How to Jump Higher With Isometric Training

Isometric exercises, also known as static training, are exercises that cause the muscles to contract during the portion of the exercise where you are not moving. Contraction in the muscle occurs when the muscle becomes shorter. When a vertical jump is performed, the static portion of the jump occurs just as you return to the ground from the jump and prepare to take off again. By strengthening the muscles used in vertical jumping with isometric training, this will produce a higher and more explosive vertical.

Things You'll Need

  • Yoga mat
  • Chair (or something of equivalent height)
  • Bed (or something of equivalent height)
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Instructions

    • 1

      Warm up your muscles. You can do your regular warm up routine, or try jogging for eight to 10 minutes and then do some static stretching by sitting and stretching your legs and hamstrings with toe touches and by laying on you side keeping one leg straight and bending the other at the knee while pulling that foot behind you.

    • 2

      Begin your first isometric training exercise by standing with your back against the wall. Slide down the wall until you are in a seated position with your legs in a 90 degree angle. Hold this position for 10 to 30 seconds and repeat two to three times. This isometric exercise is known as an isometric squat and will help you to be more explosive, creating a higher jump.

    • 3

      Grab a chair and stand next to it only on your right leg. Hold onto the chair for stability. Lay your left foot on the back of the calf of your right leg, and raise up onto your toes of your right leg. Hold this position for 10 to 30 seconds and repeat two to three times on each leg. This exercise is an isometric calf raise, strengthening the calf muscle to increase the height of your vertical jump.

    • 4

      Begin this exercise standing with your back facing a bed (or another object at about 18 inches in height). Bend your right leg, and place it up on the bed behind you. Your lower leg should be on the bed, with you knee facing the ground and leg bent 90 degrees. Push your right leg as hard as possible into the bed, driving your shin into the mattress and hold this for 10 to 30 seconds. Repeat with each leg two to three times.