subject: Vertical Jump Programs - Two Essential Aspects That Must Be Focused On [print this page] I'm going to go over two necessary but often forgotten aspects in a vertical training program. You need to focus on these in order to obtain the maximum explosion that your body has.
The first is fuel. You need fuel to contract your muscles properly. You need carbs and energy and denizen triphosphate in order to have the requisite force in your work out. You also need the right proteins, amino acids, carbs and calories in order to build the muscles properly.
Now listen to this, it's very important: If you're not getting those things to build the muscles correctly, your workouts are not nearly as effective as they could be. Not nearly. Probably 50 % effective. Your eating correctly, drinking a protein shake after your workout, making sure you get carbs, calories, proteins, and amino acids--that is going to make a huge difference. So that's fuel.
The other variable is stability and balance. If your legs and calves are strong, you're generating a ton of force to propel yourself. But if your ankle structure is wobbly, when that force is created, some of that is going to be absorbed into that unstable structure. You're going to lose some of your jumping capacity. So the more you can strengthen your joints and surrounding structures, the more efficient that's going to be as you drive through.
The balance issue is a familiar experience: maybe you've had the time in your game when you've had a breakaway and you're going down the court. And you go off one foot and you've lost your balance and it's completely messed up. When your legs are wobbly, and you are off balance... you won't be able to complete the jump. So you can see that your stability and explosion are just going to grease the wheels of your vertical explosion.
