Lebron James has quickly risen to be one of the best players in the NBA. So what has made him so great? Well, his 41" vertical jump didn't hurt. In fact, Lebron James' vertical leap gives him a significant advantage over his competition. He can easily pull down rebounds, raise up to block shots, and throw down some powerful dunks. I can't promise you that you will be dunking like Lebron, but if you implement the proper training program you CAN significantly increase your vertical leap.
The major muscles involved when a person jumps are the quads, hamstrings, and the lower back. Most people think that the calves play the biggest part in your vertical jump, but they are wrong. What, you don't believe me then test it out for yourself.
Stand completely flat footed and without bending you knees jump up as high as possible. Hmmm...you didn't jump very high did you? That's because you are only using your calve muscles. Now do the same thing with a deep knee bend and you will jump much higher because you are using much larger muscle groups.
In reality the quads, hamstrings and glutes are responsible for about 80% of your leaping power. So it would make sense to base the majority of our training on these muscle groups. Here are a few exercises that I recommend...
Squats- Squats are BY FAR the best overall exercise that you can do to help you improve your vertical jump. Just think about the squat motion in general. It closely resembles the motion you use when you are preparing to jump. It hits all the right muscle groups as well. So make sure you incorporate HEAVY squats into your workouts.
Sprints - Running the 50 and 100 yard dash will build your leg muscles, increase your speed, and help your vertical. If sprinting on flat land becomes too easy, change it up with some hill sprints.
Jumping rope - Getting proficient at jumping rope will improve your reflexes and cardiovascular system. Once you have mastered the rope, add ankle weights to increase the difficulty.
Box Jumps - An excellent plyometric exercise which can help you to quickly see results. Jump onto and off of a tall box or bench.
Heel and Toe touches - Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Jump as high as you can and bring your heels toward your butt. As you are in the air touch your toes. Land, jump again, and then your heels.
Another area that is often neglected is a person's form when they are jumping. It is very common to receive a 3 or 4 inch immediate increase in your vertical jump by simply implementing the right jumping techniques. So how can I say this? Well, I have seen it in myself.
You can find additional info at the following links:
Click Here for more information
Click Here for more information
0 comments:
Post a Comment