If you want to jump higher and become a more explosive athlete, there are several things you need to know.
You need to know the basics of jumping, and you also need to know how to train correctly.
Not everyone has great natural jumping ability, but we can ALL improve our vertical jump by training correctly.
It doesn’t matter if you have a 5 inch vertical jump, with the right knowledge and training, you can increase your vertical jump beyond the 40 inch mark.
With that being said, this is what you need to know (and do) in order to jump higher:
1. Know The Vertical Jump Formula
From the point of view of physics, the vertical jump is simply a measure of power.
Instead of presenting you with a bunch of equations that will make your physics teacher proud, I’m going to break down the Vertical Jump Formula in a simple and easy way that anyone can understand.
To put it simply:
The vertical jump is a measure of how much force you can generate, and how fast you can generate it, while you jump…
Therefore, if you want to jump higher, you need to train your body to apply as much force as possible, as fast as possible, while you jump.
How To Increase Force Generated
The best way to increase the force you generate while jumping is by strength training (lifting weights).
While strength training, you should focus on lifting heavy weights, and lifting them explosively (fast).
Lifting relatively heavy weights ensures that you are building your muscle strength, which in turn will increase the maximum force you can generate while jumping.
For each exercise, strive to increase the amount of weight you can lift each week.
Over time, an increase in the weight you can lift for a particular exercise will signify your increase in strength in the muscle groups targeted by that exercise.
How To Reduce The Time Taken To Generate Force
To put it simply, this involves increasing your speed (explosiveness).
One way to increase your speed is to lift weights explosively (fast).
Another great way to increase your speed and explosiveness is by doing plyometric exercises.
Exercises such as depth jumps, plyometric pushups, and bounding are examples of plyometric exercises that increase your speed and explosiveness.
2. Know The Most Important Jumping Muscles
Most athletes fail to improve their vertical leap because they don’t know the most important muscles used in jumping.
They therefore spend most of their time training the unimportant muscles while ignoring the important ones.
The most important jumping muscles are located in your posterior chain – lower back, glutes (butt), and hamstrings.
The other muscles that make up the “most important” list are your quadricep muscles (thighs) and abs.
Most athletes think that their quadricep muscles are the most important jumping muscle and spend little to no time training their glutes and hamstrings, which are way more important. They therefore see little to no gains in their vertical jump.
Other muscles like your arms and shoulders play a role in your vertical leap, but they are not as important as the others.
You should therefore spend most of your time working on your “most important muscles” and less time on the others.
3. Focus On Your Weakness & Train Accordingly
Most athletes fail in their quest to jump higher because they don’t work on their weak areas.
By identifying your weaknesses and training accordingly, you can dramatically improve your vertical jump.
If you’re quick and explosive but can’t lift much weight in the gym, focus most of your time on strength training. By focusing on your weakness (weight lifting), you will be able to dramatically improve your vertical and jump higher.
If you can lift heavy weights in the gym, but you move relatively slowly, focus most of your training time on improving your speed. You can do this by performing plyometric exercises.
If you’re overweight, focus on reducing your bodyfat (weight) NOT spending hours “getting big” in the gym.
If you’re skinny, focus on adding muscle mass by lifting heavy in the gym and eating more calories.
The list goes on and on…you get the idea.
By focusing on your weaknesses and training accordingly, you will be jumping higher in no time.
4. Rest and Recovery
Most athletes believe that the more they train, the better the results they will see.
This is DEAD WRONG, and it is a big reason why most athletes are never able to jump higher.
You get your results while you rest, not while you train…
Remember That…
Spending hours working out 5 times a week, and then playing your sport on the remaining 2 days will NEVER make you jump higher.
In fact, it may even REDUCE your vertical jump.
This is because it leads to over-training.
The only time you start seeing results is while you rest and recover.
Why?
Because it is during this time when your muscles recuperate and grow.
How To Rest & Recover Properly
1. Never work out to exhaustion i.e. never lift to failure
- Most athletes are taught to lift till they can’t lift anymore. This is the worst advice ever invented, and is a sure recipe for overtraining.
- Always lift heavy and explosively, but never to failure.
2. Make sure you get enough sleep.
- Always get 7+ hours of sleep every night as this will ensure you are well rested and recovered.
3. Get the right nutrition
- Avoid greasy foods, which raise your cholesterol levels and clog your arteries.
- Eat more good carbs like fruits and vegetables and avoid sugar based foods like soft drinks. Sugars have no nutritional value and do nothing good for your body.
