If you are an athlete, developing elevation allows you to improve performance in sport. A good vertical jump makes you excel in many sports, such as basketball, gymnastics and volleyball; it also guarantees greater flexibility and athletic shape. You can do this through plyometric, calisthenics, and weight-bearing exercises.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Plyometric Exercises
Step 1. Do plyometric exercises to strengthen the muscles of the lower limbs
This is one of the most effective techniques for improving elevation, as it uses explosive force to train and strengthen muscles. Each exercise involves jumps and uses your body weight to achieve results.
- Limit this type of training to two sessions per week with at least two days of rest between each.
- Schedule at least one day of complete rest per week.
Advise:
on recovery days you can do alternative workouts, such as cardio, weight lifting and / or calisthenics sessions.
Step 2. Perform squats by jumping
Bring your feet hip-width apart and squat as much as possible. Instead of slowly lifting yourself, perform a jump while fully straightening out; when you land, squat into another squat and don't try to touch the ground in a standing position. Repeat the exercise changing the direction of the jump; for example, if you jumped to the right, now do it to the left and so on.
Do three sets of five reps until the movement becomes simple, then move on to three sets of eight
Step 3. Try Bulgarian squats
Stand a few steps away from a chair or bench with your back to it. Place the non-involved leg on the seat with the back of the foot resting on it. Lower the body until the rear knee almost touches the floor and lift up again by pushing on the heel of the front leg; the whole sequence represents a repetition.
Do three sets of eight reps
Step 4. Try standing jumps
Get a sturdy crate or platform that can hold your weight; put it in front of you and with an explosive leap jump onto the platform. Use as much power as possible and return to the ground by curling up a bit.
Start with three reps focusing more on intensity than quantity
Step 5. Jump rope
In this way, you strengthen the lower limb muscles that are involved in the vertical jump by improving elevation. Train on a hard surface, in a place with plenty of headroom. Do the exercise for ten minutes a day; if you can't do it in a single session, you can break it into moments of two or three minutes, interspersed with moments of rest or in which you do other exercises.
- Don't just "jump" the rope (basically you lift one leg at a time as if you were running in place) but try to jump with your feet together.
- As the technique improves, increase the speed. Perhaps at first you move the rope slowly by making a small leap between one jump and another to maintain balance; when you feel ready, spin it at higher speed and get rid of the intermediate hop.
Part 2 of 4: Calisthenics Exercises
Step 1. Perform these movements every day to improve flexibility
These are elementary exercises that use the weight of the body to increase muscle mass; as they do not require any equipment, you can perform them anywhere to increase strength and agility skills. To jump higher, focus on movements involving the leg muscles.
Examples of calisthenics include push-ups, jumping jacks, sit-ups, and lunges
Note:
you can do this daily, but remember to plan one day off per week.
Step 2. Incorporate a stretching session into your daily routine
Focus specifically on your legs, such as stretching your calf muscles and bending forward to touch your toes. These exercises not only protect you during the rest of your workout, but improve your jumping ability by loosening your muscles.
Step 3. Lift your heels
Keep your legs together, lift up on your toes and return to the ground; go slowly to make your muscles work harder.
- For best results, keep your balance on the curb or step edge.
- Start with 20 reps and increase them as the exercise gets easier.
Step 4. Try deep squats
Spread your legs by placing your feet hip-width apart and keeping your heels close to the floor. Squat as much as possible by bending your knees, keeping your back and neck straight; finally lift up to return to the starting position.
- During the movement, the thighs must lower beyond the level of the knees.
- When you squat correctly, you should feel that all of your lower body muscles are involved, as well as your abs and lower back.
- Start with three sets of ten reps.
- Do squats with your weight on your toes. This will help you strengthen your ankles.
Step 5. Do lunges
Start from the standing position and take a big step forward by bending the front knee; stop when your knees are aligned with your ankles and push up to lift yourself up again. Alternate the two legs.
Do three sets of 10 stretches per side
Step 6. Stand erect on one leg
Alternate the position of the legs to strengthen the ankles. This exercise can help you prevent possible ankle injuries when landing from a jump. Stand upright and focus on an object in front of you. Lift one foot and stay in this position until the supporting leg gets tired. At that point, repeat the exercise with the other leg.
Part 3 of 4: Weights
Step 1. Do weight training to improve leg muscle strength
By doing so, you can increase your jumping performance; exercises like this that involve the legs help jump higher.
Schedule two or three sessions per week
Note:
rest at least one day between sessions. During the recovery days you can do an alternative workout; program anyway at least one day of complete rest per week.
Step 2. Practice deadlifts with the Olympic hex barbell
This type of tool is different from the classic one, because the body is located inside the frame, allowing you to stay in the center of the barbell. Lean forward, grab the tool and recover the standing position; lift the weight as you straighten your legs and back, keeping it as close to your body as possible. Don't bend your arms, hold on for a moment and then lower the bar again.
- Load the maximum weight you can lift onto the tool.
- Keep the bar close to your body and your arms straight down; do not lock your elbows.
Step 3. Try the dumbbell one-arm pull
Place your weight on the ground in front of you, squat down and grab it with one hand; then rise to a standing position by bringing the dumbbell up in a smooth motion and extend your arm over your head. Afterwards, bring him back to the ground to the starting position.
- Do three sets of eight reps.
- Start with low weight ballast and focus on speed.
Step 4. Try weighted squats
Keep your feet hip-width apart, lift a barbell or two dumbbells and place them on your shoulders; squat as much as possible keeping the tools in place and finally push with your legs to recover the standing position.
- Follow three sets of eight reps.
- If you use dumbbells, start with 2.5kg dumbbells and then move on to 3.5kg dumbbells.
- If you use the barbell, start with the bar without weights.
Part 4 of 4: Monitoring Improvements
Step 1. Practice jumping
Every few days, do a few high jumps to check the results. However, don't focus on jumping as your main exercise during training; a continuous repetition of this movement leads to slower progress than a plan developed to improve athletic performance in general.
Step 2. Measure your current elevation
Stand near a high wall or pole and raise one hand as much as possible. Ask a friend to make a mark at the fingertips (you can use a piece of chalk or something similar). Jump always keeping the same hand extended and ask your friend to detect the point where your fingertips hit the wall; from this value subtract the one measured previously, the difference corresponds to your elevation.
Advise:
try to wet or smudge your fingertips with chalk to leave a mark on the wall or pole and facilitate measurement operations.
Step 3. Choose a method to track improvements
You need to keep track of your progress and the day you track it; write down the date and value of the jump elevation. You have several methods available to organize this data, based on your personal preferences; you can use a simple table on a sheet of paper, your computer or smartphone applications.
- Go for something simple and just write the values on paper.
- If you prefer to use a computer, digitize it in a document or spreadsheet.
- Track results on mobile using a note-taking application or word processing program.
Step 4. Track your progress every week
How often you record the elevation in the vertical jump depends on your preferences, but doing it once a week ensures good consistency and gives yourself enough time to improve between tests.
If you forget to measure your jump on your usual set day, do so as soon as you get the chance
Advice
- Do a lot of research before signing up or buying training programs that claim they can improve elevation; some are simply scams.
- Nutrition is extremely important when you need to improve your high jump; you need a lot of protein and carbohydrates to have enough energy before exercise. This gives the muscles plenty of time to absorb nutrients and recover before the next session.
- Always do some stretching before physical activity; a good stretching routine lasts at least five minutes.
Warnings
- Ask your doctor or trainer for advice before starting a new exercise routine.
- Don't get too tired; allow yourself some rest and a period of recovery from any injury before re-evaluating your training methods.
