subject: Simple Guide To Improve Vertical Jump [print this page] The vertical jump is ones ability to push their body through the air in the vertical plane. Its a key ability for different sports, and most athletes look to improve vertical jumping ability. Some of these sports include basketball, volleyball, football, etc
Height of a Vertical Jump
There are many aspects that play a role in determining the height of a vertical leap. The 4 key contributors are:
1. Muscle fiber composition, tendon length, bone structure, and similar.
2. Jumping technique.
3. Relative strength.
4. Rate of force development (Referred to as ROFD).
5. Plyometric strength.
There is nothing you can do about the first point, and so what you can do is eat healthy and keep your body fact percentage in check. When it comes to the second point, jumping form is usually good for the big majority of people, but its always a good idea to make sure youre jumping correctly for an easy way to improve vertical
What to Do to Improve Vertical
The other points are quite straight forward and there are many things you can do to improve them and so increase your vertical jump.
Relative strength refers to the strength of the jumping muscles compared to your bodyweight. Those are the exact same muscles used in a deep back squat, and so it is generally believed that the ratio of your full squat 1-RM to your bodyweight is one of the greatest factors in determining how high your vertical is. In addition, those same muscles are used extensively in the deadlift.
This makes it so that the first thing you need to check is your squat strength, and follow it up by implementing deep back squats in your training regimen and supplement them with the deadlifts. With your squat and deadlift weights going up, your vertical jump will increase.
Rate of force development refers to power, which is also referred to as strength x speed. It is the speed at which force can be produced, and is an important factor in your vertical jump. If you want to improve vertical jumping ability, then it is essential to work this in by implementing explosive lifts that are directly connected to vertical jumping. This is why I highly recommend including the Olympic lifts and their variations, such as the Power Clean and Power Snatch.
Plyometric strength is the ability to quickly transfer force from an eccentric to a concentric movement. If youre having issues switching from the eccentric phase to the concentric phase in your vertical leap, you will have a difficult time executing the leap in a powerful manner and as a result, you will not jump very high. This is why, it is essential to improve your reactive strength levels which is done by implementing plyometric exercises and training and possibly a few reactive lifts in your training regimen.
If you are serious about improving your vertical jump, then it is important to look at the previous factors. You should identify your weaknesses and work on them for a quick way to