- Get enough protein on a daily basis especially right after you work out. This will ensure that your muscles are supplied with the protein needed to repair and rebuild themselves.
- Drink lots of water and stay hydrated at all times. 70% of your body is composed of water, and it is very important in ensuring that all your body’s processes run smoothly. By drinking at least 9 glasses of water a day, you ensure that your body is able to function properly and recover quickly.
4. Stretch all muscle groups on a daily basis
- Stretching is very important because it improves your circulation and prevents injury.
- Stretching also makes you more flexible, and can even increase your vertical jump. This is because the more a muscle can stretch, the more force it can generate.
5. Big Exercises vs Small Exercises
Another big mistake most athletes make while jump training is that they focus most of their time on ‘small exercises‘ instead of ‘big exercises‘.
Small exercises are muscle isolation exercises that target 1 particular muscle group e.g. bicep curls, calf raises, etc
Big exercises are exercises that work out multiple muscles at the same time e.g. bench press, pull ups, squats, and deadlifts.
Spend most of your time on big exercises, because they give you the biggest ‘bang for the buck’.
Remember:
Your muscles work together as a single unit, NOT in isolation…Jumping is a result of your muscles working in unison, NOT in isolation…
Because big exercises work out multiple muscles at the same time, they train your muscles to work together as a single, explosive unit.
By spending most of your time doing big exercises, you are making the most efficient use of your time and you’re setting yourself up to get the best results possible.
6. Follow a Great Vertical Jump Program
This is probably the biggest reason why most athletes never increase their vertical leap.
Most vertical jump programs today are full of crappy, outdated, rehashed, and totally irrelevant information.
These jumping programs simply consist of a bunch of exercises and a chart slapped together by a fake ‘vertical jump expert’ merely out to get your hard earned money.
So, how do you tell a good vertical jump program from bad one?
Signs Of a Bad Vertical Jump Program
- Cookie-cutter workouts that lack customization.
- Hyped up sales message with questionable testimonials.
- Repetitive workouts that lead to exhaustion and overtraining.
- Avoid such programs at all cost! You won’t see any results and they will cause you to over train. They may even result in serious injury.
Signs of a Great Vertical Jump Program
- Highly customizable (workouts are customized for each athlete’s needs).
- Based on solid, scientific principles of jumping.
- Multi-faceted approach to training.
- Verifiable testimonials with a real, no-hype sales message.
- Emphasizes rest and recovery as important parts of the program.
It is extremely difficult to find a great vertical jump program today.
However, after testing all the jump programs on the market, the Jump Manual has proven to be the best, displaying all the qualities mentioned above.
If you are serious about jumping higher and becoming more explosive, this program is an EXCELLENT choice, and we highly recommend it here at VerticalJumpZone.com
- Get updates and cool extras that I won't (or can't) share on this blog.
- Stay up to date on the latest vertical jump training tactics and strategies.
- Receive free special gifts, along with deals and discounts on the best training programs in the market.
September 7, 2009 at 12:00 am
You told us the basics but never did mention the exact things we should/could do to improve our vertical like (jumping roping for an hour or ankle weight lunges..?!) Could you give us a little bit more…You helped alot don’t get me wrong
September 7, 2009 at 12:37 am
Thanks Kylie. Check out the Jump Exercises section of the website for the best exercises to jump higher.
July 9, 2011 at 4:44 pm
Hey I’m 5’6″ in a half and have a 23″ vertical… My birth dad was about 6’1″ and my birth mom was about 5’4″ but I’m built and strong, I have speed and can jump but I want to be dunking By the time I’m a Junior… I lift 3 or 4 times a week and I’m lifting heavy and explosivly…I’m 14 years old the doctors checked my growth plates and I’m suppose to be 6’0″ to 6’1″ by the time I’m done growing…So I need some advice to increase my vertical for my sports… Because I know I won’t be the tallest one out there… And I want to use my jumping ability to one of my advantages..So can you help me out?? I am also very active but I NEED to increase my vertical
July 10, 2011 at 4:59 pm
Hey Eli. It’s great to know that you are dedicated and you’re constantly working on your game. To be honest with you, the simplest and fastest way to improve your vertical is to follow a proven program like the Jump Manual. Once you go through the program, not only will you increase your vert, but you will know exactly which exercises your body responds to best.
September 7, 2009 at 11:42 pm
How much does the calve muscles play a roll in exploding off the ground, quickness, and speed. Secondly what are some great exercises to strengthen the strength of the calve muscles.
