Vertical Leap Workout – Exercises to Improve Your Vertical Leap
Do I have to lift weights to improve my vertical jump? This is a common question that I get all the time. I realize that there are many people out there that do not enjoy lifting weights and they want to know if it is possible to increase your vertical jump without them. My answer to them is……YES it is definitely possible to improve your vertical without lifting heavy weights.
Vertical leap training is something that I truly enjoy and I want everyone to benefit from it. With the economy like it is not everyone can afford an expensive gym membership. However, that should not stop you from training. The vertical jump workout that I have below will increase your strength by using several different body weight exercises that can be truly challenging if done correctly.
A Vertical Jump Strength Workout – (Without Weights)
Step Ups – Start with one foot placed on a platform or bench and the other on the ground. Step Up onto the platform then step down. Now switch legs and step up again. You can easily increase the difficulty of this exercise by either adding dumbells or stepping up onto a higher platform.
Squats – Squats are probably the best exercise I can recommend for increasing your vertical leap. If done correctly, bodyweight squats can be very challenging. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart and lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the ground. For increased difficulty do one legged squats. This will work on your balance and coordination as well.
Lunges – Lunges are a very common exercise, probably because they are so effective. When perfoming the lunge you want to make sure that you do not step forward too far. There should only be about two and a half feet between your front and back feet. Also, do not let your knee pass in front of your toes. This is another common mistake that people make.
Rim Touches – This one is very easy. Find a basketball rim and jump as high as you can taking no more than a one step jump. EXPLODE up as hard as you can. Do this 5 times. Then rest for a minute or so. Repeat this exercise 3 times. DO NOT perform more reps or a bunch of sets. This will defeat our purpose. We want to train our VERTICAL JUMP EXPLOSION. Doing a bunch of reps and sets will train our stamina and not our ultimate height.
It is possible to get significant gains in your vertical jump without weights. BUT…..yes there is a but, most people are not going to even come close to their true vertical jump potential without using a proper weight training program. If you only train using body weight exercises there will come a time when your vertical leap gains stop and the only way to further your progress is to improve your base strength.
I recommend using a strength training program that uses a combination of weight training and plyometric exercises to get the best results. I was able to increase my vertical jump by 12 inches over 7 months using this type of program. For more information on this check out the links I have below:
Would you like to learn more about how to increase your vertical leap? Then check out Brayden Fisher’s website at www.40inchvertical.net for the latest workouts and exercises.
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