In this guide, you will learn some of the best exercises for high jump. The high jump is an athlete’s special and unique character that everyone wants. It makes you different from others and it also makes you feel that you are the one taking all the praises.
Have you ever want to improve your jump? Have you ever imagine yourself standing in the middle of the ground and everyone roaring your name and clapping because you are doing something extraordinary? Have you ever go through all the interviews and speeches in which everyone asking you about how you do that?
If you want to experience all these feelings and if you want to improve your jump for basketball, then you are in the right place.
Feeling and getting a high jump is one of the best feelings in the world. It has all the applications in cricket, football, basketball, volleyball, badminton, tennis, and every other sport.
It is the mixture of the lower body power and how you explode your body in the air. If you are thinking that only going to the gym will cause you a high jump, then you are wrong because you have to work for it and you have to adopt many new things in making your hops better, run faster, lifting more weight and making your body strong.
To get a high jump, there are many exercises you can perform. I will show you a list of some important exercises, along with the ways of doing them. After that, you can notice a remarkable difference in your jump and your height. So, let us get started. There are the following questions that come in your mind, so I will discuss and answer all of them.
Which muscles are used in a high jump?
Before getting started all the exercises and main thing, first, you have to know that on which muscles you have to work and which muscles are important in your high jump.
It is not limited to any specific part of the body, but a high jump uses all parts of our body like your arms, hips, and legs. So, you have to work on all of them. It is a result of the triple explosion. What is this? This is the explosion of your arms, legs, and your hip region.
The following muscles form the triple extension jump:
Glutes:
These are the two muscles that are gluteus Maximus and gluteus medius. These both are located in the hip region of the body and play a very important role in a jump. They push the body up to get maximum height. Your lower body and upper body get all the energy from this region and it is very important to make them strong and flexible.
Quadriceps:
These are the three muscles and that are vastus lateralis, intermedius, and medialis. These are enclosed in your knee region. As you know that your knees are very important in your jump because knees cause you to balance your body and to explode perfectly. So, you have to work on the quadriceps to get a perfect vertical jump.
Hamstrings:
These are the two muscles which are semimembranosus and semitendinosus. They make up the posterior side of your thighs and your thighs are very important in your hip and knee extension as they carry all your body weight. They help and regulate all your body organs to have a perfect landing and they also absorb your landing.
Calves:
The backside of your legs is formed by calves and it includes gastrocnemius and soleus. It helps you to jump through your toes which are called plantar flexion. It helps you to explode your body and use your toes to get a high jump. So you have to make your calves strong enough so that they become tough enough to balance your body and get all the weight of your body on them.
Abdominals and core:
This is the upper region of your body which is known as the trunk of the body. It includes the following muscles: transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, internal and external obliques, multifidi, and erector spinae.
Your upper body is very important and it plays a role in stabilization of the whole body during a jump. It acts like a streamlined shape to reduce all the friction that is acting against your body. So, you have to get in proper shape and make your upper body stronger.
How to make a proper jump?
Before I start showing you all the exercises, first you have to make sure that you know how to make a proper jump because it involves all the basic and important techniques. So, you cannot ignore anything. The following steps are for you to know if you are doing a proper jump:
Step 1:
First of all, you have to stand on your feet straight to your hips. If they would not be straight, then you will not be able to get much power for your jump. So, make your legs straight, bend your knees outward to activate your hip region. This activation will allow you to consume more power and you will get enough energy for the jump.
Step 2:
Bend your body down and gain all the momentum. Gather all the energy while being in the half-squat position. While keeping a long spine, make your hips behind your knees. You have to make the same hip action as you do in a deadlift.
Step 3:
Make your arms forward and lean and try to jump as high as possible. When you jump, you have to try reaching up with only one arm because it will be better than jumping and reaching with both arms. When you reach back to the ground, slightly bend your knees, and make sure that you have a proper balance.
Repeat this cycle and bend your knees outward like when you are going to jump in the first place.
How to measure your jump?