November 16, 2009 at 8:55 pm
hey michael
my name is spencer. i mostly do calf raises and i ues jump soles. They are really the best thing ever made for helping you jump higher
February 2, 2010 at 9:55 pm
the calf muscles isn’t the only muscle on your legs you schultz.although the calf is a very important muscle for your leg there are way more muscles one should work on. check this link:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_leg
September 23, 2009 at 2:47 am
You said something about lifting weights explosively. Did you mean leg weghts or lifting weghts with your arms and hands?
Thanks
September 23, 2009 at 11:07 pm
Hey Eric. You should lift explosively all the time, whether it’s lifting weights with your arms or legs.
February 26, 2010 at 4:40 pm
What age is too young to lift weights explosively? Should a thirteen-year-old wait until age fifteen to lift heavy weights??????????
March 2, 2010 at 3:45 pm
I think it’s perfectly fine for a 13 year old to lift weights. Just let him/her be under the supervision of a trainer who knows their stuff, and start with light weights before progressing to heavier weights as he/she gets stronger.
September 25, 2009 at 3:29 pm
hia i am a very new basketball player in england, i have only been playing a year and i think if i dont have the skill of my mates yet, then it would be a good way to get an edge if i could jump, i only have a few questions one is if i buy this product (which i have massive belif in) but i dont do the month by month pay can i still get in touch with you every now and again just to check i am doing everything right and to let you know of progress via this blog or your e~mail only because i have no money to pay every month, and i am only 15 does that affect what i can do with this program also i live in england can you send it over here and is it a big chardge? thanks allot anyway hope to speak soon.
September 26, 2009 at 1:22 am
Hey Dan. I’m actually NOT the creator of the program, Jacob Hiller is. Yes, you can still get the program without the monthly pay option. Also, the Jump Manual is a downloadable product, so it doesn’t matter if you are in England. As soon as you buy it, you will be able to download it to your computer. If you get it, feel free to keep me updated with your progress on this blog, and I will do whatever I can to help you get the best results possible.
October 10, 2009 at 5:31 pm
Can I use your program to get height on my cheerleading jumps?
October 10, 2009 at 8:28 pm
Hey Lori. To answer your question, yes, the program will help you improve the height of your cheerleading jumps.
October 10, 2009 at 10:17 pm
this is not good for me. I am only 12 so is this possible for me to jump high. I also have another question how can i grow taller. I want to be 6 feet when i grow up but i am only 5 foot 6. Is it possible for me to be 6 feet
October 11, 2009 at 12:06 am
Hey Satvir. If you’re only 12 years old and 5 foot 6, I think you have a great chance to be 6 feet tall. Just give it time, as you will hit your growth spurt soon
October 25, 2009 at 3:15 am
Damn!!! im only 5,2 and 11(soon to bee 12,1 month) and i wanted to be 2 metres(6,8)
P.S im an Aussie
please reply and tell me if I have a chance
Ash
October 25, 2009 at 4:34 pm
Hey Ashley. You don’t really have control of how tall you will grow, but you DO have control of how high you jump. If you work on improving your vertical jump, you won’t have to worry about your height
October 27, 2009 at 8:10 pm
hey im 13 and 6 feet tall i was wondering if i wear ankle weights while i play and practice fo basket ball will i be able to dunk next year
P.S. i can barley touch the rim now
October 28, 2009 at 11:03 am
Hey Kris. I am not a big fan of ankle weights, especially while playing ball, because they pull on your knees. If you want to add resistance while you play, get a weighted vest instead. This distributes the weight better on your body.
November 16, 2009 at 8:59 pm
HI KRIS,
MY NAME I SSPENCER AND NO ANKLE WEIGHTS ARE ABOUT THE WORST THING FOR YOUR KNEES THEY WILL MESS THEM UP SO BAD YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO WALK RIGHT.
USE JUMP SOLES OR WEIGHT VEST. IT IS REALLY GOOD AND BETTER FOR YOUR BODY. ANKLE WEIGHTS ARE VERY BAD
October 29, 2009 at 11:20 pm
hey this is totally great…i lift weights explosively and it has been great for my vertical…it really is the best way 2 train…and this program is great!!!
