When you’re not playing basketball, increasing your vertical leap should be a goal that you have even during the off-season. To make this effective, you need to have several components working together. Playing basketball is one way to get a workout if that’s what you choose to do. Below the surface, there is much more to consider. In this article, we will show you how to make the appropriate gains for your goal to improve your vertical leaping ability. Let’s begin.
To do this the right way, focusing on your leg muscles is important. Your calf muscles must be targeted to get the highest jumps possible. Just before you leave the ground, it is your calf muscles that give you that last minute lift. If you want to make your calf muscles strong, there are several ways you can achieve this. Although exercising plays an important role, there are a few other things you can do to make them stronger. In regard to exercising, you could do calf raises – these are great strength builders and are easy to do. One more important point is your calves need to have a very good range of motion with strength throughout that range.
The natural response for muscles when you do weight training is to contract. So when you do weight training on your legs for your vertical leaping, definitely take the time to stretch out your legs.
The first place you want to do your stretching is with your hamstrings. Sitting or standing, either will work. Just keep your leg straight, bend over, and touch your feet with your hands gently. You can tear your muscles by bouncing all stretching, so try to avoid that at all times. Also work on timing your breathing so you exhale when you stretch forward and inhale when you relax.
Stretching your hip flexor muscles will help improve your base strength and stability in all situations including vertical leaping. To stretch these hip flexors, kneel down on a single knee while stretching out your opposite leg. The goal is ninety degree angles for the legs that are being stretched. Also, be sure the foot on that leg is completely flat on the floor, and then you are ready to stretch. Then, to actually stretch your hip flexor muscles, lean your body forward toward your front. Then, as slowly and carefully as you can, repeat the stretch on your other side.
Increasing vertical leaping is something that most people can do, and there is some preparation that must happen before you start. Before you start, you need to initially do some form of stretching. You are young and flexible but that does not matter and it’s always decreasing with each year.
To avoid the potential of getting injured, this is something you always wanted to do.
Be sure you take a look at training videos of Adam Linkenauger which helps you jump higher.
