Wanna dunk like Jordan?
2 pros spill the beans on how they can add 15 inches to anyone’s jump
I don’t know about you but ever since I was a little kid and first saw Michael Jordan fly from the free throw line, hang in the air for what seemed like an hour and dunk the ball one-handed like a BOSS, I was never the same.
From that moment I’ve always wanted to dunk – call it a childhood dream I guess.
Only problem is I’ve never been the tallest or most athletic player around. Sure, I’m good on the court and my ball skills are tight, but I’ve never been that player.
You know, the guy that everyone watches. That explosive freak of nature that will block a shot, steal the ball, sprint down court and then reverse dunk making the other team look like sad amateurs.
That was never me.
However, I’ve just been told that Justin ‘Jus Fly’ Darlington (world’s highest dunker) and Adam Folker (pro baller) have decided to release every single one of their secrets in a program they’ve used to add 32 inches in total to their vertical jumps.
So maybe this is my chance to finally dunk…and yours too.
It’s hard to believe they would even release something like this, but here it is….
VertShock Official Video
Remember : Watch the entire video as the end will surprise you!
From that moment I’ve always wanted to dunk – call it a childhood dream I guess.
Only problem is I’ve never been the tallest or most athletic player around. Sure, I’m good on the court and my ball skills are tight, but I’ve never been that player.
You know, the guy that everyone watches. That explosive freak of nature that will block a shot, steal the ball, sprint down court and then reverse dunk making the other team look like sad amateurs.
That was never me.
However, I’ve just been told that Justin ‘Jus Fly’ Darlington (world’s highest dunker) and Adam Folker (pro baller) have decided to release every single one of their secrets in a program they’ve used to add 32 inches in total to their vertical jumps.
So maybe this is my chance to finally dunk…and yours too.
It’s hard to believe they would even release something like this, but here it is….
VertShock Official Video
Remember : Watch the entire video as the end will surprise you!
Vertical Jump – A Brief Overview
Vertical jump is simply how high you can jump off both legs. It’s not to be mistaken for a one-legged running leap which is a skill used by long jumpers and requires transitioning from a full sprint into a leap executed off one leg. The distance between your feet at your maximum height and the floor is what is referred to as your vertical jump and it is usually measured in inches.
How Important Is It?
The importance of a good vertical jump is dependent upon your type of athletic endeavour. Obviously if you are a high jumper or long jumper it is totally useless; however if you play basketball, volleyball or even football, an explosive vertical jump could give you great advantages.
It is especially important to basketball and volleyball players. A lot of College basketball recruiters look at the athlete’s vertical as a key measure of his athletic potential when deciding whether to recruit a young athlete.
College Basketball, NBA and even NFL teams will always measure an athletes vertical during try-outs and while there are much more important indices that will be evaluated, a good vertical jump is always desirable in the final analysis.
How Important Is It?
The importance of a good vertical jump is dependent upon your type of athletic endeavour. Obviously if you are a high jumper or long jumper it is totally useless; however if you play basketball, volleyball or even football, an explosive vertical jump could give you great advantages.
It is especially important to basketball and volleyball players. A lot of College basketball recruiters look at the athlete’s vertical as a key measure of his athletic potential when deciding whether to recruit a young athlete.
College Basketball, NBA and even NFL teams will always measure an athletes vertical during try-outs and while there are much more important indices that will be evaluated, a good vertical jump is always desirable in the final analysis.
How To Measure Vertical Jump?
A Jump test can be conducted to measure your jumping ability. To do this you require a wall (marked would be preferable) a tape rule and powdered chalk.To get an accurate measure; do the following:
- Warm up. A light jog or skipping should be sufficient
- Dip your hand in the chalk
- Face the wall and raise your hand (the one marked in chalk) till it reaches its highest point and touch the wall. Make sure you mark this point so it is visible.
- Now jump as high as you can (remember off both legs) and make a mark on the wall
- Repeat the jump multiple times (between 3-5 is sufficient) making sure you jump as high as you can and touch the highest point physically possible for you
- Measure the distance between your standing reach and the highest point you touched (your best jump)
- Congratulations! You’ve got a reasonably accurate measure of your vertical
How Can You Improve Your Vertical Jump?
It can be improved with training. Your ability to jump is dependent on strength and power. Both can be improved greatly through the right kind of exercise.Lower body strength is extremely important for jumping. You require strong legs as a base for jumping and this can easily be improved by spending some time in the gym. The best exercises for developing strength that’s key for jumping are squats and dead lifts. This is because both two exercises are compound exercises. Compound exercises are those workouts that work the whole body.
