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Alt-text: An athlete dunking a basketball on an outdoor court.
Summary
Achieving a higher vertical jump is a common goal for athletes. To improve, you need to incorporate strength training, plyometrics, and velocity-based training. Exercises like squats, deadlifts, and lunges strengthen the key muscles involved in jumping, such as the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. Plyometric exercises like box jumps enhance explosive power. Velocity-based training (VBT) optimizes power output by focusing on movement speed. Using tools like the Enode Sensor, athletes can track and adjust their training for better results. Combining these methods can significantly increase vertical jump performance.
Introduction
Getting a higher vertical jump is a common (and important) goal for many athletes, whether for basketball, volleyball, track and field, etc.
By understanding the mechanics and training methods that are at play in getting a better jump, athletes and trainers can make some big improvements.
Let’s check out how to jump higher, including looking at the specific muscles involved in jumping, effective training techniques, and how to use specialized equipment to raise your vert.
Which Muscles Are Involved In Jumping?
It’s important to understand which muscles are being used during the movement in order to jump higher – this’ll help you train the right things.
Key muscles involved include the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, calves, and core muscles.
Each of these plays a big role in generating the power and strength needed for a high jump:
- Quadriceps: Located at the front of your thighs, these muscles are responsible for extending your knees during the jump.
- Hamstrings: Sitting at the back of your thighs, they work alongside the quadriceps to control knee flexion and hip extension.
- Glutes: These powerful muscles in your buttocks help with hip extension, providing much of the explosive force needed for jumping.
- Calves: The gastrocnemius and soleus muscles in your lower legs work hard in pushing off the ground explosively.
- Core Muscles: A strong core stabilizes your body and allows for more efficient force transfer during the jump.
How to Jump Higher: Training Strategies
Increasing your vertical jump involves a combination of different training techniques.
Incorporating velocity-based training, strength training, and plyometrics into your routine can lead to some of the biggest improvements.
Also, I personally use the Skyhook Contact Mat for myself and my athletes when doing any sort of jump training as it helps me track important metrics.
Source: https://store.simplifaster.com/product/skyhook-contact-mat/
Alt-text: The Skyhook Contact Mat
Velocity-Based Training for Vertical Jump
Velocity-based training (VBT) focuses on measuring the speed of movement during resistance exercises.
This method helps athletes optimize their power output by tailoring the load and velocity of their workouts using specific VBT zones.
Using the Enode Sensor for VBT Training
The Enode Sensor is a powerful little tool that’s perfect for anyone getting into velocity-based training.
Source: https://store.simplifaster.com/product/enode-sensor/
Alt-text: The Enode Sensor.
It can help improve your jump through:
- Real-Time Feedback: The Enode Sensor attaches to your training equipment (like barbells) and provides real-time feedback on the velocity of your movements. This allows you to adjust your effort and load to stay within the optimal speed range for power development.
- Track Progress: By consistently monitoring your performance, the Enode Sensor helps you track improvements and adjust your training regimen accordingly, especially on days that your performance is feeling off.
Understanding the pros and cons of velocity-based training is important for maximizing its benefits.
VBT can help design workouts to an athlete’s specific needs, but it requires careful monitoring and adjustments, which the Enode Sensor allows you to do effectively and easily.
Make sure to read our full Enode Sensor review to see all its benefits!
Strength Training for Better Jumps
Strength training is fundamental for improving your vertical jump.
Exercises like squats, deadlifts, and lunges target the muscles used in jumping, increasing their power and endurance.
There are different types of strength, some of which are better than others for boosting your vert…
Balancing strength vs. power is also important, as both are needed for explosive movements – so make sure to train both!
Here’s a closer look at some strength exercises for vertical jumps:
Squats
Stand with your feet shoulder-width or slightly further apart.
Lower your body by bending your knees and hips, keeping your back straight and chest up.
Go down until your thighs are parallel to the ground, then push back up to the starting position.
