Saturday, October 10, 2009

Do you want to increase your vertical jumping?

By Amit Rosman

What is the best way to increase the height of your vertical jumps? Certainly there are probably some exercises that are better and more helpful than others, but which are the best ones? Which exercises will get the greatest results without burning you out too fast? Keep reading to learn more about the best exercises to put a little more spring into your vertical jumps.

Warm up. Yes, warm your legs up. Do some stretching exercises. A routine similar to swimmers stretching their legs is great. Jump rope for a few minutes or run up and down a flight of stairs for a few. Whether you do this as warm up exercises or part of your regular routine, this is a good way to get started.

Focus on training for leg strength. To improve your vertical jumping, build your leg strength. Focus on exercises like jumps, toe raises, and deep knee bends. Do these exercises slowly so that each rep takes approximately nine seconds. This will build your muscles and overall strength most effectively.

Optimize muscle. While you don't need to be a body builder or Mr. Olympics to be a great vertical jumper, you do need a fit, toned, well-shaped body to power your jumps. You will want to have a speedy metabolism, low body fat, and strong bones and muscles. When you have more muscle, you also burn more calories when you exercise. When you burn more calories, you have the energy to fire your vertical jumps and reach new heights.

Having said that, what common exercises can help you improve your vertical jumps? Quite a few really easy ones that you can do everyday include:

Jump rope. Jumping rope with a simple inexpensive jump rope is a very effective exercise to improve vertical jump heights. Get a rope that is easy to swing comfortably and start out jumping on both feet, then alternating jumping on each foot individually. This is a great exercise to do while watching television. Start out by jumping rope for 10-minute bursts of time and gradually increase the level of intensity of your jump roping workout. Remember, though, speed is not the goal here-higher jumps is-so make sure you are focusing on that.

Deep knee bends. Begin from a standing position. Lower yourself slowly to your hunches while keeping your back straight. Then, just an inch before you hit a completely relaxed position down low, slowly raise yourself back up to a standing position. Do this counting four on the way down and four on the way back up to complete one rep. Begin with 15 reps a day and slowly increase to more reps each week. Besides powering your legs, this exercise actually tones your thighs and legs as well.

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