It is very important to measure your jump because you have to know about your goal and you have to know how many inches you have to gain in your vertical jump. Also, you need to compare your old inches with your new inches to make sure that you are making progress.
There are two ways of measuring jump. One is by using the jump tester. If you can use this equipment, then you can easily measure your jump. On the other hand, there is a way through which you can stand straight against a wall with chalk. You have to jump against that wall and mark your jump with the chalk on the wall.
If you are using one of these methods to measure your jump, in both cases you have to measure the jump while standing flatfooted on the ground and your arms fully extended. It has two steps:
- First of all, stand against the wall and mark your height. This is called your reach.
- Then jump with your feet and mark your jump with the chalk on the wall. Now you have two values. Subtract your reach from your maximum jump height. This value will be your vertical jump.
You have to take 3 to 5 attempts again and again after warming up. Take out an average from all these attempts and this will be the point where you will be standing.
One thing you must consider is that when you are going to jump, make sure you are not running before your jump or you are not taking any power step before your jump. You have to stand on your feet and jump with no other things.
What are the exercises to jump higher?
Now it comes the most important part. Till now, you are done with all the basic things regarding measuring and knowing about the muscles of your jump. This step cannot be skipped because it is what you have to know. So, I have the following exercises for you. These will help you to be stronger, flexible, and improve your explosiveness.
Depth jump
It is the exercise of the plyometric. It is related to the stretching and shortening of the muscles. It is consisted of jumping off the box or any high surface of your choice and then landing on the ground. It opens your hip and leg muscles to receive strength and stretch. The shocks, push, and balance allows the body to go gain and utilize all the energy and to use all the energy into a jump. You can perform depth jump with the help of the following steps:
Step 1:
Stand on a box that is 10-30 inches high. You can also select to start with a lower one if you think that it would be easy for you. Your feet should be hip-width apart and hands straight down the body. Your back and spine should also be straight.
Step 2:
Step down the box. In this, you have to make sure that you are going to step off, not jump. Step off with your one foot and follows it with the other one.
Step 3:
Once you land on the floor with your both feet, after that immediately, jump as high as you can. You have to make sure that your feet are hip-width apart and your hands are straight. You have to spend very little time when you are on the floor before you jump. You do not have to dip or lower your hips and knees by yourself, let them be naturally. Extend them to explode into the air as you rise. Keep your arms straight as you do so.
Step 4:
Land back to the floor after your jump, relax your knees and feet and balance yourself on the ground. Repeat this sequence again and again for the reps and remember not to rush between the reps because you have to focus on explosiveness, not on conditioning.
Timings and reps:
You are required to do depth jumps early in your workout because these jumps are also the warm-up exercise. You have to do 2 to 4 reps consisting of 2 to 5 reps.
You can also perform these jumps on the bench or any high surface. Just make yourself easy with the workout. If you want to advance your workout, then you can add more boxes and more height.
Medicine ball broad jump
This is a hard exercise in which you are carrying the weight. So, it is the strength training that you need the most. It adds up the resistance in your workout and increases the power and energy. It also does not require any heavyweight ball, you can start with the 10-pound ball very easily.
In this exercise, you are going to cover the maximum distance with that ball and it will add in your vertical jump. You will get enough power to lift yourself and carry all your weight. You can perform this exercise with the help of the following steps:
Step 1:
Grab the medicine ball (typically a 10-pound ball) and stand against the wall. Make sure you can enough distance between you and the wall for the jump. Your feet should be hip to shoulder-width apart and arms straight. Start with the ball on overhead.
Step 2:
Now you have to create some elasticity by bending your hips and knees down and lower your arms towards the floor. This is the negative phase of the exercise which brings you energy.
Step 3:
Now you have to explode out of the hole without hesitating. Use the balls of your feet, and throw your arms in front of you. Throw the ball into the wall and jump as far as possible you can do, in front of you.
Step 4:
Now you are going to come back to the ground so make sure you are getting all the balance. Bend your knees and hips to absorb all the force. Catch the wall if you can, otherwise, let it fall if the wall is far away. Pick up the ball to do some more reps.
