So you want to be jumping higher? Did you know that it is actually two simple things that can get anyone to be jumping higher in as short as 1 day, but if you want to really increase your vertical, then you can get on a plan to improve your vertical as much as 10 inches. And this is actually much simpler than most people think.
The reason is that there is tons of information out there that is not helpful to be jumping higher. The tips will actually push you in the wrong direction, but this is what the best jumpers and their coaches teach.
Strengthen the Correct Muscles. You know that you should exercise, and that is what everyone will say, and they are right. But if you don’t exercise correctly, you can actually lower your vertical jump. Exercises like squats or any heavy lifting will not work the correct muscles.
How can you fix this? Don’t worry about just working your leg muscles, because that is true, you need good leg muscles to be jumping higher. but the reality is the type of muscles. Fast twitch muscles are the ones you want. They give that explosive power that help you explode off the ground. But what exactly are they? They have been talked about a lot, but not really explained.
Pretty much, slow twitch muscles are your strength muscles that can lift tons of weight, just like a power lifter or huge body builder. But fast twitch muscles are for a sprinter or a thrower who can take that weight and move it in an explosive way. That is impressive. To build this explosive power you need to workout quickly and repeatedly, like with plyometric training, which specifically work these muscles.
Get the right form. The next most important part is correct form. You can have all the right muscles, but if you don’t use it correctly, then you are keeping yourself from increasing your vertical as much as you could.
So how can you fix this? How much are you using your arms? Your arms are easily half of your jump, and if you are using them wrong, you can ruin most of your jumps. An easy way to focus on this is by box jumps where you must use your entire body to jump that high. By picking a big box you will have to work hard to jump on top of it. That will force you to focus on using your arms, they will be the extra push necessary to jump onto the box.
When the timing is off, you cannot be jumping higher like you should be. Not as high as you could be.
Don’t forget about the rest of your body either. Your core is extremely important to your jumping higher because you need a solid frame to be jumping with.
Want to find out more about jumping higher, then visit these great articles on how to pick one of the best jumping workouts for you.