3 Simple Exercises to Improve Your Vertical Jump

A lot of people wish to improve their vertical, so that they can jump like LeBron James or Nate Robinson. Well it takes hard work and dedication to achieve a high vertical jump and many factors contribute to how high your vertical can get. These are 3 exercises you can do that will help improve your vertical jump significantly in a couple of weeks.

1. Jump Rope
This may seem very simple but jumping rope can help improve your vertical. It builds strength in calf muscles, glutes, quads, and hamstrings. It also builds your core muscles which can also increase your vertical. Jumping rope builds stamina, depending on the duration of your jump rope session, this exercise can be a good alternative to running to get into shape. It also burns off excess fat, jumping rope can burn 1000 calories an hour. Jumping rope improves footwork. Jumping rope is a great exercise to improve your footwork, giving you the proper coordination not to travel while doing certain moves on the court. It can also increase your foot speed as you turn the rope faster your feet have less time to get off the ground so you must jump quicker. Over time your foot speed and quickness will improve. To get the greatest benefits out of jumping rope, it must be done regularly. Get at least 500-1000 jumps each time you jump rope and try to do this everyday or at least every other day.

2. Stretch
I know that stretching doesn't really count as an exercise to most people but it really is important in increasing your vertical jump and also your speed, quickness, and injury prevention. Take time before and after you workout to really stretch good. Stretch for at least 8-10 minutes. As you increase your flexibility your may notice a very quick increase in your vertical, even as much as 3"-4" inches. Stretching can increase your range of motion, improving your form and helping you jump higher. For example, someone without good range of motion may not be able to squat down very low before they jump, so they wouldn't jump as they would with good flexibility. Injury Prevention is just another great thing about stretching. An injury such as jumper's knee is caused by stress on the quad muscle, usually because of tight hamstrings. Stretching well will help reduce the risk of jumper's knee as well as other injuries.

3. Dumbbell Jump Squat
This is a great exercise to increase your vertical jump and speed. It builds power in your legs and helps you to jump explosively. Take two dumbbells and hold one in each arm next to your sides. Bend your knees as you prepare to jump then jump as high as you can. Land as softly as you can on the balls of your feet then repeat. Do this twice a week, 4-5 sets of 6-7 reps, make sure you rest at least 2 minutes in between reps.