If you are looking for some easy ways to increasing your vertical jump for basketball, you might want to consider adopting the plyometric training as your routine. Yes, if you are looking for a fast and effective way to slam dunking a basketball in a game, It is crucially important that you know plyometric.
Plyometric training is one of the most effective trainings that basketball athletes adopt to increasing their vertical jump as it is a training that focus on building your explosive power and speed.
Note that the key here is speed. In order to be able to jump higher, you need to have power explosion off the ground, and that can be achieved through increasing your speed.
As long as there is a need for speed and quickness, as long as there is a need to increase explosiveness and agility, plyometric training can be just the training for you. The secret to the plyos is that it trains your fast twitch muscles to act like a “fully stretched” rubber band, storing and exploding with tremendous power when it is call upon during a jump or sudden movement like direction changing.
Here are 3 very powerful plyometric training that can help improve your vertical leap.
1) Depth Jump – One of the most effective vertical training that utilised the full potential of the principles of plyometric is the depth jump. You need a platform or step board in order to perform this advance training.
What you want to do is to go on top of the platform and just let your body fall. The moment the balls of your feet touches the ground, you will then spring back up as hard and as fast as you can. This will train your fast twitch muscles to react and insert explosiveness power into them. In other words, if you want to jump higher in basketball fast without any weights, this is one of the best and most effective training you can adopt.
2) Side Step Jump – Another very effective plyometric training to increase vertical leap for basketball players is the side step jump. This training workout focuses on stimulating the jump motion and strengthening the thigh and gluteus muscles that is used during a jump.
This work out is especially useful for training one leg take offs like slam dunking off a fast break or chasing down your opponent for a block shot attempt. Like all other plyometric exercises, if you want to receive maximum gain from this vertical jump workout, you need to do it with speed and quickness… so that your fast twitch muscles gets fully exposed to react during a one leg take off when called upon.
What you want to do here is to stand beside a platform with one of your leg raised. Do a push off the platform using the raised leg. Similar to the depth jump, the moment you land on the ground with both feet, explode straight up again. This will help increase your hops for basketball in 2 folds – One by strengthening the take off leg and the other, stressing the fast twitch muscles to react during impact, thus, gaining and achieving maximum benefit for your verticals from this workout alone.
3) Tuck Jump – Another form of plyometric training you can adopt and use is the tuck jump. This training, unlike the 2 above, requires you to repeat with continuous movement. So, make sure you have a proper warm up and stretch your muscles before attempting this workout.
What you want to do here is to stand at shoulder width apart. Jump as high up as you can and while you are in the air, tuck your legs in so that your knees are almost touching your shoulder. As the balls of your feet touch the ground, spring back up as fast as you can again. Remember… focus on the speed to receive maximum gain from this drill.
