How to Increase Your Vertical Jump by 6 Inches at Home

The vertical leap is one of the best power indicators in sports. In football, wide receivers need a good vertical leap for jump ball passes when competing against a defensive back. Volleyball players require vertical leaps for blocks and kills during a match. Basketball players need vertical leaps to grab rebounds, block shots and shoot over defenders. While the assumption maybe that gyms with state-of-the-art equipment are needed to improve your vertical leap, there are many exercises that can be performed in your home to add height to your jump.

Things You'll Need

  • Wall
  • Chalk
  • Light weight barbells
  • Stairs or sturdy box
  • Pen, pencil or masking tape
  • Tape measure
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Instructions

  1. Setting up the measuring area.

    • 1

      Find a wall that you can mark with chalk or a pen. This wall will be used as the measuring area for which you can test your vertical leap.

    • 2

      Place chalk on the fingers of one of your hands. Stand next to the wall with your hand that has chalk on it next to the wall.

    • 3

      Extend the arm straight up and press it against the wall. Keep your fingers fully extended and try to press the entire side of your body against the wall.

    • 4

      Brush your fingers against the wall to leave a chalk mark.

    • 5

      Mark the chalk at its highest point using either a pen, pencil or tape.

    • 6

      Stand back in the same position but without extending your arm. Perform a jump and as you jump, extend the hand with the chalk and touch the wall.

    • 7

      Measure the distance between the two marks. This will be your starting vertical leap.

    Exercises to improve vertical leap: Squat jump

    • 8

      Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. The position of your hands isn't important, but placing them behind your head is the most difficult variation.

    • 9

      Squat down as if you were sitting back into a chair. Lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the ground.

    • 10

      Rise up explosively. Come off the ground by pushing through your legs and driving yourself upward.

    Lunge jumps

    • 11

      Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Step one leg forward and bend the knee. Lower yourself down until your thigh is parallel to the ground.

    • 12

      Drive up explosively and come off the ground. While you are in the air, shuffle your legs so that when you land, the opposite leg is now in front.

    • 13

      Lunge quickly and repeat the alternating sequence equal times for each leg.

    Box or stair jumps

    • 14

      Stand in front of either a sturdy box or stair. You should be facing it.

    • 15

      Lower yourself as if sitting in a chair and explosively come up, driving your knees upward.

    • 16

      Land on the stairs or box softly and step down to repeat.