Timings and reps:
You are required to do this, before your workout or before any heavy exercise. You have to do 3 sets of 5 reps with a 10-pound ball.
If you are new, and just going to start, then go without any ball. This also will be affected. On the other hand, if you want to add some more resistance, then attach a heavy-duty elastic band on your back. As you jump, there will be a resistance holding you back.
Back squats
It is very important to know that strength builds power and convert into the vertical. Back squats are the best exercise for lower body strength. It works on your hamstrings, quadriceps, and calves. These muscles are the drivers of the high jump. You can take some help from these following points if you want to do back squats in the right way:
Step 1:
Go into the squat rack and grab the rod as far as you can and where you feel that you are comfortable. Go under the rack and squeeze your shoulders blades with each other. The rod should rest on your shoulders or it should trap on it.
Step 2:
Make your feet at shoulder-width and take out the bar from the rack. You do not have to move your feet, try to screw your legs. You have to do the same action as you do to twist up the grass. The point where you feel that your glutes tighten and there are arches in your feet, stay on that point. Make a solid column with the help of your torso and take a deep breath with your belly.
Step 3:
Keep your eyes forward and put your all bodyweight on your middle foot. Make your body lower and go down by bending your hips and knees. You have to go down and make your body lower as much as you can but remember to keep your spine, back, and head aligned and straight.
Step 4:
Now you have to come back to the upside by pushing your feet. It will automatically extend your hips and knees as they were bent before.
Timings and sets:
You are required to do back squats on the number 2 or 3 of your strength exercise. Also, you have to focus that all your body weight should be on the midfoot, not on the balls of the foot. Make your feet firm on the floor. Do not move them.
You have to do 3 to 6 sets consisting of 3 to 8 reps. If you want to speed up and make it harder, then bring lighter loads for 3 to 6 sets of 2 to 5 reps.
Power high pull
It is the exercise of total body power. It causes the triple extension using your ankles, knees, and hips. This triple extension improves your vertical jump to a larger extent. If you want to do this exercise, the following points and steps are very important for you:
Step 1:
Stand on the floor and face the loaded barbell. Your distance should be hip to shoulder width. You have to move your body into a squat position by lowering your body and bending your hips and knees.
Step 2:
Now you have to grip the bar outside your shins and move with your flat back. You have to engage your core, bend your knees and hips by 90 degrees, move your eyes forward and lower your hips.
Step 3:
You have to pull up the bar as high as possible by using your core, extending your hips and knees, and inhaling. Make sure that the bar is at shoulder height with your hips, knees, and ankles. You have to stand on your toes and when you reach the top, exhale smoothly.
Step 4:
Gradually, put the bar on the floor, keeping a solid grip on it. Put that bar down, relax, and prepare yourself for the next rep.
Timings and sets:
You have to do this exercise before your workout or during your lower body exercises. 3 to 5 sets consisting of 2 to 5 reps are required during a workout. The perfect rule of doing this is you can start with 60% of your body weight and with the passing time, you can increase the weight and the volume.
In this exercise, you have to make sure that you are moving the bar up and down as fast as possible. You have to keep your hips and core tight to make sure of your safety. You have to do this with a flat back and never even try to do it with a rounded back because it can cause you a very serious injury.
You can also do this with the help of dumbbells or kettlebells. In this type of exercise, you should have your weight in the middle of the foot and move your one arm at one time, while switching your arms.
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Conclusion: Exercises for High Jump
You are done with all the things, information, and exercises that you must know. These exercises can be performed at your home because these all are so easy. All you need is dedication and motivation to this all. No one can stop you from building your unique and special character. This is the time for you and you have to start from today.
Imagine when you are playing in the field, and you are smashing the ball and other players by your high jump. You have to give time and make efforts if you want to achieve anything. Through this article, you will get all the things and you will be able to complete all your goals that are in your mind. Throw them out of your mind and convert them into a reality because you can do it!
Take these exercises very seriously and use them in your daily life. After 2 months, you will be able to see a remarkable difference in your game and your jump height. Make yourself stronger and make yourself high in the jump!
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