Posts Tagged ‘plyometric training’

Increase Vertical Jumping Today

Saturday, February 6th, 2010

What can you expect by increasing your vertical jumping? The answer lies in the sport you play and if it’s required to outperform other players. In basketball, your capabilities of strong vertical jumping is everything in relation to your jump shots, blocks, and rebounds. You can be an underdog if you cannot reach up and above competitors for rebounds because rebounds determine the success of a game. Defensive players must block out opponents when creating a solid position; point guards must have a straight vertical in order to get shots over taller players. The world of basketball depends on your vertical jumping; in this article, you’re going to learn three tips to help increase vertical jumps today.

1. Weight Lifting and Plyometric Exercises

You can increase vertical power with plyometrics. Plyometrics is a form of weight lifting that requires quick-fiber punches within your body. Our bodies are built on fiber tissues that determine our reflexes by the snap of the fibers. In jumping, the tissues in your body must work in unison to provide a strong spring. Plyometrics training improves the stability and power of your vertical jumping by building those twitch fibers within your legs.

The plyometric exercises typically are quick reactions to resistance like gravity or weights.  It could be simply jumping as high as you can until you can not reach your maximum jump any more.  Some exercises may include jumping over or on top of boxes, then jumping down off them.  With plyometric exercises, it is important that each rep attempt is quick and attempt to achieve the maximum every time.  Along with strength training, plyometrics provides a perfect complement to increase your vertical jump quickly.

2.  Agility Drills, Intervals, and Sprints

Strong jumps require stability, flexibility, and frequency in monitoring the twitch fibers of your legs and core. The core muscles (upper abdominal, lower back, and lower abs) experience a crunch when you have to move into the air. If you’ve ever paid attention to great jumpers, their core muscles are quite tight. They are able to move in a flexible motion by increasing vertical reaction times to jumps.

Sprints and interval are also good exercises in your vertical jump training .  These exercises will improve the reaction time of muscles and help build quick fiber muscles.  Sprints forces your muscle to explode quickly, thus developing the hamstrings, quadriceps and calves used in jumping higher.  Have you ever noticed that many strong jumpers are also fast runners.

3. Decrease Your Body Weight

Common sense tells us that excess weight can make it more challenging to jump higher.  Besides putting extra stress on your ankles and knees, excess fat on your body will weigh you down.  Simply by changing your diet, reducing sugars, and junk food will assist your body in losing the excess fat thus making you seem to “fly” ever higher.  Good nutrition is vital for those desiring to improve vertical and jump higher.

How To Jump Higher For Basketball

Sunday, September 20th, 2009

You will jump higher successfully if you know the proper exercises and then do them. When you become more knowledgeable about the subject, you can dramatically increase your vertical even though you may not every play any sports. Do not attempt exercises that you do not know what you are doing or the purpose of those exercises. You can promote more damage than good.

Any jump training program must include strength building. Even though there is many different ways to increase strength, increased jumping abilities is usually the result. Your workouts should focus on weight training specifically for the lower part of your body.

You need to understand how your muscles work in order to train them properly. You can get more power out of your legs and increase your vertical after applying correct techniques.

Biking, climbing stairs or running is not the only way to build leg strength. You can do squats without weights at home by simply sitting down on a chair and then popping up with your legs. You will accelerate your strength in your legs with weight training, but make sure you start light and then increase the weight.

If you want to increase your success rate, find a person to do the training with you. Partners can encourage consistent and proper form, and accelerate leg strength without the risk of injury. If a partner is not possible, just make sure you do the weight training exercises consistently and safely.

Taking a multi-faceted approach in developing muscles is more beneficial than concentrating on just one muscle. Squats, for example, develops a variety of muscles resulting in greater vertical jumping.

In order to jump higher, many other factors are necessary besides exercises. Good nutrition is vital in repairing and providing growth to your muscles. Your diet should consist of protein, carbohydrates, and good fat. The nutrients in a good healthy diet will not only help you jump higher, but provide you with great energy and health.

Plyometrics is another important factor for increasing your vertical. Plyometric exercises train your muscles for explosion and develop quick twitch muscle fibers. The mistake many athletes make is that they train for muscle strength or endurance only without adding plyometrics to their vertical training program. Plyometric training will greatly increase your vertical.

Another factor that enhances your vertical jump is applying proper jumping techniques. If you have the proper form in jumping, you can easily gain two to four inches on your jumping.

