Exercises for Athletes Who Want to Improve Their Vertical Jump

Very few athletic measurements evoke awe-inspiring glances as a forty-inch vertical jump. While incredibly important when dunking a basketball or spiking a volleyball, the vertical jump test is a standard measurement of one's explosive power; that is, the amount of force one is able to generate in a specific, in this case immediate, amount of time. A high vertical jump requires the athlete to coordinate a whole body movement to drive a downward force onto the ground sufficient to propel the body against the force of gravity and into the air.

Many athletes attempt to improve their vertical through gimmicks like strength shoes or other heavily marketed products on the Internet. However, strength training, Olympic lifts and plyometrics offer the best bet for consistent long term development and athletic success.

"The vertical jump is a complex multi-joint movement that requires muscle coordination best improved by specific skill development. Traditional strength training, explosive types of weight training, plyometrics and Olympic lifting can be effective for increasing vertical jump. The form of training that is most effective is determined by the relative strengths and weaknesses of the athlete," (Kraemer, et al.).

Common exercises include explosive lifts like a Clean Pull or a Push Press, Olympic lifts like the Power Clean and Snatch, traditional weight lifting like Back and Front Squats and Step-ups, and plyometric activities like depth jumps and box jumps. To increase the force produced in the vertical jump movement, the muscle contraction requires greater motor unit recruitment or faster firing of the motor nerves. Increasing force application is one way to increase vertical jump; another is increasing the muscle coordination and the neuromuscular efficiency.