Does jumping higher make you a better basketball players? Sometimes, you can gain a huge advantage if you are more athletic than your opponent. Jumping higher usually means more buckets near the rim, less shots blocked, more rebounds, more shots you block and more positions from loose balls in the air. Jumping higher does not cure bad basketball, it only heightens your skills. Before you dedicate yourself to increase your vertical leap, I need you to establish fundamental skills in shooting and dribbling.
This article is about my own experience and how I’ve helped many youth, high school and college basketball players increase their vertical leap. Through countless drills and programs, I’ve tested it all. I’m at a place where I feel confident in giving back to the community and show you this stuff actually works.
Jumping isn’t all about the legs. To maximize your leaping ability, you need to use your entire body; both upper and lower sections. The first half of this article is about important factors to keep in mind when improving your leaping ability. The second section are suggestions of what kind of individual workouts actually are effective. The third section of this article is my suggestion, from my own experience, on what program actually works.
First, let’s take a look at important aspects as to what makes you jump higher.
Stretching - Before you prepare to practice or play in a basketball you need to make a habit of stretching. Warming up your muscles allows you to avoid injury and make you flexible. This is especially important before trying to increase your vertical jump. You will find that a stiff body decreases your ability get off the ground.
Wear the right sneakers - Getting the right kind of sneakers is crucial to your basketball game. You don’t want your sneakers to be too stiff but at the same time you don’t want them to be too flexible. A great sneaker is one that bends with your movements, has enough sole that allows you to play the game longer (without hurting your heel) and supports your ankle.
Patience & consistency – Let’s face reality here, jumping takes hard work and a lot of time. If you think these tips and other programs will help you dunk in 7 days, you are wrong. It may take months to see any results but will be a great asset to your basketball game.
Lose weight (if necessary) - If you need to shed some pounds then do so before improving your jumping ability. A lean, healthy body is a great advantage to maxing out your leap. If you need to loose some fat, make it a habit to run everyday for at least 30 minutes. Running paired with a healthy diet can do wonders for your body type.
Don’t look past your core – Jumping is not all about your legs, the core muscles (abs and back) are crucial to getting up and off the floor. The reason why it’s so important to work these muscles out, as well as your legs, is that they increase mobility throughout your body.
Below are basic individual workouts you can do at home in order to strengthen the proper muscles you need jump higher.
Jump Roping - Jump roping is a great workout to build lean, fast leg muscles. When jump roping, you are constantly using light, quick jumps on your toes which builds muscles in your calves and other areas of your legs. Not only will jump roping increase your jumping, it will increase your quickness, a win-win! I didn’t put step-by-step instructions because there are thousands of variations, just do a quick Google search and find one you fits you.
Leg Lifts – strengthens your lower abdominal muscles
- Lay on the floor, extend your legs straight out and hands by your side
- Slowly lift legs (w/o bending your knees) straight up at a 90 degree angle for 2 seconds
- Lower your legs about a couple inches from the ground for 2 seconds and lift again
- Repeat 10 times
Situps – Another great adbominal workout you can do while in your own home.
- Lay on the floor with your knees bent and heels placed on the ground
- Cross each arm over your ches
- Slowly lift your head then shoulder blades (while your heel and balls of your feet are on the ground) off the ground while tightening your inner core
- Hold for a second
- Slowly come down to almost your original position with your head a few inches off the floor
- Repeat 5-35 times depending on your experience and age
Squats - A workout that targets your thighs and hips, effective workout for power jumps
- Act as if you are sitting in a chair with your shoulders square, feel shoulder width apart and knees bent.
- Slowly elevate your legs so your knees are 90% extended
- Slowly go down into the sitting position
- Repeat 5 to 10 times
- For a challenge, use a weight and hold it out in front of you
Lunges – Lunges build muscle in quads, hamstrings, glutes and calves; an all-around workout for your legs.
- Stand straight up with your feet shoulders width apart
- Step forward with one leg and lower your upper body down (back straight) so your other leg bends. Your feet should be about 3 feet apart at this point
- Slowly bring your leg back to a standing position and repeat with other leg
- Repeat 5 to 15 times
Calf raises- Calf raises help build strength in your calves
- Find a set of stairs or a platform about 8 inches high
- Hold onto a wall or something to keep you steady
- Stand on the edge so your heels are completely off
- Slowly rise your toes
- Slowly go back down (don’t do it too fast or you may injure yourself)
- Repeat about 20 times
Last but not least, here is the most effective program for increasing your vertical leap. I recommend this product to any serious basketball players who want to become a better leaper.
Jump Manual: The jump manual is one of the few programs out there that every aspect of an explosive jump. Along with the products in my resource page, this has proven results from premier athletes. In the training program you get workout charts, access to all training videos, exact nutrition plan, one-on-training and much much more! To find out more click here.
