Increase Vertical

I used to jump off one foot all the time but a lot of my friends jump off two feet and jump higher than me. is it just me or is two feet more effective?

Jumping off two feet doesn’t get me as much height because I have to stop my forward momentum and I don’t get as much drive going upward. It seems kind of counter intuitive because jumping off two legs means using more muscles, but if you jump off one leg while driving upward with the opposite knee, you’ll actually get more lift.

In my case, I can just graze the bottom of a 10 ft basketball rim when I jump off one foot but I can’t get that high when jumping off two.

The Strength Training System Shoes work well. I used to use them when playing college ball. I’d start the program 1 month before practice would officially start and then through the season. They really work, after the first time using them I gained 7" on my vert. (8 weeks). It’s not that involved of a program, usually 30 min. a day 3-4 times a week, but your calves and thighs will feel it!
The only drawback is the price $129 for the shoes, video, and folder. If your vert is important to you, go for it though and don’t sissy out if your legs start hurting, stick to the 3-4 times a week. They may look weird, but they certainly work.

Good luck man

im trying to jump higher, so what muscels should i work on to do so, and what are some excersizes that help me jump higher? like what are some workouts that can help me jump higher and how long and hard i should do it for…i need help please

You pretty much need to strengthen your entire body for jumping higher. You want to focus on all the muscles in the legs. Squats and deadlifts are the two best lifts. You want to gain strength first and then add explosive training as you get stronger. There’s a lot of great info on jump training on the website in this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hE6qY_SMoZY

I am going into high school and want to increase my jumping ability for basketball and for track and field.

This has to be the $60,000 question!!You’re on the right track by wanting to improve your physical ability.The best and safest way is to train with and learn exercises from,professional Speed and Conditioning trainers.Trainers can be found at health clubs and athletic training centers.I also mentioned safety earlier because a lot of athletes are doing things that I used to do(wearing plastic suits in saunas).These methods are outdated and even dangerous.The trainers can also give you an exercise routine that you can use after you’ve trained with them.You’d also be surprised at how little some of them charge for their services.You can get three or four sessions for less than the cost of the latest sneakers.You make the decision!!!Spend about $100 on a few sessions that could help you on the path to sports success(possible scholarship!!)or get the latest sneakers. P.S.-Since you’re talking about increasing your jumping ability search plyometrics on the internet,it’s exercises that trainers would have you do.

Hi. I’m 14 , 6’0 and from skipping 500 times a day for the past three days i have now went from being 2 inches away from the rim i am now able to grab the rim with my fingertips if i continue this routine for the next two months do you think i will be able to dunk? i want to be able to dunk when school starts! thanks.

it may help, but i think its more for conditioning i.e. boxers. go online and get jump soles and dont forget to do the workouts that go with it. jump soles are shoes that keep you on ur toes to strengthen ur calves. it also comes with a work out routine where u run and jump continuously for periods of time. tough work out but its proven to increase your vert.

i play volleyball and i can only jump like a foot… and im middle hitter but i REALLY wanna be able to jump like waay higher!!. what can i do?

To some extent, you are born with your vertical jumping ability. However, EVERYONE can improve their own jumping ability by training. Just think, are all body builders born with their big muscles? or did they have to work at it? That’s right…they had to work at it. Jumping ability is the same. You have to have a good combination of fast twitch fibers in your calf and leg muscles, and upper body weight must be low (can’t be too fat) to have maximum vertical jumping ability. But…that’s not to say fat or big people can’t jump. Here’s what you do to train:

1. Develop fast twitch fibers – skipping rope every day will help tell the body to develop fast twitch fibers as opposed to slow twitch for endurance.

2. Explosive weight training. You will see the pros tie heavy weights to a belt and they try to sprint with these heavy weights. Explosive resistance training. So doing squats with weights, exploding up from a squat position with weights, any of those types of training will do.

3. Plyometric training. Specific explosive training geared towards the muscles that are required for vertical leaping ability. Like jumping off with your toes (which is why skipping is good). Also, try playing beach volleyball or jumping in the sand. Once you’ve been jumping regularly on the beach, try moving indoors. You’ll notice a HUGE difference on solid ground.

4. Lose upper body weight. If you’re too big up top, you’re exerting more energy to jump. You can artifically increase upper body weight by strapping on weights to a vest, but remove them and you’ll feel like you’re Air Jordan.

5. Eat right. Developing new fiberes requires muscle building. So eating protein 30 min after your workout is highly recommended. Stuff like chicken breast, fish, and peant butter sandwiches along with milk, or protein shakes (bananas, etc.).

If you follow all these steps, I guarantee you’ll gain 3" – 5" of vertical leaping ability. But remember, before you embark on any improvement scheme, make sure you document your condition BEFORE you start your training (i.e. height, weight, vertical leap, mile times, etc.).

i play basketball alot and i was wondering if you had any tips on improving vertical jumping and running speed without pills/illagle suppliments.Thanks.