October 31, 2009 at 9:56 am
im only 12 and im not aloud to lift weights so what should i do + tell satvir i would do anything to be 5 foot six coz im only 5 foot
November 1, 2009 at 5:43 am
wow dude.. the 6 lesson answered lot of my quiestion and etc and some of them point ou the mistake im doing such as not much of rest and recovery.. and i took uhh jump higher program with uhh idk wha this exactly call but a rubber band big one of course for leg and that program teach me to grow fast twich fiber in area i dont have.but so it also say not to conflict other workout ( for leg only) for 2 week and will for sure guarantted so they say to increase my veritical leap and speed.. and it s 4 week already and i jus gain maybe uh 2 inch touchin the rim barely.. im 5’11 22 yr old, 180 pound ( goaling to lose wieghts) but so all ur lesson matched what i have learn and proofs and taught me so much i will try to form a scheulde of workout everyday and with rest and recovery.. and also i got some injuries pop up but im tough as steel so i jus keep goin and it not that badly injurined jus uhh like sprained ankel (hairl line fracture loosen) uhh knee sometime get the way and mainly my backkk aggghhh.. so any recommendation?? email me any time i would highly apppericate. as well i do appericate your honesty well i must say to admit that im sucker for most products that i have spend lot amount of $ especailly for tha program i jus told you cost me 50 dollar for two book well really simple like mazagine type and a band.. mmm.. o well so what yo say ?? im eager to do much as poossible explosive, max workout ( mix it out in a day of workout) plyomoertric, and vest training, plus da speed training workout wit band etc. is that too much or da ok?
November 2, 2009 at 11:30 am
Hey Neal. It’s great to see that you put in a lot of hard work and dedication to your training. As for your injuries, I highly recommend you get the Jumpsoles with proprioceptors. They will strengthen your ankles and knees, and help prevent any future injuries. I think the main reason for your injuries is that you are training TOO MUCH. You should ease up on the training and take a few more days off every week.
November 2, 2009 at 10:01 pm
yeah ur right … i did get that first when i read whole your lesson and steps and it got to me that im over training and etc etc.. so now starting today i change whole contcept of trainin workout less on upper body but i still include them but not much as before and focus more of cardio and plymoetrhic (wrong spellin) and uhh cont burn workout also i did strength leg workout jus two lay , leg curl and seated squat heave and explosive.. and with weighted vest i run run and jump jump rope, and on floor then jump and back on floor and diff crazy .. any suggest workout i add and yeah i get that big when say dont dodoodo sport or workout on other two days if done five days of workout tha wha wrong wit me.. honestly man i been looking place like this honest advice and opinion with fact than other cheapskate so keep up being honest and whatever ur doing… and givin me adive and sending emails the first emails from otuer that i read all i send it in scam folder and kill it down with delete .. haha but your words is so clear and point up !! so keep up i will keep goin on ur site and for advice later on and tell you the result of me gettin dunk or not.. im mainly love football and no problem wit it jus would like lil faster as i always am faster than other but some are barely i wanna jus run sprint out 10 past the other fastest guy ha but i wanna improve is my jumpin cos i dont jump high weird but im fast yeah but jump nahh so i try focus and make it better even tho im 22 i know not too late to dunk a ball as i got not bad fram 5 11 i know 5 11 white guy usually dont dunk but i wanna change da haha..
November 5, 2009 at 9:18 pm
Hey yo Dan. I was wondering what excersises work to lengthen up my hamstrings. I’m six feet tall and thirteen years old. My hamstrings are reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally tight and I’m hoping that if i can lengthen them i can jump higher and eventually JAM!!! Help me out!
November 13, 2009 at 12:14 pm
Hey Ryan. I think you should work on stretching your hamstrings first, since you say they are really tight. Once you get them flexible you can start strengthening them.
November 12, 2009 at 3:41 pm
In this article it says that in order to get the best results you have to do strength training as well as plyometeics. If I am doing plyometeixs training when do I do strength training? do I do it during the 48 hrs of rest or on the day that I do the plyometrics workouts?
November 13, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Hey Jace. You should do them on alternate days e.g. Monday and Friday – Strength training, Wednesday – Plyos
November 16, 2009 at 6:15 pm
Hi I’m 14 almost 15 and im 5’9.5. My vertical is 20 inches and i really want to increase it. Anyway my dad is 6’3 and i really want to become tall so im wondering can this program stunt your growth.
Please Reply Thanks.
November 17, 2009 at 2:44 pm
Hey Shawn. The program will not stunt your growth.
November 26, 2009 at 12:50 pm
hey dan im 11 years old almost 12 i want to dunk before im in junior high im 5’7 and a half i want to be 6’6 before im 10th grade can you help me
November 26, 2009 at 1:23 pm
I sure can. Send me specific questions and I’ll do my best to answer them.
November 29, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Hi dan
Would whey protein be a good thing for explosive strenght and if i can jump explosively at first but can not afterward very much what would you advice me do?