I recommend training all techniques of squats, including:
- Pause squats
- Explosive squats
- Slow-eccentric squats
Deadlifts
It might not seem like you need deadlifts for a better jump, but they’re actually super effective since the power and strength requirements are high in this one.
To start, stand with feet hip-width apart, grip the barbell with hands at shoulder-width.
Keep your back straight and lift the bar by straightening your hips and knees until you’re standing upright, trying to keep the barbell close to your body.
Lunges
Training unilateral movements is important because you can quickly address any imbalances.
You can do Bulgarian lunges, walking lunges, reverse lunges – whatever feels best to you, although I recommend cycling through different variations over time.
For standing lunges, step forward with one leg, lowering yourself until both knees are bent at a 90-degree angle.
Push back up to the starting position and switch legs.
Strength vs. Power in Jumping
Understanding the difference between strength (the maximum force you can apply) and power (the speed at which you can apply this force) is important in designing your training.
Both elements are essential for a high vertical jump, so spend time training both.
Understanding the difference between strength (the maximum force you can apply) and power (the speed at which you can apply this force) is important in designing your training., says Eric Richter Share on XPlyometrics for Explosive Power
Plyometric exercises are designed to increase the explosive power of your muscles.
Movements like box jumps, depth jumps, and bounding drills train the muscle fibers to contract more quickly and forcefully.
It’s generally recommended that you do low frequency of plyometrics, doing about 2-3 sessions a week with 3-6 sets of 2-5 reps per session.
Box Jumps
Stand in front of a sturdy box or platform.
Jump onto the box, landing softly with both feet.
Step back down and repeat.
Depth Jumps
Stand on a box and step off, landing softly on the ground.
Immediately jump as high as possible upon landing.
Bounding Drills
Run forward with exaggerated strides, focusing on driving your knees up and extending your legs fully.
Conclusion
Improving your vertical jump requires a well-rounded approach that includes understanding the muscles involved, implementing velocity-based training, and balancing strength and power through various exercises.
Tools like the Enode Sensor can provide valuable insights and increase how effective your training is.
By combining these strategies, athletes can achieve greater heights (pun intended) in their performance.
Make sure to check out our store for any athletic gear you need!
Improving your vertical jump requires a well-rounded approach that includes understanding the muscles involved, implementing velocity-based training, and balancing strength and power through various exercises, says Eric Richter Share on XFAQs
Do squats help you jump higher?
Yes, squats are very effective for improving your vertical jump. They target the key muscles involved in jumping, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. By increasing strength and power in these muscles, squats improve your ability to generate force during a jump, leading to higher jumps.
Does velocity-based training help with increasing vertical jump?
Yes, velocity-based training (VBT) can significantly help in increasing vertical jump. VBT focuses on the speed of movement during resistance exercises, improving power output. VBT lets athletes train within the optimal velocity range for maximum power development. Using tools like the Enode Sensor, athletes can get real-time feedback and adjust their training to improve their vertical jump effectively.
VBT focuses on the speed of movement during resistance exercises, improving power output. VBT lets athletes train within the optimal velocity range for maximum power development, says Eric Richter Share on XHow do you increase your jump height?
Increasing your jump height involves a combination of strength training, plyometrics, and velocity-based training. Strength exercises like squats, deadlifts, and lunges build the necessary muscle power. Plyometric exercises such as box jumps and depth jumps increase explosive strength. Incorporating velocity-based training with tools like the Enode Sensor helps optimize training efficiency by monitoring and adjusting the speed of movements for better performance.
Can I train myself to jump higher?
Yes, you can train yourself to jump higher by following a structured training program that includes strength training, plyometrics, and velocity-based training. Consistently working on exercises like squats, deadlifts, and box jumps, while monitoring your progress with tools like the Enode Sensor, can lead to huge improvements in your vertical jump over time.
Why can’t I jump high?
There could be several reasons why you might not be able to jump high, including lack of strength in key muscles, not enough explosive power, poor technique, or insufficient flexibility. It’s important to have a balanced training program that addresses all these areas.
