How to Gain Vertical Jump Height

A high vertical leap or vertical jump is an important ability in many sports, especially basketball, where jumping ability has an impact on rebounding, shot blocking and shooting. Not everyone has the natural height or athletic ability to slam dunk a basketball, but almost anyone can increase their vertical leaping ability by taking steps to strengthen the muscles involved with jumping while reducing the mass of the body. Increasing vertical jump requires dedication and intense physical exertion, but the results can improve athletic performance.

Things You'll Need

  • Gym membership
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Eat a healthy diet and eliminate unnecessary calories from your diet. Excess body fat severely hampers the ability to jump high. Eating healthy foods with low calories like vegetables, fruits and whole grains, while avoiding foods that are high in fat and processed sugars will help reduce calorie intake, which will help you lose weight over time.

    • 2

      Get in at least three cardiovascular workouts of at least thirty minutes each every week. It may seem counterintuitive to use cardio workouts as a means to increase vertical jump, but melting away excess body fat by increasing the amount of calories you burn each week will make it much easier to elevate your body mass. The best jumpers are usually very lean.

    • 3

      Lift heavy weights with your major leg muscles two to three times a week. A high vertical jump requires explosive power and strength, which is best built by lifting large amounts of weight with a few sets of repetitions. Aim to lift at least 60 percent of your maximum strength with 10 or fewer reps. Squats are an essential exercises for building leg strength. Leg curls, calf raises, leg press, quad extensions and lunges are also good exercises.

    • 4

      Practice jumping. In addition to your lifting regimen, do sets of 10 to 15 vertical jumps and broad jumps to build the explosiveness of the legs and make the legs used to the leaping motion. This can be a good way fatigue the legs even more after a tough weight lifting session.

    • 5

      Work the leg muscles to exhaustion and increase weight on your lifts over time. The fundamental principle of improving raw strength is that you have to work the muscles to total exhaustion to realize gains. Try to work each leg muscle to total fatigue during each lifting session, and if you are able to complete your lifts, increase the amount of weight for the next workout. As the weight levels you use for squats and other lifts creep up over time, so too will your vertical leap.