November 29, 2009 at 4:03 pm
Wsup Ken. Whey protein is a great supplement, especially if you take it right after your workouts. However, taking it alone won’t help at all, you have to work out.
November 29, 2009 at 3:20 pm
hey im 13 and 5″5′.
i want to be able to dunk by the time im in high school, but the best i can do is touch the bottom of the net.
how long will it take to improve my hops.and can this help me grow aswell.
November 29, 2009 at 3:49 pm
Hey Victor, how long it will take you to improve your vertical jump will depend on the type of workouts you do. Have you done any programs before?
November 30, 2009 at 7:38 pm
Hey Dan,
This site has been very helpfull so far. I’m 16 and 6’2 and had knee surgury in may. I am looking to improve my vert for an off season in febuary and am looking to strengthen my knee. While this site does give great info of exercises to do it does not specify specific a schedule to use. I have concluded that i need to weight lift and do plyos but don’t know how often or how many. I have looked into the jump manual you have recomended and think it looks like a great product however i am not able to raise the money needed in time for it to make a huge difference for my offseason in febuary. Would you be able to compose a weekly schedule for me to follow includeing the exercises and reps? Any program would be greatly helpful.
Christian
December 1, 2009 at 4:42 pm
Wsup Christian. Hope the surgery went well. Is your knee fully healed yet? If it isn’t, I highly recommend getting that fixed first. You can use wobble boards or other exercises that strengthen the stabilizer muscles in your leg. I used the Jumpsoles + proprioceptors after my knee injury and they helped me a great deal.
December 7, 2009 at 2:21 pm
this stuff helps out alot i have jumppers knee and never new how to take care of it and do ankle weight really hurt your knee and i was wounderin if jump soles really work.
December 8, 2009 at 1:24 am
Wsup Aaron. I would stay away from ankle weights, because they’ve been known to worsen knee problems. If you want to train with extra weight, get a weight vest. Regarding the Jumpsoles, I’d say that they aren’t effective in increasing your vertical jump, but they’re great for rehabilitating injuries, including knee injuries.
December 8, 2009 at 2:19 pm
thanks i was wonderin wy is it i can jump off one leg and dunk but cant jump off both legs to dunk i want to be able to do both legs to
December 30, 2009 at 10:19 pm
hey aaron,
in order to jump off both legs higher, you need to exaggerate your last step. this means that you “lengthen” your stride on the last step when youre running to the basket (also that last step you take, you need to take it with your most comfortable leg), then you bring your other leg next to your leg that is already planted and then you explode up towards the basket. you also need to be about 4 to 5 feet away from the basket when you do this (but i expect you already know that). and if what i said is too confusing, then try to find a video about it, but it probably wont be easy to find.
hope i help,
arin
December 22, 2009 at 4:37 pm
I’m 15 years old and 5 foot 6 inches tall. I have a 35 inch running vertical and a 25 inch standing vertical. I feel I am fast and explosive as well as strong. I don’t understand, why can’t I dunk?
June 16, 2011 at 2:58 am
alot of it is being a ble to palm the ball, if you have big hands an can do that, then there s no reason why you shouldnt be able to dunk
December 30, 2009 at 10:03 pm
hey im 14 and im 6’1″, ive been doing exercises the correct way and ive been doin the correct exercises to make you jump higher. i have gained about 3-4 inches in about 3 weeks, and i can grab rim very easily. so my questions are is that a good amount to gain in that amount of time, and at this rate how soon do you think ill be able to dunk?
December 31, 2009 at 8:24 pm
A friend of mine said he did a jumping program of similar workouts while at the gym but was tested by his trainer for conditioning and did not do that well, he was tested on flexibility,posture,core,technique,endurance and safety especially core strenght.my question, Is it possible to gain vertical and not be fit and shouldn,t you try to get fit before doing this type of workouts or limitations to your best results will be limited,like doing some conditioning and what exercise to you recommend?
February 10, 2010 at 9:01 pm
hey dan
thanks for the great info on vj i brought the jumpers manual yesterday. i am a 20 year old 5ft9 80kg male and i play basketball and can only seem to be able to just touch the bottom of the hoop and would love to be able to dunk.i also do boxing and play a high level of rugby and i have access to many different weights and running programmes.since i do these sports i need to be well rounded in every area i need to fit fast and strong and explosive but am unsure what to do with all these trainings and programmes. could you please advise
February 26, 2010 at 3:34 am
Hey I’m 14 and 5’11″ and I can dunk now because of using jumpsoles during some of ur recomended exercises! I’ve increased my vertical by 4″ in 2 months! Thanks! What are some other workouts fir jumpsoles?