Learning to jump higher is simple if you know all the factors involved and then apply them.  The challenge then becomes in you being diligent to follow through consistently.  The Jump Manual contains all the factors necessary to gain full maximum in increasing your vertical.  Success in jumping higher is only a click away.

Jump Higher Success

Sunday, September 20th, 2009

You will jump higher successfully if you know the proper exercises and then do them. When you become more knowledgeable about the subject, you can dramatically increase your vertical even though you may not every play any sports. Do not attempt exercises that you do not know what you are doing or the purpose of those exercises. You can promote more damage than good.

Jump training programs start usually by building strength. Your jumping abilities will become evident after consistent weight training exercise, mostly focused on the lower body. Getting proper rest and nutrition should be included especially when you put your body through strenuous training.

Once you understand how your muscles work, you will be able to develop proper training for them. After applying proper techniques, you will increase your vertical jump and get more explosive power out of your legs.

There are many ways to go about doing it like running, jogging, and biking, but those aren’t the only ways to work the body. We do suggest that you start by adding a few squats, lunges, and calf raises to your program. However, in the beginning stages you may want to do something in the comfort of your own home to get you started. Try sitting in a seated position and pop up with your legs. You will strengthen them like crazy the more you do it.

If you want to increase your success rate, find a person to do the training with you. Partners can encourage consistent and proper form, and accelerate leg strength without the risk of injury. If a partner is not possible, just make sure you do the weight training exercises consistently and safely.

It is important to evaluate your approach in your jumping higher exercises. To enhance the benefits of your training, using a multi-faceted approach will result in greater overall improvement. For example, squats develops a variety of muscle groups.

Even though the exercising is important, it’s not the only thing that will help you jump higher. A good diet is definitely something that will compensate your exercising. The nutrients that go into your body can bring on massive gains when you actually do the exercises. Plus it’s a great way to take care of yourself.

Many athletes mistakenly train only for muscle endurance and strength. Plyometric exercises are also important to add to your vertical leap program. Plyometrics help develop those quick twitch muscle fibers needed for your muscles to explode, which is necessary if you desire to dramatically increase your vertical.

Proper jumping techniques can also increase your vertical. People can do any exercise, but without the proper form you won’t get the results you desire. In fact, by fixing your form alone, you can easily gain two to four inches on your jumping.

Learning to jump higher is simple if you know all the factors involved and then apply them.  The challenge then becomes in you being diligent to follow through consistently.  The Jump Manual contains all the factors necessary to gain full maximum in increasing your vertical.  Success in jumping higher is only a click away.

Improve Fitness Level Before Starting Vertical Jump Training Exercises

Sunday, September 20th, 2009

Before you engage in any vertical jump training program, it is recommended for athletes to achieve a basic fitness level. You can increase your vertical jump drastically only if you do the right exercises and know what you are doing.

Your fitness level can only improve if you overload your body, which is pushing your body beyond what you are already doing. You should have some cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, good nutritious diet, muscle endurance, along with flexibility. After that, you can challenge your body with more advance fitness exercises to increase your vertical. When you reached an adequate fitness level, your will be ready for an intense vertical jump training program.

Training Exercises That Increase Your Fitness Level

1) Cardiovascular (or Aerobic) Exercises

You can achieve cardiovascular endurance thorough regular aerobic exercise, which is a repetitive movement of large muscle groups over an extended period of time. Examples of aerobic exercises include jogging, rope jumping, basketball and swimming.

2) Improve Muscle Strength

By applying resistance to a muscle group, you can increase muscle strength. Lifting weights is a good way of increasing muscle strength. Squats, lunges, calf exercises, are some examples in increasing strength for jumping higher.

3) Boost Muscle Endurance

When the muscle repeats movement over a period of time, muscle endurance is created. Muscle endurance increases in conjunction with muscle strength. With regular exercise, your muscles burn energy more efficiently and endure overloading for longer time. Running long distance for a long period of time is an example for building endurance.

4) Increase Joint Flexibility

Joint flexibility refers to the range of motions (ROM) the joint can undergo as limited by the joint’s structure and surrounding connective tissues. Warming up and then stretching your calves, hamstring and quad muscles are important activity in preventing injuries and increasing your fitness level. Joint flexibility can also give dramatic increases in vertical leap height.

