6 Best Exercises to Increase Vertical Jump at Home

Jumping higher and with more ease, it is not only with us, hoopers eager for dunk, that it has always been an obsession!

Athletics, gymnastics, volleyball, football or even tennis are all sports where athletes can benefit from a precious gain in vertical jump.

But the cruel genetics (it all depends on who) did not endow everyone with dynamite in the socks… Is it possible to increase your vertical jump?

Fortunately no, because if the type of muscle fibers is good is very decisive when it comes to jumping high (type 2 fibers are precious in this area, and you can hardly change anything), it remains, all the same, the possibility of improving your vertical jump by selecting the right power and strength exercises.

How do you make your jump higher?

To reach the full potential of your jump, you will have to train in strength and power.

On the one hand, strength exercises are these resistance movements carried out slowly and with control (we are talking about squat at the bar or lunge lunges for example).

On the other hand, we have all the power exercises, which consist of very rapid and very explosive movements: we are talking about any plyometric exercise.

Explosiveness is the result of the power + speed combo: the more you have in your shoes, the more you can reach heights!

The last facet of vert jump training is repetition. As true as it is by forging that one becomes a blacksmith, it is by jumping again and again and again that one ends up hovering.

Note: one of the best exercises to increase vertical jump for basketball is to take a few minutes at the end of each workout to jump to the basket. Under the latter, in dry jump, try to touch the net (or even the rim) with both hands, stretching out fully. Hardly landed, start again. Do 4 sets of 10 to 15 jumps (Volleyball players can do the same with the net).

To “jumper” you have to be like a spring, with strong muscles and explosive muscle fibers. You need to acquire the ability to shorten and stretch them dynamically. Upper body strength is also important to create this upward dynamic.

Now let’s see what should appear in your vertical jump workout.

Part 1: Plyometric Work

The Essential Jump Rope as a Pillar

The best way to enter the fabulous world of plyometrics is probably for you to bring out your good old skipping rope!

You can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs, and as simple as it sounds, skipping rope really helps to develop explosive power in addition to good coordination.

Consider it your best cardio functional exercise and aim for 30 minutes, 3 to 5 days a week.

Enough to burn a sacred bundle of calories and lose a little fat, which is always good to take when you want to jump higher (this guy Zion Williamson does not want it).

Your goal is to be able to jump rope for a minimum of 60s without interruption, then chain 5 rounds with a few seconds of pause between each. Practice tirelessly every day for a week or two before moving on to the other plyometric exercises that we will see.

Best Exercises that Increase Vertical Jump

Now that you’ve done the basics with the jump rope, you’re ready to get down to business! Here are 6 great plyometric exercises that you can practice at home, that will allow you to get to the top!

The common guidelines in all of these exercises are to literally explode upward and minimize contact time with the ground.

1. Box Jump

It is a reference and one of the very best plyometric exercises to improve its explosiveness.

You are going to need an object with a flat surface on which you can land, such as a bench, a box, a low wall, etc.

Start with something relatively low and increase the height as you go.

Several versions of the jumps boxes are possible:

• classic, standing in front of the box, jump, and land with your feet together. Just come back down, then repeat. You can also perform this movement with one leg (foot bell).
• variant with momentum, call two feet (see opposite). Perfect for reaching higher boxes.
• seated box jump, sit on support smaller than the box in front of you, stand up and jump with your feet together (use your arms with a pendulum movement for additional momentum) on the support. Go back down, sit down, and repeat.
• step up (explosive version), Right foot placed flat on your support, right leg bent and left leg stretched with the foot placed on the ground. Push with the right leg and jump as high as possible by exploding, both legs stretched. When you are highest, change legs to land in the opposite position: left foot on the box, right foot on the ground.

2. Hurdle Jump

Perhaps one of your best tools, hurdles will also allow you to unlock your full explosive potential.

Try to have several hurdles about 50cm from each other then jump over each without pause between jumps: hardly landed, you must jump again (this is called reactive jumps).

