to go down as low as possible to increase glute activation, which is a large muscle involved in propulsion.
To increase your vertical jump even further, perform single-leg squats. Since performing a vertical jump usually requires jumping off one leg, single-leg squats are even more movement-specific, and will help build the required strength.
You should be able to squat about 1.5 times your body weight -- if not two times. Once you can do that, you stand a good chance at increasing your vertical jump.
Finally, when squatting, think about pushing yourself upward as fast as possible after the lowering phase. This will work more of your fast-twitch muscles, which will help on that upward exploding phase of the vertical jump.

Calf strength

Your calf muscles perform that final propulsion into the air, so they need to be trained.
To increase their strength, do calf raises off a step; this will increase the muscle’s range of motion. To develop maximum power when springing off the ground, the greater the range of motion, the better. More ways to work your quads to increase your vertical jump…
Choose whether you prefer to do your calf raises holding a barbell across your back or using a set of dumbbells. Either way, be sure the balls of your feet are placed on the step and the heels are moving past the parallel to create a stretch in the muscle.
For this exercise, perform 3 to 4 sets of 15 to 25 reps (you can work in the higher rep range with this muscle group).

Flexibility training

Developing your flexibility will also help you increase your vertical jump. If your tendons, muscles and ligaments are tight in your lower body, they will not be able to leverage the force as much, which will decrease your jumping ability. The specific areas you'll want to focus on are the hip flexors, the hamstrings, the quads, and the calves (Achilles tendon).
Quads: To stretch the quads, stand so that your hips are squared and pulled up as much as possible to lengthen the quad muscles. Next, hold onto a bar for balance and bend one leg at the knee so that you are able to grab your foot behind you. Pull it as close to your rear as possible and, keeping the knee as close to the standing leg as possible, pull back slightly. Remember to keep the hips square and up throughout the entire movement. As soon as these get slightly out of alignment, the resulting stretch will not be nearly as great. Hold the position for 20 seconds before moving on to the other leg.
Hamstrings: To perform the hamstring exercise, sit down on a mat with your legs straight out. Next, keeping your feet flexed, bend forward and try reaching your palms to your feet. If you’re able to, grab onto your feet and pull your body forward even more, but keep your back straight -- this will ensure that you are effectively stretching the hamstrings and not just your back. Hold this position for 30 seconds before relaxing and repeating it.
Hip flexors: To increase the flexibility of your hip flexor muscles, get onto the floor in a kneeling position. Then, move one leg out so it's in front of you, with your foot planted firmly on the floor and your knee at about a 90-degree angle. Next, slowly lean your body toward that knee until you feel a pull in the upper thigh area on the other leg (this is the hip flexor muscle). Your arms can be placed on the bent knee in front of you or they can be held out to the side for balance. Hold this position for 15 seconds, and switch legs.

Calves: To stretch the calf muscle, stand on a step with your heels slightly off it, while balancing on the balls of your feet. Next, drop one heel down (slightly shifting your weight backward to apply pressure to the muscle and tendon) until you feel a slight stretch. Hold this for 10 seconds while taking a deep breath in and out. Afterward, push slightly further and hold it. Switch sides once you are finished.
Work on those jumping skills next…

jumping skills

The next key aspect you'll need to work on is improving your jumping skills. Since the best way to improve on any skill is to practice it, you must perform a variety of jumps. On a separate day than your strength-training day, complete a series of the following exercises two to three times a week.
No Arm Hop: Don’t use your arms so that all the force is generated from your legs. Stand tall, bend down slightly and jump off the ground, while keeping your arms glued to your sides. Upon landing, jump again so that you complete 10 continuous reps.
Split-Lunge Jump: This exercise will really get your glute muscles firing, which is key in producing force. Assume a lunge position. Drive yourself off the ground from the lunge, switch legs in the air, and land back in the lunge position. The lower the lunge, the more muscle work is required. Go as low as possible while completing 10 to 15 reps.

Box Jumps: Box jumps improve your rebounding ability, giving you better plyometric power. Stand atop a box that's one to two feet off the ground (the higher the box, the harder the exercise will be). Once you've found your balance, jump off the box, land as quickly as you can, and rebound off the ground once again. Note that the point of this exercise is not to land in a deep knee bend, but only to bend the knees as much as needed to propel your body off the ground again. After you're finished, get on top of the box and perform the action again, repeat it 10 times.
Ankle Hop: The final exercise you'll perform is an ankle hop, and it will mostly work the Achilles tendon and calf muscle. Simply stand up straight and perform small hops off the ground without bending your knees. You may need a slight knee bend to get going, but after that, keep it to a minimum. Perform up to 20 at a time, rest and repeat the exercise 2 to 3 more times.
Once you've gone through all of these components for a few weeks to a couple of months, you should start seeing a difference in your vertical jump. It would also be a good idea to start practicing your vertical jump once or twice a week once you get the hang of these exercises.
Finally, it should be mentioned that body fat levels will play a role in your vertical jumping ability. Obviously, the less body fat you have to transport into the air, the less strength your muscles will need. If you’re currently sporting some extra body weight, slimming down might be to your advantage. To do this, add some cardio to your program, and take a thorough look at what your dietary habits are like.

jump around

If you are willing to put the time and effort into completing the above-mentioned exercises, there is no reason why you won’t eventually see an increase in your vertical jump.