You are trying to train explosive strength which is not mass (although you may develop some mass). Check out plyometrics. Please keep in mind that ankle weights are for slower movements. Faster movements with ankle weights can tear the soft tissue or lengthen them which is something you do not want at all. I would say don’t do it. You will jar the weights hurting your legs. Use the ankle weights instead to strengthen your legs with raise in four directions (abduction, aduction, front, back). If you want to jump higher I have a few exercises that I have seen work for myself and other basketball players… heck you can do them at a B-ball court.
1) Jump straight up and touch the backboard as many times as you can. Rest and repeat. This helps explosive speed. Try to jump higher as you go. Add a ball if you want. If you can, mark your progress. Do this double legged, and then try one step and up. If you are too short, just jump up till you can hit the board or something low to hit.
2) Skip across the length of the basketball court. Do it once trying to skip as high as you can. Do it again trying to skip as long as you can and repeat. This should be done fast. Once again you are building explosive strength.
3) Do calf raise with weights or at the very least on the steps. After you are strong enough do calf raises with one leg and switch.
4) Do squats… add weight with fewer reps and more weight, etc. You are building explosive strength… something you need. Do not let your knees go over your toes or you may develop some issues (many).
5) Don’t just jog for basketball… It is an explosive sport. If you want to jog try this instead. Go to a track. Sprint (fast as you can) 100 meters then jog at a 7-8 minute mile pace 100 meters then sprint 100 meters, jog 100 meters, repeat… Increase your 800 sets as you get stronger. If you can’t go to a track, do this at the court or outside or someplace.
6) Do other leg exercises… leg extenisions, abduction, adduction
7) Remember to run backwards! This way your quads get work too!
Oh, yea do some leg curls… while squats do work the whole leg, you don’t want to blow a hamstring…Quads and Hams should be within 20% of strength of each other. Typically the quads are 20% stronger. Your quads (front leg muscles) should not be stronger than that as you can tear your hamstrings. Careful.
6) Jump rope… well that just really helps your cardio… but you can get fancy by doing double swings (requiring a bigger jump)and crossover, requiring a change and such. Mix it up.
7) Box and line jumps. Jump over a line back and forthe then side to side fast with no stopping or hesitations (or very little).
None of these require pills which is good cause pills have negative side effects and these have good side effects.
Best of luck, happy holidays

I play sports, and I get really embarrassed because I can’t jump high at all!! Any tips, exercises that will help me? I’m not that tall (5’4) so I could really use one!! Thanks!!

You can do exercises to increase your vertical. I recommend
Plylometrics are great… I have a few suggestions… you can even do some of them at a B-ball court (or vollyeball), outside, track, etc.
Remember, you are training explosive strength here!
1) Jump straight up and touch the something higher than you (bleachers, wall, etc) as many times as you can. Rest and repeat. This helps explosive speed. Try to jump higher as you go. Add a ball if you want. If you can, mark your progress. Do this double legged, and then try one step and up.
2) Skip across the length of the basketball court/track/etc. Do it once trying to skip as high as you can. Do it again trying to skip as long as you can and repeat. This should be done fast. Once again you are building explosive strength.
3) Do calf raise with weights or at the very least on the steps. After you are strong enough do calf raises with one leg and switch.
4) Do squats… add weight with fewer reps and more weight, etc. You are building explosive strength… something you need. Do not let your knees go over your toes or you may develop some issues (many). You do not have to use weights, you can do this just normal, squat, after you are stronger, you might be able to do this with one leg (not that easy for some to do).
5) Go to a track/gym Sprint (fast as you can) 100 meters then jog at a 7-8 minute mile pace 100 meters then sprint 100 meters, jog 100 meters, repeat… Increase your 800 sets as you get stronger. If you can’t go to a track, do this at the court or outside or someplace. Or at the court, sprint from one end to the other.
6) Do other leg exercises… curls, extensions, farmer’s walk, lunges, dead lifts.
7) Remember to run backwards! This way your quads get work too!
Oh, yea do some leg curls… while squats do work the whole leg, you don’t want to blow a hamstring…Quads and Hams should be within 20% of strength of each other. Typically the quads are 20% stronger. Your quads (front leg muscles) should not be stronger than that as you can tear your hamstrings. Careful.
6) Jump rope… well that just really helps your cardio… but you can get fancy by doing double swings (requiring a bigger jump)and crossover, requiring a change and such. Mix it up. Watch Rocky IV for inspiration if you like (the library should have a free copy available on VHS or DVD).
Best of luck to you.

not really. I do it to mark my progress before and after I lift or do plyometrics.

not really. I do it to mark my progress before and after I lift or do plyometrics.