Vertical Leap Exercises

To jump higher you will need to follow a smart workout plan. You will need to balance strengthening and stretching exercises, and especially need to focus on the body areas which are used to leap higher. The best exercises are the one which focus on leg muscles.

Other body areas which also need to be paid attention to are the hips and abs. So, remember three important things when working out to jump higher; first warm up exercises which help to jump higher, second strengthening exercises and lastly, stretching exercises.

Warm-up is necessary, before starting any workout. It will raise your body temperature, help to circulate the blood throughout the body, and prevent any muscle soreness or injuries during the workout. To start your warm-up session, start jogging mildly for a few minutes in the same spot.

Then use a jump rope and skip for 2 - 3 minutes. You can also run up and down the stairs for warm-up. But, remember not to overdo the warm-up and exhaust yourself; a warm-up should not last for more than 10 minutes.

Here are 5 strengthening exercises which you should include in your workout routine.

Jumping Rope: Most fitness instructors advise that one should first perform the cardiovascular exercises, and then the weightlifting exercises. Perform skipping with a jump rope first, and then go for the 4 exercises given below. You can play some music to avoid boredom.

Knee Bends: To perform the knee bends, stand straight and then slowly but steadily bend at the knees, maintaining a straight back. Slowly crouch down as low as possible, make sure it doesn't hurt; if it hurts then crouch till the height you are comfortable and don't feel any pain. Then slowly rise again, and repeat this exercise 15 times.

Knee Bend Jumping Exercise: For performing this workout, just crouch down with a faster tempo, and jump quickly upwards as high as you can, after you reach the bottom of the ground. Perform 15 - 20 reps.

Toe Raises: This simple exercise also greatly helps in increasing the height of your leap, but at the same time make sure that you maintain a right tempo. Stand straight, and slowly rise on your tiptoes, maintaining a straight back. Hold the posture for 2 seconds steadily and then come back to your normal position. Repeat 30 times, and add weights to this exercise as you develop more stamina.

Abdominal Crunches: To perform these abdominal exercises, lie down on the floor on your back, maintain a straight back, and lift your shoulders off the ground without straining the neck and crunch. Repeat 10 times. Other exercise which works well on the obliques and abs is the bicycle crunch.

The above strengthening exercises will help to make your muscles stronger, and while performing them, the muscles will contract. To relax the muscles and establish a full range-of-motion for your joints, stretching exercises are a must, also they help to leap higher.

Make sure you perform the stretching exercises with a slow reverse count of 10 for each muscle group you work on, and especially focus on doing the hamstring and the quadriceps calf exercises for stretching.

Do not follow the above workout plan everyday. 3 - 4 days in a week is enough but make sure you maintain a right posture and good tempo while performing these exercises.