The Basics of Jump Training
Saturday, January 14th, 2012Jumping comes almost as naturally to anyone as breathing does. Unfortunately some people can jump higher than others. A common perception is that tall people can just jump higher than shorter people, but actually there are many shorter individuals who have a higher vertical leap than do the so called “tall people”. The way they do it is they figured out a way to increase jump height. There are many workouts and exercises out there, but there are certain ones that increase the vertical leap. The way they do it is by targeting the muscles used for jumping and tone them for maximum jumping power. Plyometrics are usually considered the most effective exercises for increasing jump but there are other exercises that can improve jump as well.
There are many things to consider before following a jump training program. First, and the most important, is to know your body and your fitness level. The is important because the effectiveness of the exercises you are doing depend on what fitness level the body is in. Then you have to think about which exercises are going to be the best for accomplishing your goals. The most popular route is plyometrics and resistance training. Experienced athletes and trainers will combine the two to see the best results. This method has been proven over and over again as the best way to increase jump height in particular sports.
The basic plyometric exercises are jumping, hopping, and bounding. These exercises are done rapidly and explosively. Jumping is done when both of the feet land together. The take off doesn’t require both feet to launch together as one foot may jump ahead of the other. There are a variety of different jumps used and they include ankle jumps, vertical jumps, and jumping over obstacles. Hopping, on the other hand, requires one foot to take off and then you land on the same exact foot. More strain is put on the foot because only one foot doing the work. This also puts more strain on the foot. Usually a single leg is used, but multiple legs can be used. Bounding is an exercise set that a lot of people don’t use. It is similar to hopping but instead of landing on the same foot, you land on the opposite foot.
Resistance training is used to improve the individuals strength while maintaining speed. The workouts use lighter weights and require the exercises to be repeated continuously to act on both the speed and strength. These workouts do get more complicated and should be done under the guidance of someone experienced in this kind of training.
These are only a few of the ways to increase your jump. Always remember to don’t engage in something that might injure the body. Listen to the signs your body is giving you. Don’t rush or overdo it.
