Working on a higher jump for basketball will set your game apart from those who spend time working on other skills. Fundamentals are important, but imagine the glory while leaping higher and extending your hang time to what seems like minutes. Is it possible to achieve this in 45 minutes of practice or less? You can gain inches in your vertical leap nearly instantly by following just one of the techniques below...add these tips together and you'll be amazed at what some simple changes can do for you. Practice these techniques while working on your overall strength and explosiveness and soon you'll be the one coaching your teammates to a higher jump in basketball.
Footwear comes First
Lace up your shoes tight to give your feet a solid foundation from which to launch. Too often laces are left a bit loose either due to laziness, fashion or lack of understanding. If you knew that eliminating sliding in your shoes could add height to your jump, I know it'd be the first thing you'd change! Snug fitting shoes that feel great with the newest technology of a carbon shank help support your foot's structure to transfer momentum from approach to the vertical direction. Be certain to buy a basketball specific shoe and don't settle for a tennis shoe or running shoe. Your game will improve with just this one change alone.
Maximum Explosion comes from Mobile, Reactive Muscles
Jumping is movement that combines overall muscle strength with the speed that the muscle can contract. The faster a muscle can deliver that same amount of force, the more powerful and explosive it is. This translates to a higher jump, even though overall strength may not change significantly. You can "fool" your muscles into delivering that explosive power right now by warming them up and activating them the right way before your practice session or game.
A proper warm-up involves dynamic movements that prepare the muscles for action in the proper range of motion. The latest research in sports performances shows that muscle activation through dynamic warm-up is far more effective at improving immediate performance than simply jogging or doing less specific activity
Try some of the following exercises to prepare your muscles for maximum jumping ability before your next practice session:
# High Knees
# Butt Kicks
# Leg Swings (front & side)
# Walking Lunges with Twists
Train your Muscles to Explode off Ground Contact by "Bouncing"
Maximum explosiveness comes from immediate return of muscle energy to the air. The longer your feet linger in contact with the ground when preparing to jump, the less powerful the jump will be. You can teach & train your legs to minimize this loss of energy by simply practicing bounces or bounding. With your next warm-up, include three sets of bouncing in place. Simply jump up and down with both feet trying to minimize the time your feet are in contact with the ground.
This will be quickly fatiguing initially, so keep the first efforts short. Just 15-30 seconds with rest in-between will immediately improve your body's ability to jump higher. Work up to 3 sets of 45 seconds of quick jumps.
