How to Increase Your Vertical & Horizontal Jumping

Improving your form in basketball, soccer, volleyball or track has its foundation in strong, controlled vertical and horizontal jumps. The exercises and drills to increase the height and distance of your jumps combine speed, velocity, gravity and momentum to build your core, strengthen your legs and prepare you to complete each movement successfully.

Things You'll Need

  • Stairs
  • Jump rope
  • Block of wood
Show More

Instructions

  1. Increase Vertical Jump

    • 1

      Run up and down stairs to warm up your system. Do enough reps to feel a slight burn, but not enough to cause you to become winded or feel pain. Alternate stair work with jump rope work. Finish with gentle warmup stretches of the legs; stretch through slowly without bouncing or hyperextending your back or limbs.

    • 2

      Condition your legs with exercises. Build overall strength with squats, keeping your back straight and your knees at a 90-degree angle. Enhance the quads with lunges that start in a standing position and press forward to a 90-degree angle of the front knee. Strengthen the calf muscles with toe raises that begin with you balancing off of a block of wood with your heels over the edge. Slowly raise the heels until your toes hold you up on the wood, then lower your heels and repeat.

    • 3

      Perform running jumps. Start with one foot slightly in front. Take three quickening strides. At the point of the third stride hitting the floor, throw your arms out vertically to gain extra leverage. Repeat the running jump starting on the other foot, completing 10 reps of two sets each.

    • 4

      Perform depth jumps. Stand on a sturdy surface about 12 inches off the floor. Step off the surface keeping your torso vertical. As your feet hit the floor, jump as quickly as possible, using arm movements that mimic your sport, such as a basketball dunk or a volleyball block, to gain leverage. Repeat 10 times for a set.

    Increase Horizontal Jump

    • 5

      Perform warmups and strengthening exercises similar to the ones for the vertical jump.

    • 6

      Perform bounding to strengthen the legs. Take alternating forward steps landing with each foot in a dorsiflexed position with the toes pointing upward. Drive the arms forward as you bound to gain distance. Repeat in sets of 90 to 150 feet long.

    • 7

      Maintain a focus point as you jump. Fix your eyes beyond the takeoff point to the spot where you prefer to land.

    • 8

      Hold your torso upright as you land. Sweep your arms down until your hands are aligned with your hips. Flex your knees on landing and continue the forward movement.