You can then upgrade to more advanced versions like the one opposite, which involves side hops. The possibilities with this tool are almost limitless and it’s really something that I recommend you acquire.

3. Jump Squats

Another great classic in plyometrics, the jump squat remains an excellent exercise.

Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, go down to the squat position (knees at hip level). Then explode by jumping as high as possible, land by bending your knees well to absorb the impact.

Repeat.

To go further, ballast yourself either with a vest or by grabbing a dumbbell in each hand. In this case, you can no longer descend as low as with your body weight, and respect an amplitude that mimics as much as possible the movement that you will replicate once on the ground (as opposite).

In basketball or Volleyball, for example, it is very rare to jump from a squat position “ass to the grass”, because it would lose speed and explosiveness.

Advise if you choose the weighted version: do not try to go too low or jump too high, as the impact and landing could cause injuries. You also do not need very heavyweights, they must remain light enough to allow them to explode.

4. Tuck Jumps

In the initial standing position, feet apart at the width of the pelvis, knees slightly bent. Bend the knees and jump straight up, with this desire to bring the knees against the chest.

Keep a strong sheathing of the abdominal strap throughout the jump phase.

Immediately upon landing, repeat the next jump immediately. You can progress to a more advanced version such as the burpee tuck jump (opposite) or the kneeling tuck jump (see below).

5. Kneeling Jumps

One of my favorites, which forces you to explode from your hips to your feet.

The movement is very simple on paper, on your knees, engage the movement from your hips (it is really they who will do all the work), accompanied by your upper body and the pendulum movement of your arms.

You can completely link the knee jump with a vertical jump, a tuck jump (see above), or a frog jump (long jump forward). You can also place small support in front of you to increase the height to be crossed.

6. Depth Jumps

The first thing to do is to stand on a high platform, no matter which one.

From this platform, you will drop and slightly bend your legs to absorb the fall, then explode by jumping as high as possible barely trodden ground.

You can vary the movement by placing a box in front of you, so once the ground is hit, you explode to get on the box.

Part 2: Resistance Work

We talked about it at the beginning of the article, to increase your vertical leap, you have to work on two inseparable facets, strength and power (explosiveness).

Resistance work corresponds to the strength training that you will have to carry out in the weight room, mainly with polyarticular Olympic movements (which require a lot of muscle groups) like:

• classic back / front squat
• deadlift, but also its variants like sumo deadlift or Romanian SDT
• more explosive movements like high pull, hang clean, power clean, hang power clean or even push press (movements that are found a lot in disciplines like CrossFit)

Note: the weights selected must be light enough to allow them to explode, but heavy enough to stimulate muscle adaptation.

Always start your sessions with a proper warm-up, incorporating mobility exercises (hips, ankles, shoulders, etc.) and pre-fatigue exercises.

I will not detail here all the exercises, it would be too long, but I offer you a vertical jump training program based on a method that I particularly like when I work my jump at home: the Vert Shock.

What Exactly Is Vert Shock?

Vert Shock is a new vertical jump training system developed by Adam Folker and Justin “Jus Fly” Darlington.

Kobe Bryant & Adam Folker

Justin ‘Jus Fly’ Darlington accepting the first-place trophy at the Nike World Dunk Contest alongside LeBron and Anthony Davis.

Both are experienced pro hoopers who have pooled their years of experience to help others achieve better jumping ability.

It’s a 3-phase step-by-step program that was made specifically to help athletes increase their vertical jump and become more explosive.

The system guarantees to increase your vertical leap by 9-15 inches after 8 weeks, or you can ask for your money back.

» Bouns: Download Vert Shock’s FREE Guide «

It’s a pretty bold statement, and if you know me, you know I don’t believe in fairy tales or magic solutions.

Nevertheless, I was curious to try this program because the guys who created it – Adam Folker and Justin ‘Jus Fly’ – are pretty legit and reputable, and their name is attached to this program…

So they wouldn’t waste their time or risk their name with a scammy low-quality product.

