Ways to Jump Higher and Get Explosive – What You Need To Be Doing

Ways to Jump Higher and Get Explosive

Exercises that will strengthen your legs and target your fast twitch muscle fibers will make you more explosive, help you jump higher and do better in your sport. Most athlete’s can benefit from jumping higher whether you are winning a jump ball in basketball, catching a football, to jumping for a header in soccer.

Strength

In order to jump higher you need to get stronger. Focus on compound exercises which will help to create power in your legs when taking off the ground. Additionally, add in plyometrics to your workouts and of course practice jumping. It is good to alternate between strength and power. The keys to an effective vertical is creating a high amount of force quickly! The more force you can create driving from the ground times how fast you can get up will contribute to how high you can jump.

Exercises

1.Deadlifts

Deadlifts are a great exercise which primarily targets your hamstrings and glutes. When jumping your hamstrings and glutes play a huge role in taking off from the ground. So strengthening these muscle groups will be a great way to help you jump higher.  Improve your deadlift with these tips.

2. Squats

Squats also known as the king of exercises. One of the best strength and muscle building exercises for your legs. Make sure you are at least going to 90 degress, it is said full range of motion squats will improve jumping more than quarter squats.  If you struggle with squatting or have mobility restriction use these tool to squat deeper.

3. Single Leg Exercises

Exercises like lunges and Bulgarian split squats are great because they build strength in your legs unilaterally. This will help to correct muscular imbalances in your legs. Furthermore, very beneficial if you are ever jumping off one leg.

Plyometrics

When doing plyometrics you want to train for maximum force production in the smallest period of time. Plyometrics are great for increasing the strength and efficiency of your fast twitch muscle fibers. This will translate to jumping.  Looking for ideas try out different box jump variations.

Stretch the Hip Flexors

Often forgotten hip mobility is key when it comes to an effective jump. When your hip flexors are too tight you will not be able to get into proper hip extension when jumping. This will create faulty jumping mechanics and hinder your vertical.  Additionally, with proper hip mobility more motor units are activated during hip extension. Stay mobile and don’t let bad hip mobility hinder your vertical jump.

Need more ways to jump higher? Ten More Tips To Help You Jump Higher.

Make sure to always train dynamically, incorporating strength, plyometrics and single leg exercises. Together this combination will help you to build the muscle you need while creating the force output necessary to jump higher off the ground. Focus on movements which will target your fast twitch muscle fibers as they come into play when you are jumping and sprinting.

Here is one more video with some great tools which help you jump higher!