5) Proper Nutritious Diet

A good healthy diet promotes faster recovery and is important for your body to repair itself. Avoid eating junk food or sugars, and make sure you diet includes protein, good carbs and fats, along with vitamins. Drinking plenty of water will also enhance your growth and ability to handle an increase load of exercises.

6) Reduce Your Body Fat

If your body fat index is less than 10%, you can increase your potential in jumping higher. You need to concentrate on building muscle and limit your caloric intake. A nutritionalist will be able to design the proper diet that makes sense for you specific needs. Vigorous exercises like running will also help you to lose those extra pounds and condition your lungs.

Remember, obtaining a good fitness level is the start of your jumping higher program. After that, you can begin to do exercises to increase your vertical explosion. Plyometric exercises, along with the previous steps, will help you jump higher. Plyometric training develop quick twitch muscle fibers needed to increase your vertical. Many athletes omit these exercises, resulting in them not drastically increasing their vertical jump.

Increase Your Vertical Jump With Plyometric Training

Saturday, September 19th, 2009

Plyometric training can give you an enormous edge over your competitors. Plyometric training programs are effective for increasing your speed and explosiveness in movement. Plyometrics is gaining popularity because of the tremendous benefits for both the competitive and non competitive athlete. For those interested in increasing their vertical jump, plyometric exercises is a must.

Plyometric training is simply exercises involving jumping in order to enhance certain muscle developments of speed and explosiveness. Even though jumping does help strengthen your legs muscles, there are other factors needed to increase vertical jump abilities. Besides the legs, the rest of your body also need to be challenged to enhance the full body workout. Thats why plyometric exercises are necessary to get the full benefit in jumping higher.

Plyometric exercises focuses on the development of explosive movements in order to develop muscular power and quickness. Most plyometric training programs are intense and not for those people out of shape or beginners. So even though plyometrics are not used by the novice athlete, the competitive athlete will discover tremendous benefits and enhancements to their physical attributes.

There are a variety of plyometric exercises you can do. Jumping on and off a chair can be a very simple exercise. Plyometric boxes can be purchased as a tool to be used in different exercises of jumping onto, off, or over those objects. As the athlete works on with every rep going at maximum, the highest you can jump or the quickest you can go, this will develop other muscles used to jump higher. Strength along with quickness will enhance explosiveness, helping the athlete jump higher.

Depending on your goal or your physical abilities, you can adjust you plyometric exercise workout. For the novice athlete, perhaps the number of reps are less and with less intensity. But to fully benefit from plyometric training, each rep should be done with intensity and at the maximum effort.

To help ensure your plyometric training is safe and effective, it is important to listen to your body. If you are in pain or your knees become achy, take a break. Allow time for your body to recuperate and do not over do it especially if you are just starting out.

Plyometrics is one of the keys in learning how to jump higher. Practice these tips, and you will increase your vertical jump drastically.

Plyometric Training For Runners

Friday, July 24th, 2009

One of the most under appreciated forms of exercise is plyometric training . In a way, this is a good thing because if you are a competitive athlete, this type of training will give you an enormous edge over your competitors. Without a doubt, there are very few exercise programs that are as effective as plyometric training in terms of its ability to enhance and develop speed and explosiveness in movement. Actually, even if you are not a competitive athlete you can still benefit from a plyometric exercise program. This is because plyometric training can greatly enhance physical conditioning like few other exercise programs are able.

Plyometric training not only develops muscle strength, but speed and explosiveness in the jumping exercises. Weight lifting will strengthen your muscles, but it does very little in developing the quick twitch muscles needed for explosiveness and quickness. Plyometric exercises also develops other muscles besides the legs needed to jump higher.

Plyometric exercises focuses typically on the development of quick twitch muscles which are important for quickness and explosive movements. Competitive athletes are gaining enormous advantages by applying plyometric training exercises in their workouts.

There is a variety of exercises you can perform, jumping on and off an sturdy object is one example. This exercise can be repeated over and over again, but the purpose is to develop explosive power, and not endurance. Therefore, each rep or jump should attempt to jump as high as you can. As soon as your jump max is starting to decline because of fatigue, it is time to stop that exercise.

You should always adjust your plyometric exercises according to your goal and physical abilities. Novice athletes can get by with less number of reps and with less intensity. But when you exercise with intensity and at maximum effort, you will receive greater benefit from you plyometric training.