Plus, the program had rave reviews everywhere I looked, and it seemed to be working for so many people with a lower vertical than mine.

How Does Vert Shock Work?

Vert Shock works by using very specific high-intensity, high-impact workouts that target your nervous system, particularly the nerves in your legs.

It uses advanced plyometrics and exercises that focus strategically on your Type-2 Fibers – the fast-twitch muscle fibers.

The idea behind this method is simple…

The faster your muscles will fire, the more force you’ll be able to generate, and the higher your jump will be.

Here’s a video that explains in more detail how the program works:

The 3 Phases of the Vert Shock Program

Vert Shock was designed as an 8-week training program and is broken down into three different phases:

• Part 1 is the Pre-Shock Phase. This is the first week of training where the body is introduced to some exercises to make it ready to the main workouts during the middle part of the program. Because of the new training, you can gain between 3 to 5 inches in the jump height.

• Part 2 is the Shock Phase. This is the middle 6 weeks where the main training is done and bulk of the results come from. The exercises are shown step by step and the workouts are all listed down in a chart to make them easy to follow.

• Part 3 is the Post-Shock Phase. This is the last week of the 8 weeks. This phase lets the muscle memory get ingrained so that jumping higher becomes automatic to the body.

» Click to Go to the Vert Shock Main Page «

The Pros and the Cons: A Review

Pros

• No weight-lifting, no gym, and no equipment required – Everything is based on bodyweight and plyometric exercises that are proven to work for increasing your vertical leap so you can do this from the comfort of your home in any available space you have.

• Cuts down training time – The program is highly efficient in producing fast results by laser-targeting your fast-twitch muscle fibers.

• Safe for teenagers – Will NOT stunt your growth! You can rest assured that you will still develop to your full genetic potential while improving your vertical significantly.

• Easy to understand and implement – the instructions are very easy to follow and there’s guidance for every step of the way.

• Keeps you safe from injuries and overtraining – VERY IMPORTANT once you start jumping high!

• Provides ongoing support – Adam himself answers all of your questions and offers personal help and advice. There’s also weekly email check-ins to make sure you stay motivated and that you keep pushing forward towards your goal.

• Can be accessed from anywhere and on any device.

• Has a 60-Day Money Back Guarantee – The program GUARANTEES your success with a 60-day money back guarantee. If you’re unhappy with the program, you can get ALL of your money back. It doesn’t get any safer than that.

Cons

• You still need to do the work. Unfortunately, it isn’t a magic manual. All the information may be there but you need to drag yourself to train with intensity each time otherwise the results may not be as expected.

• The simplicity may tempt you to add or change things. One thing I saw with others that were using Vert Shock was that because the workouts were short and simple, they added other exercises or did more repetitions.

Will Vert Shock Work for You?

There’s only one main reason why Vert Shock might not work for you… and that’s the fact that it’s not some sort of a magic cure.

While some may chase their dream of a higher vertical leap by going for special shoes and gimmicks, the truth is, being able to jump high is something that requires a lot of training and effort.

Vert Shock is a program that requires you to be fully committed for 8 weeks.

Thus…

If you really wanna see results… there’s simply no other way.

You have to follow the instructions as-is, and you CAN’T slack off.

However, if you do everything as it says and truly put your whole self into it, the reward is just priceless, and you’re guaranteed to get the trophy.

Put Vert Shock to the test and at least give it a try.

Try It Risk Free For 60-Days

To Remember

No matter what your sport or your goal, you can enjoy better jump, whether it is fulfilling a kid’s dream by dunking a basketball or nastily blocking a volleyball ball! There is no secret, it takes practice and you have to train regularly and intelligently.

Finally, keep in mind that jumpering is an activity that involves strong impacts on muscles and joints, take your precautions.

Especially if you take part in intense programs like VertShock or Jump Manual: this is not for everybody!

Give your body the rest it deserves between sessions, and do not venture there if you have pain in your knees, hips or ankles, take care beforehand.