March 5, 2010 at 2:46 pm
Will doing squats and other lower body workouts bare-foot increase foot and ankle strength. I have weak ankles after spraining both of them severely over the last 2 years. i can dunk now pretty easily at 6’2″ but i want to be able to do it more frequently and in game situations. plz reply!!!! im 18
March 8, 2010 at 3:19 pm
Hey Alden. Yes, working out barefoot will strengthen your feet and ankles. Just make sure you are working out on a soft surface like rubber or grass i.e. don’t do depth jumps barefoot on concrete!
March 31, 2010 at 10:47 pm
wondering if i can jump high, but only a couple times until i am tired, should I also train slow twitch muscles in addition to fast twitch?
April 3, 2010 at 1:02 pm
hey my name is jacari i tryed calf raise, squads, and weightlifting nothing has work for me i weight lift every other day i still see no results in my workout. what should i do should i find in excrises i dont now what to do
April 5, 2010 at 10:53 am
thanks,i can jump higher,i can dunk and shoot balls easier in the air
April 13, 2010 at 12:41 am
hey
wight lifting is great and all but what if you are a 12 year old girl that is 5’5 and whats to inprove her verticle so she can block 5’8 girls??? sould i still do wheight lifting ???
thanks
April 13, 2010 at 3:34 pm
Hi. There is no specific age requirement for weight lifting. I would advice you to get with a trainer to help you get started with weights. Start light and progress slowly and you should be fine
April 16, 2010 at 12:25 am
Hey Dan, like most people on here i want to be jaming over people in games next year. ha but I would like to get a program and i wanted to know what you personally reccommened, The jump manual, or if you have one ? I just would like to hear what in your opinion would help me the most in acheiving my goals. Thanks.
Also i tried submitting this comment earlier but it didnt show up so if its on here twice, then my bad.
April 20, 2010 at 3:58 pm
Hey Brandon. I don’t personally have a program that I sell, but I highly recommend Jacob Hiller and his Jump Manual. I have personally used the program and got great results.
April 28, 2010 at 7:06 pm
Hey Dan i wanted to know what program you recommend if u want to increase your vertical but you are battling bad patellar tendinitis(in my right knee)? im anxious to get started right away … also is there a guarantee that using said program will relive the pain, besides the necessary ice rest etc.?
May 3, 2010 at 6:50 pm
Hey Davari. I would first make sure your patellar tendonitis is cured before attempting a vertical jump program. After it heals, I would get the Jump Manual.
April 30, 2010 at 12:21 pm
hey dan you said if were skinny we neeeded to put on muscle mass. i am a freshman 6’4″ and only way about 145lbs i have tried everything to put on weight can you help me out?
May 3, 2010 at 6:47 pm
Hey Cody. You have a pretty good height to start adding some mass to! I would start by increasing your protein intake. Take at least 1 gram of protein for every pound of your weight daily . Since you weigh 145 lbs, you need to be consuming at least 145lbs of protein per day. Also, instead of eating 3 large meals every day, try to eat 5-6 SMALL meals per day. You can replace 2 of these meals with shakes. As far as protein goes, get a good whey protein like the ‘Gold Standard Whey Protein’ . Of course, you need to be lifting weights while you increase your protein intake.
July 6, 2010 at 1:26 am
hey dan
i dont have access to protein powder so wat should i take after my workout
July 15, 2010 at 2:39 am
Hi Im 21 years old from South africa. I play volleyball. I jump extremely high already, lets say over 40 inch. Will i be able to jump even higher? And does it also increase your Hang time?
July 15, 2010 at 2:48 pm
Hey Bryan. That’s a great vert man! You can still improve your vert, although it will take longer because it’s already pretty high
July 19, 2010 at 5:22 am
Thanx Dan, Im looking to increase my vert. The reason for my vert is Ankle weeights, I started playing Volleyball with them on, so when I had taken them off I was basicaly flying. I will try my best to increase my vert even more and will let you know how it goes.
August 15, 2010 at 9:53 pm
Hey, I’m 17 years old, and thin (6’1 and 140 pounds), I have been training very hard for a month now, using musclemilk directly before and after workouts adn i do mainly plyometrics and weights for explosion only. I play basketbal regularly, and am literally centimeteres from dunking for the first time. However, this past month, i have only seen about 1 inch increase, as opposed to 4.5 inches increase a few months ago, with the same program. I am resting adequately, but do you have any suggestions? Also, is musclemilk the best supplement to use for vertical leap gain, or is there anything better? At the same time, I am trying to gain muscle and weight, without losing quickness on the court, and especially my leap. Help? Thanks!
