How To Jump Higher
I am going to answer the question; how to jump higher? But first consider the question… Why would you want to jump higher? Well people who can jump higher reach greater heights. Pretty obvious you may say however this is not only literally true but also metaphorically so!
NB! Before you continue to read the article, take a look at the training course below which was created by professional trainers and basketball players. It will help you to increase your vertical jump in two weeks.
In human evolutionary history the ability to jump higher always meant a more successful life. 40,000 years ago when our ancestors were hunter-gatherers on the savannah, those who could jump higher and run faster, not only lived longer but also had better quality lives. They could escape predators and catch prey in turn. They could reach the better fruit that grew higher up the trees and they always got the girl.
Of course for most of us, modern life is steadily eroding our ability to jump high and run fast. Man has created the tools of convenience and the pampered lifestyles that no longer promote the physical skill to jump higher, run faster and do it all for longer periods. It is only in the field of human endeavor called sports that people who want to succeed need to excel at jumping. One thing hasn’t changed though; the top sports people of today still get the best rewards that life has to offer.
‘Great catches win matches!’
Remember this sporting maxim? Well it’s winning matches that bring the greatest rewards. So how can you get to jump higher and excel in your chosen field of endeavor? There are four success factors that all athletes and even us ordinary mortals must do if we are to be able to jump higher.
Success factor number 1 is to lose some weight.
Picture that pro basketball player leaping and soaring above his opponents to out-catch them or to pass successfully to a teammate or to ‘slam dunk’ the winning basket in the dying seconds of the championship game. There isn’t an ounce of surplus fat on him and that is no coincidence!
There is an inescapable natural law of Newtonian physics that says the less body mass you have to propel into the air with any given amount of force the higher that mass will go. Seriously, how high can you jump vertically right now? Not too high I bet. How high do you think the MVP wide receiver of the Superbowl champions can jump vertically? Quite a bit higher than you or I, you can be sure.
Wide receivers and all athletes control their food intake and their energy output so that they do not carry any excess weight. It always has been and always will be a question of getting your diet and exercise regime into balance. We should all aim to be able to jump as high as gravity will let us by eating lots more REAL food and doing sufficient exercise to burn all of the calories we consume. Real food means fewer than 5 ingredients on the packet and lots more plants. Find a high jump diet you enjoy and stick to it to lose weight. Count your calorie intake so as to reduce your consumption of sugars, high fructose corn syrup, trans fats and saturated fats.
Success factor number 2 is developing those jumping muscles
Picture the pro baseball fielder almost flying to catch the ball one-handed and save the home run hit, the innings, the game and the series. Do you think that just happens at game time on any given Sunday?
Yes it’s constant exercise of course, but the right exercise that is another essential. Begin by measuring your current jumping height because you’ll want to see your progress and keep a fitness log. Build on your current lifestyle with a few different exercises as well as doing more of your most common exercise-related daily activities. Track and review your log because it is the only way to remember what you have done and ensure you stick to your regime. Set yourself achievable and timely goals.
The objective is to build some base strength
You can only jump higher if you improve your muscle strength. In order of importance here are the key exercises: Squats, calf raises, dorsi-flexor stretches, transverse abdominal exercises, hip-flexors, abdominals, upper body exercises and don’t forget your toes. Plyometric exercises are specifically designed to train your muscles; cutting the time you take to go from rest to maximum force. This regime is key to jumping higher and that is totally reliant on speed.
Success factor number 3 is to get the right support
All great athletes are great jumpers but they are also the most visible members of a whole supporting team. You can’t learn to jump higher on your own. You will need a coach and physiotherapy expertise at least. Never make any significant life changes, like a new diet, without consulting with your doctor. Also get the right equipment especially the latest high-tech ‘jump sole’ trainers. Designed-for-jumping footwear will give proper conditioning to those all-important lower limbs and joints. In particular the muscle groups around your knees and ankles. Your athletic ability to jump higher and all round agility depends on the right conditioning equipment. Failure to properly condition knee and ankle muscle groups for jumping and you multiply the risks of serious injury.
Success factor number 4 is to get the jump on your subconscious
Picture the great soccer players leaping to head the ball goal-ward or the great goalkeeper stretching to catch before the opposition can beat him to it. There is never a split second of hesitation due to thinking or planning. It’s what they are and not just what they do!
All great athletes will tell you that to excel in sports depends on getting your head right. All the great jumps and catches are created in the subconscious mind before they ever take place in reality. A positive, winning can-do attitude coupled with a detailed visualization and continual repetition leading to innate muscle memory, all combine to make the final actions look effortless.
‘I want to jump higher’ is an easy thing to say and it seems at first sight like a modest life goal. Yet building the four success factors into your life will transform, empower and enrich you as it has so many great athletes before you.
If you want to jump higher within two weeks, click on the link below and find out what some basketball players do to improve their jumping technique!
