Boost Your Vertical Jump with These 3 Simple Exercises
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Get ready to increase your strength and explosiveness with these 3 exercises, whether you're getting ready to block a shot in basketball, learning to dunk, serving in volleyball, or mastering your jump for the high jump in track and field. No matter what reason, these 3 exercises will increase your explosiveness and power to help you take your vertical jump to the next level.
What Is a Vertical Jump?
A vertical jump is basically when you jump as high as you can. Many people tend to do a squat to prepare for the jump, and as they go up, they elevate their arms upwards to propel themselves higher.
Before Speaking about How to Achieve the Highest Vertical Jump, Let's Talk About the Stretch Shortening Cycle
Utilizing the Stretch-Shortening cycle (SSC) is going to be the most important factor in, increasing your vertical jump. SSC is the most important element for speed and is essentially a rapid eccentric (lengthening) contraction followed by a concentric (shortening) cycle.
The most important stage when you are about to take the jump is transitioning from eccentric to concentric aka the Amortization stage, you want to make this as quick and short as possible so you can stimulate the stretch reflex. By utilizing the stretch reflex you're able to use energy stored in your tendons and muscles (elastic recoil) to maximize your force production and power.
Obtain the Highest Vertical Jump with These 3 Exercises
Trap Bar Jump
Dumbbell Split Squat
The dumbbell split squat can be the best movement that closely mimics the vertical jump. Not only are you able to isolate one side (unilateral), but you are able to make the move more explosive than the traditional split squat. Previously, we talked about utilizing the SCC, we want to make the transition phase short and fast. The split squat will help us focus more so on that point in the SCC cycle
Place your dumbbells (DB) in your hands, with your feet shoulder-width apart
Keeping your back neutral and core braced step forward with one foot and lower yourself so your front and back leg are about 90 degrees.
Lower until your back knee is just above the ground (Note: your back leg is on the toes of your foot, while the front leg should maintain content throughout your entire foot)
Explode coming up (using your front leg) and repeat
Muscles Worked:
Quadriceps (Rectus Femoris, Vastus Lateralis, Vastus Medialis)
Adductor Muscles
Calves (Gastrocnemius & Soleus)
Glutes (Gluteus Maximus and Gluteus Medius)
Abdominal Muscles
Box Jumps
The goal of the box jump is to increase jump height over a period of time. Box jumps will help increase our explosive power which is a very important component in a vertical jump.
Note: start with a shorter (height) box and gradually progress to a higher box
Stand in front of a box, with your feet shoulder-width apart or in your natural jump stance
Begin bending at the knees, push your hips back, swinging the arms back as well
Explode straight into the air using the balls of your feet (in full hip extension)
Begin bending your knees once at the final height of your jump and land on top of the box
Step off the box and repeat
Although the goal is to jump as high as you can, ensuring you are soft on your feet as you land will help you absorb the shock of your jump.
Modification: try a step-up Exercise Tutorial: Dumbbell Step | Your House Fitness
Muscles Worked:
Quadriceps (Rectus Femoris, Vastus Lateralis, Vastus Medialis)
Adductor Muscles
Calves (Gastrocnemius & Soleus)
Glutes ( Glute Maximus & Medius )
Abdominal Muscles
Trap Bar Jump
The Trap Bar Jump is a great exercise to challenge the body by loading the jump. By increasing strength, we are able to receive more force production in our jump and muscular power. The great thing about the trap bar is the weight is distributed around you and there is less stress on your spine.
Stand inside the bar with your feet at your natural jump stance
Bend at the knees and brace your core grabbing the bar
Explode up using the balls of your feet, jumping as high as you can
As you come down let the weight pull you down to land softly
Note: don’t shrug your shoulders at the top
Muscles Worked:
Quadriceps (Rectus Femoris, Vastus Lateralis, Vastus Medialis)
Adductor Muscles
Calves (Gastrocnemius & Soleus)
Glute Maximus
Hamstrings
Abdominal Muscles