How to Increase a Vertical Jump Fast
One way of measuring your general fitness is by measuring how far you can jump vertically. Even if you have no need to jump vertically, it is a good way to measure your fitness because vertical jump capacity comes from a combination of strength, endurance and cardiovascular fitness. Basically, the higher you can vertically jump, the better general physical shape you are in. The bad news is that large increases take time. However, you can make small increases in the short term, which will build up in the long term, provided you stick with your exercise program.
Instructions
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Lose some of your body fat. Body fat does not add anything to your vertical jump, but it does make you heavier, thus making your muscles work harder. So, reduce the simple carbohydrates in your diet and try to reduce your overall calorie consumption by 500 calories per day.
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Build your leg muscles with a workout program that includes regular squats. You can also add some isolation exercises like leg curls and presses, but the squat is the most important for two reasons. The first is that it is a compound exercise that works all of your leg muscles. The second is that it moves your legs in the same manner that your legs would have to move to jump, thus preparing you for better vertical jumping.
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Practice jumping as high as you can immediately after your weight training. This will further stimulate your leg muscles to build in the manner you need them to to increase your vertical jump.
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Increase your short-term cardiovascular strength by performing interval training like wind sprints. By stressing your heart a lot for a short period of time you will prepare it for the short-term, explosive effort of jumping high.
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Practice these consistently, and test your vertical jump once a week.
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References
- Photo Credit B2M Productions/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