August 15, 2010 at 9:56 pm
By the way, I play point guard and rely on my quickness and agility to play my game, so I cannot stress enough how important it is to keep that, while hopefully gain muscle. Don’t know if that helps or matters, thanks!
August 16, 2010 at 6:34 pm
Hey Johnny. From what you tell me, I think you have great potential to jump much higher. You can add much more strength and weight to your 140 pound frame. If you are resting adequately, then it must be your nutrition. You somehow have to eat more frequently man… I have the same body type as you – I naturally don’t put on weight. In fact, if I stop working out or eating a lot, I start losing weight. I used to think that all I had to eat was protein to get bigger and stronger, but I was wrong. Although protein builds muscle, you need to fuel your body with carbohydrates and (good) fats. Another thing is that I used to think that if I ate 3 big meals a day, I would put on weight. I was wrong there too. You need 5-6 small meals per day.
Here’s how your body works…
Your body needs fuel (energy), which it can get in one of 3 ways – by burning carbohydrates, fats, or proteins. Carbs are the most efficient way to produce energy, and also produce lots of energy, so your body burns them FIRST. Protein produces the least energy so your body burns them LAST. Fats produce the most energy, but they are very inefficient to burn, so your body prefers to burn carbs instead.
If you have a high metabolism (which you do), your body needs lots of fuel throughout the day to function (hence you need 5-6 equally spaced meals throughout the day). During (and after) your workout, your body is depleted and the first thing it needs is energy. Once it is re-energized, then you can give it protein. That’s why you need to include carbs in your post-workout meal or shake. If you give it protein without carbs, the body will try to burn the protein to get energy, and it won’t get much.
This gets really bad sometimes, especially for those of us with high metabolisms…If we don’t give our bodies enough fuel through carbs, our starved bodies actually start breaking down our own muscles to get energy. This results in weight-loss, which is BAD. I used to experience this a lot, where I would lose more weight the harder I worked out because my muscles were literally eating themselves due to lack of enough carbs.
So, here’s what you need to do… #1, eat some carbs along with your muscle milk before and after workouts. That could be rice, bananas, whatever good carbs you can get. #2, increase the number of meals you eat per day to about 5 or 6, and each meal should contain both proteins and carbs (and of course get some good fats and vitamins). If you keep building your base strength through squats and deadlifts and switch up your nutrition, you will get stronger, jump higher, and put on some serious muscle.
August 20, 2010 at 11:16 am
Thanks man, Sounds great- I will give it a shot, btw what do you think of Russian Bear 5000 and do you think I could try it?
August 25, 2010 at 4:11 pm
Hey Johnny. I’ve never taken Russian Bear 5000, so I just looked it up online. I’m not a big fan of ‘weight-gainers’. From my experience, simply going with a protein supplement is better.
August 25, 2010 at 10:11 pm
Yea, it looked kind of shady, so I just got some myotein, which looks more reliable. Yes? I’m doing lots of carbs and protein, but also at 6 meals a day, working out alot. Ill let you know the results. Thanks alot!
November 6, 2010 at 11:32 am
thanks coach I surely learned something today.
December 7, 2010 at 8:14 pm
I am 13 years old and i am 5’1″.(im very small) I have a basketball hoop in my backyard. It is 7 feet and i dunk on it all the time. i have about a 15-18″ vertical jump. I think the worst thing to do is jump as high as you can alot. it will mess up your knees bad. i just jump rope. wil that increase my vertical?
January 19, 2011 at 1:07 pm
hey dan wassup
my name is kareem i just turned 20 bout 2weeks ago
iv always been playin balll but not as much i wanted to for the past few years i started playing alot agian b4 the summer of 2010 i lost bout 20 pounds in 2 about months i think (230punds to 210) well since then i stopped playing n i think i gained back the weight im bout 6’6 an half i cant dunk i know i know… embrassing i was wondering wat would u recommend for me to improve my vert, my 3 point shot has always been there i can dribble pretty good considering my heigh, also with everything i just told u do u think i still have a shot at making it pro or evn being considered as NCAA prospect?? please be completely frank with me … im always watching ball games highlights of pro n always wonder wat if i kept playing.
Sorry for the essay any help will appericiated.