Pay attention to your body when you exercise. If you begin to experience achy knees or sore muscles, take a break. By allowing your body to recuperate, your plyometric training will more likely be safe and effective.

If you desire to learn increase your speed, plyometrics is a must. If you work on plyometric exercises, you will drastically enhance your athletic abilities.

Everything You Need to Jump Higher

Monday, July 20th, 2009

All that is needed to jump higher is wisdom, that is, knowing the correct exercises to do, and then doing it. You can dramatically increase your vertical for basketball, volleyball or whatever sport you play if you know the truth on what works. You do not need to play basketball or whatever to do these exercises. If you just want to build leg strength or feel better physically, give these exercises a try.

Jump training programs start usually by building strength. Your jumping abilities will become evident after consistent weight training exercise, mostly focused on the lower body. Getting proper rest and nutrition should be included especially when you put your body through strenuous training.

If you can train your muscles correctly, it all starts with understanding how they work. If you do this you’ll be able to get more power out of your legs and gain jumping abilities.

Biking, climbing stairs or running is not the only way to build leg strength. You can do squats without weights at home by simply sitting down on a chair and then popping up with your legs. You will accelerate your strength in your legs with weight training, but make sure you start light and then increase the weight.

It is always a big help if you can find a partner to train with. Good accountability partners will encourage you and help you stay safe as you exercise. If you can not find someone to help you, make sure you do the exercises safely and consistently.

Taking a multi-faceted approach in developing muscles is more beneficial than concentrating on just one muscle. Squats, for example, develops a variety of muscles resulting in greater vertical jumping.

In order to jump higher, many other factors are necessary besides exercises. Good nutrition is vital in repairing and providing growth to your muscles. Your diet should consist of protein, carbohydrates, and good fat. The nutrients in a good healthy diet will not only help you jump higher, but provide you with great energy and health.

Another important factor is understanding plyometrics. This is your jump training and if you don’t know what it is you won’t get the same results. So make sure the program you choose explain everything about it.

Knowing and applying proper jumping techniques is another factor in enhancing your vertical jump. With proper jumping form, you should gain another two to four inches with your vertical.

Learning to jump higher is simple if you know all the factors involved and then apply them.  The challenge then becomes in you being diligent to follow through consistently.  The Jump Manual contains all the factors necessary to gain full maximum in increasing your vertical.  Success in jumping higher is only a click away.

Increase Vertical Jump

Sunday, July 12th, 2009

Initiatives Necessary Before You Start Your Increase Vertical Jump Training

These three steps are necessary before you attempt to start your training exercises to increase your vertical jump. One, set challenging but realistic goals, two, construct a workout plan, and three, Do the workout you have planned. This will be a great start in order to see improvement or real change in your vertical jumping.

Lay out Pragmatic Ambitious and Measurable Goals

When you set your goals, they need to be specific, measurable, realistic and challenging. For some, this might be a reasonable goal. When setting goals, keep in mind your current fitness level, and how much time you are willing to spend in training. Example: I want to increase my vertical jump by 10″ in twelve weeks. As you can see, this is specific, the progress can be measured, and could be both realistic and challenging for some athletes. Some athletes who have a good fitness level might set a more challenging goal like doubling their vertical in 10 weeks. Some poor examples might be: I want to jump higher, I want to slam dunk a basketball. Even though slam-dunking is great incentive to keep training, it is better to set specific and measurable goals.

For example, if you know you are 9″ from touching the rim, your goal should be increasing your vertical by 14″ to insure you will be able to dunk. You can measure this progress, and reaching this goal results in dunking.

Design A Workout Plan

If you fail to plan, plan to fail. Those who are successful in all walks of life have this in common, they write out a plan on what they want to accomplish. In order to keep focused on your plan, it should be written down and reviewed regularly.

Implement Your Created Plan

Once you have a goal and have created a workout plan then ALL you need to do is Do it! Eliminate all excuses, sacrifice, and get an accountability partner. Change is never easy, but when you accomplish your goals, it will be worth it!

For best results, keep track of your initial performance, workout statistics and on-going performance. With this information you can make the decision to alter your plan to make it easier or harder based on your initial goal constraints and how you are coming along in accomplishing it.

I hope you realize the importance of setting goals, writing them down, making a plan, and then taking action until you reach your goals. For those in a position to take it to the next level and drastically increase their vertical, go to Jump Manual, an online vertical training program.