Posted: 5/11/2007 4:51:27 PM EDT
| What are some easy things you guys have done to improve your vertical leap? I am back down into the 220s so with a little work it should be easy for me to be up there two handing it again. What works best for you? |
Two handing what? How old are you? I'm 5'10" and used to be able to easily dunk. I can't even get close now. Plyometrics for vertical j, but I wouldn't do them unless you are very fit. If you're 6' and 220, you'll probably injure yourself. Blake |
| Stand next to wall put mark up (piece of tape) at height you can jump to that is not quite full height that you can reach for vertical jump (about 4" low of your two handed reach for maximum height on the wall for a single jump) Jump up and touch that point on wall. Repeat till exhaustion (you cant reach the spot). Very simple and straight forward training. Do this with both feet planeted, no stepping up, just up and down next to wall, touching and springing back up as soon as you hit the floor. Touch with both hands at the same time. Move the spot up an inch each week till you cannot reach it anymore then go to plyometrics like box drills. By bouncing up and down this is actually a limited from of plyometric training. This may sound ridiculously simple but it is quite effective. You can do this 3 times a week and not worry about injury. It will build a foundation to work up from. You should be able to repeatedly jump up and touch a point higher than your initial single max jump by week 5. |
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The best thing you can do to increase you VJ, and I learned this at a basketball training camp at the University of Iowa (1992-ish), is to work your muscles exactly the same as when you jump. So, you do not need to do full leg squats, lunges, etc. Simply get a pair of 40-50lb weights and while standing (letting the weights hang to the said) simply bend at the knees and ankles until you're 1/3 the way down, then gently straighten back up AND extend up onto your toes. Do that 3 set of 10 or 12 three of four days a week. If the weight isnt enough, then up it another 10 pounds or so. You'll notice the extra strength in a few weeks believe it or not. |
| I am very against modifying weight training to suit particular sports or doing things like 1/3 squats or jump squats. It never helped me vs traditional weight training but always made my gains slow for muscle growth. Sure weights help a non lifter even if they are 1/3 squats but regular squats, leg extesions, and calf raises through a complete range of motion will do the same thing though and give better all around gains. The key to running fast is running fast and the key to jumping is jumping the key to wrestling enduracne is wrestling and so on. Weights are for growing muscles, not training, jumping, or running. I went from barely touching the rim to dunking two handed. Have not trained for vertical in some time though. |