Exercises to Jump Higher

For some people, jumping comes as easy as walking to the mailbox. But other people feel like their feet are cemented to the ground when they try to block a shot on the basketball court or jump up to catch a pass on the gridiron. You can improve your ability to jump higher with exercises, mental strength and the will to reach for the sky.

  1. Sports and Jumping

    • Sports such as basketball, football, tennis and skiing require a lot of jumping. Having good jumping abilities will improve your performance in all of these sports.

    How Exercises Help

    • Exercises that can help you jump higher have various functions. They increase leg strength, core strength and flexibility, and they also improve balance.

    Types of Exercises

    • Exercises to improve the ability to jump include weight training exercises to target the legs, plyometrics, rope jumping and abdominal exercises.

    Leg Training

    • Perform lunges, step-ups, squats, toe raises and heel walks. Use dumbbells for these exercises. With squats you can also use a barbell.

    Plyometrics

    • Plyometrics are exercises characterized by an explosive motion. Examples would include box jumps, jumping rope, stair hops and squat jumps.

    Core

    • A lot of jumping power is generated from the core. Do exercises that work the upper and lower abs, obliques and lower back.

    Flexibility

    • Flexibility exercises increase your range of motion, which can lead to higher jumping ability. Perform stretches that especially target the hamstrings, back, chest and shoulders.