A Higher Vertical: 4 Simple Tips For More Bounce

A high vertical is an invaluable athletic skill that can give basketball players an advantage in all facets of the game. Offense, defense, layups, rebounds, blocks – every part of your game can significantly improve as a result of greater jumping ability.

Is it achievable for you? It seems that some players are gifted with otherworldly hops, while others can barely scrape the net.

But with the right training, a 40-inch vertical is achievable for nearly anyone who weighs 100 kg or less.

So let’s get to it – these 4 steps will help you increase your vertical and take your game to the next level.

1. Knee Ability

The first step to training for a higher vertical is training your knee ability.

Training for a higher vertical jump puts a lot of strain on your knees. In order to sustain that stress for prolonged periods of time, you’ve got to train the right way.

To prevent injuries and bulletproof your knees it’s vital that you train your knees through their full range of motion. That means bringing your knees over your toes.

You’ll also want to perform specific knee strengthening exercises like sledding. Sledding can be implemented in your warm-up before every vertical jump training session.

2. Max Strength

Your legs are the primary movers responsible for jumping. In order to improve your vertical, your legs will have to become stronger.

For overall leg strength, the squat is king. It trains your quads, hamstrings, and glutes – the primary muscles involved in jumping. To develop strength in your squat, train in the rep ranges of 3-5 with 3-5 sets.

You’ll also have to perform secondary exercises for your calves, posterior chain, and core. Calf strength especially is a huge determiner of how bouncy you can get but is often overlooked in popular training programs.

3. Plyometrics

Strength does not equal power.

Strength is your ability to exert force. Power is the ability to exert force (strength) in the shortest amount of time possible. Athletic movements like running and jumping rely on power, not strength.

In order to turn strength into power, you’ll have to execute plyometric exercises. Plyometrics include quick and explosive movements such as box jumps and weighted exercises performed explosively at lower rep ranges.

Note that, before getting into plyometric work, you’ll want to make sure to have built up enough strength and knee ability. A good benchmark is the ability to squat 100% (80% for women) of your bodyweight for 5 reps at a full range of motion.

4. Nutrition & Sleep

The last crucial step to increasing your vertical jump is nutrition and sleep. Given that you’ve done the work, it’s now time to recover. Without proper recovery no improvements will be made.

Training creates micro-tears in your muscle tissue. When your body has sufficient time & resources to recover, these micro-injuries are transformed into muscle and strength gains.

But your body can only recover given that it has the necessary resources to do so. Those essential resources are nutrition and sleep.

To ensure a good recovery process, you’ll want to focus on getting enough sleep and getting the right amount of calories, macronutrients and micronutrients your body needs.

Conclusion

A higher vertical is a worthy and attainable goal for all basketball players. In order to improve your vertical you must keep your knees healthy, train for strength, apply plyometric training, and make sure your recovery is dialed in.