Strength alone is not enough to get you jumping high. In fact some of the athletes with the most leg strength are poor jumpers. This is because jumping – especially explosive leaping – requires you to be able to call upon this strength quickly.
To do this you need quickness—- lots of it and this is where good old plyometrics come in. Plyometric exercises are usually jumping and bounding exercises that are performed with great intensity in order to improver power and quickness.
There are many kinds of plyometric exercises. These include: tuck jumps, obstacle jumps, zig zag hops, burpees, skipping and even jumping jacks.
They can all be useful but perhaps the most important thing one should keep in mind is that all these exercises would be inefficient if not performed with maximum intensity.
Strength alone is not enough to get you jumping high. In fact some of the athletes with the most leg strength are poor jumpers. This is because jumping – especially explosive leaping – requires you to be able to call upon this strength quickly.
To do this you need quickness—- lots of it and this is where good old plyometrics come in. Plyometric exercises are usually jumping and bounding exercises that are performed with great intensity in order to improver power and quickness.
There are many kinds of plyometric exercises. These include: tuck jumps, obstacle jumps, zig zag hops, burpees, skipping and even jumping jacks.
They can all be useful but perhaps the most important thing one should keep in mind is that all these exercises would be inefficient if not performed with maximum intensity.
5 Exercises Which Will Skyrocket Your Vertical
To increase your vertical jump, you need to include certain exercises in your workout that concentrate on making your muscles stronger and quicker. Strength plus quickness is equal to vertical explosion. In this article I am going to list out some basic exercises that you can start including in your vertical right away and you will see noticeable increase in your vertical jump.
Here are 5 vertical jump exercises that are the basics of every vertical training program.
Vertical Jump exercises need to be planned and performed strategically for maximum gain. It is also very important that you take enough rest between each training day for your muscles to fully recover from the damage. It is this rest which is actually responsible for your muscle development which in turn leads to higher vertical. So make sure you take enough rest, follow the above exercises and see your vertical skyrocket.
Here are 5 vertical jump exercises that are the basics of every vertical training program.
- Squats: The best exercise for your legs. Squats affect your quadriceps, hams, core muscles and calves. Make sure you keep your back straight while performing them and you go down till your thighs are at 90 degrees to your calves. Don’t go down any further. Since you are training for vertical jump, you need to be quick when you are going up. This trains your Central nervous system for explosiveness and quickness which is essential in increasing vertical jump.
- Deadlift: This concentrates mainly on your hams and lower back. It is equally as important as squats. Make sure you keep you back arched while performing this and you don’t bend your knees too much. Only bend your knees slightly and while going down push your hip backwards. Again, since we are training for explosiveness make sure that when you are coming back up, you do it faster than when you went down. While doing so make sure you are in full control of the movement, or you may risk injury.
- Depth Jumps: Strength is only a part of you vertical jump exercises. You need to also concentrate on quickness and form. Depth jump is a great exercise to increase your explosiveness and quickness. This will train your CNS to explode within seconds after your feet touches the ground which is the way that many athletes have to jump in their sport. Use this exercise with other plyometric exercises to see your results skyrocket.
- Abs exercises: You need strong core to be able to jump high. This is the reason why you should include abs exercises in your vertical jump exercises. Train them like you will train any other muscle and include weights in your abs training. Do them only 3 times a week and give them time to recover from previous training before you do them again.
- Jumping Practice: No matter what sport you are playing you can increase your vertical by simply practicing jumping. This doesn’t mean that you just stand and start jumping. Practice jumping for your sport. If you play basketball, then try jumping for dunks. If you play volleyball then practice your vertical jump and smashing the ball. The jumping techniques need to be different for different sports and you want to train for exactly the sport that you want to play. But you don’t want to over train your muscles. Make sure that each set of jumping exercise contains only the no. of repetitions till you are able to reach your maximum height. If you see the height of your jump decreasing stop instantly and give your muscles some rest before starting another set.
Vertical Jump exercises need to be planned and performed strategically for maximum gain. It is also very important that you take enough rest between each training day for your muscles to fully recover from the damage. It is this rest which is actually responsible for your muscle development which in turn leads to higher vertical. So make sure you take enough rest, follow the above exercises and see your vertical skyrocket.
Benefits of Vertical Jump Training
Let’s face it, every athlete – professional or recreational – has a desire to jump higher, to dunk the basketball, to dominate in volleyball. We all harness this ultimate dream of flying “like Mike” or dunking “like Kobe.” Heck, some of us are willing to go beyond the dream phase and actually train to increase our vertical jump. If you’re reading this, chances are you have already made that decision.
