Anyone know how to increase the vertical jump?

I'm not a basketball player, but I increased mine when trying to build up my explosiveness by:

1) Finding some very long stairs. I'd alternate (i) sprinting up them, but making sure I place each foot on each step (kinda like a shuffle) and (ii) bounding up them with both legs at the same time, trying to take as many steps at a time as possible. I did this for four sets of two minutes, with one minute in between, where I would do pushups.

2) Squatting down and leaping up throwing punches and squatting down as soon as I landed, also 4x2.

3) Jumping up and down on a bench with both feet. You should eventually be able to do this 100 or so times in one go.

4) If you have a good fitness base, look further into plyometric exercizes to build up explosiveness in your legs. For example, you can try doing depth jumps (leaping down from somewhere and rebounding).

These exercizes are pretty intense if done properly, so I'm assuming your already fit. Also, don't do them every day, but make sure you get adequate recovery time - otherwise they are just useless.

 

Check out the program Air Alert 3. In my basketball team 3 guys did it and had huge improvements. Also the good ole jump rope, stairs(running up and down or jumping with the both feet and then only on one - 10 stairs per leg then switch), line up several chairs and jump over them...

 

Google "plyometrics". These type of exercises will help your vertical jump no end.

Another handy trick is to 'disengage' your hip flexors, as tight hip flexors will limit your jump. To do this, perform a 'samson stretch' before your basketball session. if you don't know what the samson stretch is, google it, or look it up on the Crossfit website.

 

Thanks you about the Air Alert tip.
Vertical jump bible
http://rs297.rapidshare.com/files/96254572/The_Verticle_Jump_Bible.rar

 

Make sure you are strong enough before you begin plyometrics. Start with squats, lunges, deadlifts, good mornings, and heavy ab strengthening. This will give you a larger improvement when you begin plyometrics.

 

I doubled mine, and saw good results after about two months or so, but my original performance was absolutly pathetic so it wasn't difficult to improve at first. We did the test at my boxing gym and I was just embarassed so I worked hard on it over the summer.

I was actually very fit and statically strong when I started doing this (pretty much lived in the boxing gym at the time), but really lacked explosivness. You do need a decent level of fitness, particularly for the stair sprints, since you have to do them fast for them to work - the point is to rebound immediatly as you hit the ground, being unfit means you stay on the ground longer and don't rebound. If your not fit, I recommend you do some jogging first and then maybe start with the bench jumps.

Generally, all plyometric type training requires a good strength and fitness base - its pointless to just walk into it. If you want to see a good example of explosivness, check out Wener Gunthor' training (former world champion shot putter and physical freak!) - particularly the last part:shock::

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There is PDF file with the program:?
http://yfrog.com/0d22687336g

 

There used to be a program called "Air Alert". Im not sure if its still around but it was a small booklet full of excercises that ran into about a 11-12 week phase. It was absolutely gruelling on your knee's if you didnt have the right trainers. Couple of guys i know did it. They had sick ups. I used to have a 35inch vertical and entered many dunk competitions. I now suffer from a permanently striated quad, tight glutes and arthritis in one knee. I have tons of basketball injuries from not warming up and playing above the rim. Im paying the price now and im only 30. I cant even run anymore.

Also sprinting helps ALOT. I used to run track in school and this helped my vertical alot as the fast twitch fibres were already trained.

 

Ridiculous. I don't understand how they can even think such obvious falsehoods. I would not follow that advice if I were you.

 

http://rapidshare.com/files/230293410/The_Verticle_Jump_Bible__Full_.doc.html
I converted the PDF to .doc(Word 2003) try it now.