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Jump Higher - Simple Tips to Improve Your Vertical Leap

Ever watched NBA basketball and wondered how these basketball player's can jump so high. You'd probably have to increase your vertical by 10 or more inches to do that. Relax, if you want to jump higher and dunk a basketball, there are some tips you can follow.

First of all, to dunk a basketball, whether you are in the NBA or high school, you must improve your vertical. To jump higher you need good flexibility, good jumping technique, and strong legs. The best NBA dunkers have all that. You can too.

Warm Up
Before doing and jump program exercises, you need to get your muscles warm. Go for a quick jog or climb some stairs. Do anything to get your blood going. If you break a sweat then you know you're ready. I recommend about 5 minutes of warm-up. You don't want to tire yourself out. But definitely get loose or your training will not increase your vertical as much.

Flexibility
Want to add inches to your vertical leap? Stretch. It is important to stretch the big jumping muscles: quads, calves, and hamstrings. The sprinter's stretch is good for your quads. Toe touches work well on your hamstrings. And butterfly stretches are great for your groin. The wall lean will take care of your calves. And don't neglect your upper body as you will be using to jump higher.

Jump Exercises
Plyometrics is a popular method for jumping higher. Plyometrics involves simulating the jumping motion to better prepare you for when you need to jump high. Exercises include the box jump, stair jump, side box jump, and jumping rope. Plyometric drills work great to increase your vertical, as they train the muscles to jump higher.

Strength Exercises
To jump higher you need stronger legs. Period. But not having a gym membership doesn't mean you can't improve your leg strength. Exercises like squats, toe raises, lunges, and step ups can all be done with out weights. If you belong to a gym, you can do weighted squats, toe raises, and even add in leg press.

If you want to increase your vertical and maximize results, make sure you alternate your jump program days -- one day jump exercises, one day strength exercise. Follow these simple tips and you'll be jumping higher and improving your vertical leap in no time.

See you at the rim!





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