February 24, 2011 at 4:29 am
hi! i’d just like to know if wearing a weighted vest while playing basketball will help increase my vertical jump and if it is safe? tnx!
June 6, 2011 at 4:38 pm
Hello, I’m 16 years old and have a 37 inch vertical. My goal is to have at least a 45 inch vertical by this coming basketball season. I haven’t really done any workouts for my vertical but I have done a little bit of weight lifting in school. I stand at 5 foot 8 and I weigh 150 pounds so I don’t really have a lot of muscle mass. My question is, should I focus more on weight lifting or plyometrics? I won our state 100m dash this year so I’m leaning more towards the weight lifting but I have never done plyometrics so should I just balance them both?? Please help
June 6, 2011 at 6:47 pm
Hey Austin. You have GREAT potential if you’ve never really lifted or done plometrics and have a 37 inch vert. You should do BOTH weight training and plyos.
June 8, 2011 at 7:56 am
I agree that to effectively jump higher is to give yourself time to rest and recover. Weight training and high speed training does cause damage. Usually, your body will repair this damage. The damage itself is what forces your body to build stronger, healthier tissue. These repairs do not happen while you train, they happen while you rest.
June 12, 2011 at 2:45 am
hey, im an aussie.. my high school team has a lot of potential.. we are winning and wnnign by a lot.. i play a 2-3 and amabout 6 foot 2
i want to be able to dunk by our next state champs competition in early october.. my current vertical is about 75 cm or 30 inchesishh… ihave long arms, so thats where most of my reach comes from.. i also hae big hands, so i can palm the ball, i can dunk with a size 6 without a dribble, but want to be able to dunk in game
what are some basic exercises i can do to gain a few quick inches on my vertical.. cheerz mate
June 19, 2011 at 2:46 am
or not
August 5, 2011 at 2:55 pm
just do alot of training and you should be fine as that is what i do and i’m only 5 foot 8 and can almost reach the rim
June 18, 2011 at 3:44 pm
I have always wondered why some people (During basketball) jump much higher off of two feet rather then one, and the other way around. I cannot jump high at all off of two feet, but people like Nate Robinson and Jacob Tucker jump extremely high off of two. Does jumping off of one foot use your calves more than two feet?
June 19, 2011 at 6:41 am
Hey Angelo. Some people are just better at jumping off 2 feet. Personally, I’m a 2 foot jumper, and although I can still dunk off 1 foot, I jump much higher off 2 feet. On the other hand, LeBron jumps much higher off 1 foot than 2 feet. With that being said, you can train to improve both your 1 foot and 2 foot vertical jump.
August 5, 2011 at 2:52 pm
i am 14 years old and 5 foot 8 and a half and it has always been a dream of mine to pull of a slam dunk like one of my heros michael jordan. i train for around 20 minutes a day on my own net which is a few inches under the regulation height and i train for 2 hours every saturday with a team i eat quite healthily but all i can manage to do a slam dunk with a tennis ball in my own net but i can’t manage to pull one of with any thing bigger than a that. and the problem is that i don’t really stand another chance of growing cause my dad is 5 foot 10 but my mum is 5 foot 4 and i have tried all of the exersizes that you have wrote every day except for the weights as i use my dads cause i am too young to go to the gym and he says i can only use them once every now and then cause it is to dangerous for children my age to do weights cause apparently my body hasn’t fully formed yet so i was wondering if you had any other tips for me to help me achieve my goal
August 9, 2011 at 8:50 pm
Hi, I’m a 95 pound, 12 yr old. I am 4’11(I checked like last week) do you think I have a chance of being at least 6 feet tall? Second of all I have a 8 inch vertical jump. Do you think I need to work on it or is it fine how it is? What work outs should I do to increase it and will lifting weights with one hand slow down my growth?
August 16, 2011 at 3:36 pm
Hi. I can’t really tell you how tall you can grow. With that being said, I’m very sure you can train and increase your vertical jump by several inches. Oh, and weight lifting will not slow down your growth, unless you lift SUPER heavy weights. Hope this helps, and keep me updated on your progress.
August 17, 2011 at 8:51 am
my mom said to sleep a lot vegetables
August 17, 2011 at 8:49 am
when i use ankle weights i jump i make my feet tuch my butt will that help or will it do nothing
August 22, 2011 at 3:23 pm
Hey Ben. I’m not a big fan of ankle weights because they could “pull” on your knees and cause injuries. I’d use a weight vest instead.
August 28, 2011 at 2:52 am
I am 5.7 and have a 20inch verticle.(around thr) i am 13. Is my verticle below average?