HOW TO INCREASE YOUR VERTICAL JUMP

Recently, one of my clients was interested in increasing his vertical jump. He asked me if doing a ton of box jumps was the key.

When we’re talking about jumping higher, we are really looking at increasing your body’s power output. While doing box jumps is helpful at mastering the movement, when it comes to increasing the power behind that jump, push-exercises for your legs are going to be the ticket.

If you’re really serious about increasing your vertical, the best place to head to is the squat rack. Squats with free weights are the ultimate explosive push-exercise for legs and help attack your fast-twitch muscles. Fast-twitch muscles, or type II muscles, are one of the two general skeletal muscle fibers people have. Fast-twitch muscles are responsible for producing a great, quick force – exactly what you want to strengthen for that jump.

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Another important tactic to increase those hops is lifting heavier for less reps. Working on those explosive movements to lift the heavier weight is exactly the kind of thing that increases your power output. More powerful = higher jump!

Now it’s time for that jump! It is important to engage both your arms and core for a higher jump. By incorporating your arms and swinging them up as you jump, you are creating more momentum. Before you jump, try taking in a long deep breath, holding it in very briefly, and letting the exhale be part of the jump.

After that, it all comes down to committing to the movement. Focus on that mind-muscle connection and give it that 100% power output. Just be careful to not hit your head on the ceiling and don’t forget about me when you make it big in the NBA!