How to Get a Higher Vertical Leap

Athletes who participate in sports that require jumping excel when they can reach heights and distances that their peers can't. What sets LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Dwayne Wade apart from other players in the NBA isn't only their shooting touch or their shot selection, but also their ability to jump higher and more explosively than their teammates and opponents. The aim of this article is to show you a few exercises that can increase your vertical leap so you can fly above your peers and grab that offensive rebound or catch that touchdown pass in the back of the end zone to win the game.

Instructions

1. Sometimes genetics plays a major part in an athlete's vertical leap. Some people seem to be born with more strength in their legs than others. For people who didn't come into the world with a four-foot vertical leap, there are exercises that can be completed every day to increase their jumping ability, and they, too, can appear to fly without wings -- or at least jump a little higher than before.

   Before exercising, an athlete must understand that the power of exercising comes with scheduling. Working out at different times every day raises the chances that the athlete will fall off the wagon at some time or another. That's why high school and collegiate practices are always held at the same times. The routine keeps the athletes focused. Dedication to a schedule of 4:30 in the afternoon Monday through Friday is easier than working out at 6 in the morning on Monday and 5:30 in the evening on Tuesday and so on. Schedule your exercises at a time during the day when you feel like you're at your best. For some people that time is in the morning and for others it's in the afternoon. You know your body better than anyone else, so pick a time and stick to it.

2. Now that you've set your schedule, you can fill it with exercises to strengthen your legs. Before exercising, you should always stretch to warm your muscles and get them ready for the workout that you're going to put them through. A little jogging or running is also a good way to get started. Two great exercises to go into after stretching and running are jumping jacks and jumping rope to get your blood flowing. They're light workouts for your calves and thighs, both of which are used for jumping.

3. Doing squats adds power to your vertical leap. Don't add too much weight in the beginning, but feel free to increase the weight as your legs get stronger. Be sure to have a spotter at your side as you do your squats in case you find yourself in a bit of trouble, and always wear a weight-lifting belt so that you lower your chances of suffering a hernia. When training with heavy weight, you should alternate days to allow your muscles to recuperate from the exercises. Do squats on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, or Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, whichever you prefer.

4. Calf raises are good for the lower legs, including the ankles. You can either do sitting calf raises with a weight machine or standing calf raises with free weights. You don't necessarily need to increase weight with this exercise as repetition is the key, and if there's no weight available, just use your own body weight. Calf raises should be done every day.

5. Box jumps and variations of box jumps can be done daily to increase your vertical leap. Find a box or another object that is tall enough for you to jump on or jump over while using some effort. To do box jumps, you should stand directly next to it and either jump on top of the object and then down on the other side or you can jump completely over the object. You can jump from side to side over the object or from front to back, or you could do sets of both, just for good measure. Some people add light weight to their box jumps, but it's not a necessity. Just as with the calf raises, your body weight is fine and repetition is vital.

6. While doing these exercises to increase your vertical jump, you may totally forget to get on your feet and just jump. Do some sets of vertical jumping. To make your jumping fun, find a wall and put a colorful substance on your fingers (paint, chalk, lipstick -- it's your choice). Jump as high as you can and touch the wall to mark your progress. You should notice after a time of exercising that the fingerprints go higher and higher up on the wall. Seeing your progress will push you to keep going.

   Always remember that these exercises should be done consistently and at the same time every day. Every week or so, you should add 5 or 10 repetitions to your sets so your body strains itself a little more. Your vertical leap will get higher as your body is able to tolerate a more intense workout. Keep at it and before you know it, you'll be a more explosive jumper than you ever imagined.