But why should you even bother? What are the benefits of vertical jump training? Why step out of the comfort zone and do something uncomfortable just to increase your “vert”?
Because vertical jump training has HUGE benefits that go beyond a childhood dream of being a slam-dunk champion.
Here are some of the benefits of vertical jump training and why you should train for it:
1 – A measuring tool for overall athleticism in ALL sports. A strong vertical jump is not just about jumping higher. It also translates to overall athleticism in sports that require strength, speed, and power: basketball, volleyball, soccer, hockey, football, etc. So what exactly does that mean? It means that you have the ability to take your strength and use it efficiently. This is important for ALL sports. This is why bodybuilders and powerlifters are not necessarily “athletic.” They may possess great strength, but can they use it efficiently?
Did you know? The vertical jump test is one of several tests used by the NFL on athletes in the NFL combines. While it might not be totally obvious that jumping is important in the game of football, still the vertical jump of all athletes is tested to determine their athletic ability because it translates to better performance on the field. Scouts can use the vertical jump as a measurement of the players’ explosiveness.
2 – Gain a significant edge over the competition and dominate. Next time you’re playing your sport, take a good look at the players you play with (or against). How many of them actually dedicate special training towards increasing vertical jump? How many are willing to make the time and extra effort to gain more inches in their vertical? Chances are pretty good that it’s not many. Use that as a separating factor. This is your secret weapon. This is what differentiates a good player from a great one.
3 – Creates mental toughness; something needed by any successful athlete. Training to improve your vertical requires great willpower. Nobody told you to do this. You decided for yourself. YOU decide to train. YOU decide when to train. YOU decide how hard to train. YOU decide to succeed (or fail). When you step out on the court, or on the pitch, no one knows about your vertical jump training. Only you (and your coach) do. This is mental toughness.
4 – Test yourself physically and mentally. If you’re ultra-competitive like I am, you don’t wait for challenges to come to you. Instead, you tackle them head-on just to be able to “test yourself.” What does this mean? It means to test your boundaries and determine exactly what you’re capable of achieving. VJ training is physically and mentally demanding work, so if you’re able to stick with it, you’ll be genuinely surprised at what you can do.
So as you can see, vertical jump training has many beneficial “byproducts” that will go a long way in helping you perform better in your sport. Don’t be surprised to discover new athletic capabilities that you didn’t plan for!
But why should you even bother? What are the benefits of vertical jump training? Why step out of the comfort zone and do something uncomfortable just to increase your “vert”?
Because vertical jump training has HUGE benefits that go beyond a childhood dream of being a slam-dunk champion.
Here are some of the benefits of vertical jump training and why you should train for it:
1 – A measuring tool for overall athleticism in ALL sports. A strong vertical jump is not just about jumping higher. It also translates to overall athleticism in sports that require strength, speed, and power: basketball, volleyball, soccer, hockey, football, etc. So what exactly does that mean? It means that you have the ability to take your strength and use it efficiently. This is important for ALL sports. This is why bodybuilders and powerlifters are not necessarily “athletic.” They may possess great strength, but can they use it efficiently?
Did you know? The vertical jump test is one of several tests used by the NFL on athletes in the NFL combines. While it might not be totally obvious that jumping is important in the game of football, still the vertical jump of all athletes is tested to determine their athletic ability because it translates to better performance on the field. Scouts can use the vertical jump as a measurement of the players’ explosiveness.
2 – Gain a significant edge over the competition and dominate. Next time you’re playing your sport, take a good look at the players you play with (or against). How many of them actually dedicate special training towards increasing vertical jump? How many are willing to make the time and extra effort to gain more inches in their vertical? Chances are pretty good that it’s not many. Use that as a separating factor. This is your secret weapon. This is what differentiates a good player from a great one.
3 – Creates mental toughness; something needed by any successful athlete. Training to improve your vertical requires great willpower. Nobody told you to do this. You decided for yourself. YOU decide to train. YOU decide when to train. YOU decide how hard to train. YOU decide to succeed (or fail). When you step out on the court, or on the pitch, no one knows about your vertical jump training. Only you (and your coach) do. This is mental toughness.
4 – Test yourself physically and mentally. If you’re ultra-competitive like I am, you don’t wait for challenges to come to you. Instead, you tackle them head-on just to be able to “test yourself.” What does this mean? It means to test your boundaries and determine exactly what you’re capable of achieving. VJ training is physically and mentally demanding work, so if you’re able to stick with it, you’ll be genuinely surprised at what you can do.
So as you can see, vertical jump training has many beneficial “byproducts” that will go a long way in helping you perform better in your sport. Don’t be surprised to discover new athletic capabilities that you didn’t plan for!