|
|
| Rise Up! Rise Up!
|
|
|
| The size of your vertical jump does more than enhance your level of athletic performance—it also provides a reliable way to assess your overall fitness level.
|
Want to take quick easy and accurate measure of your level of strength and conditioning?
Jump.
Lifting yourself from a standing position requires rapid exertion of force, most of which is derived from the posterior chain, the muscles comprising the lower back, hamstrings and calves. A simple demonstration of jumping ability can reveal inadequacies there, and in the quadriceps, another vital source of strength.
“The athlete’s vertical jump performance not only provides information with respect to power, force, and velocity abilities, but also is relevant to direct competition
|
|
|
performance in such sports as soccer,” reports Dr. Ulrik Wisloff, a researcher at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, in Trondheim, Norway.
“Indeed, soccer players jump 10 times per game for headings and this action can be of major importance with respect to the game outcome. Studies indicate the mean jumping height of adult soccer teams can range from low values, 38-39 cm, to values as high as 61-64 cm. It has also been shown in 306 male soccer players from 17 teams belonging to the two highest divisions in Iceland that there was a significant correlation between the team average jump height and team success.”
Together with his colleague, Dr. Karim Chamari of the National Centre of Medicine and Science in Sports, in Tunis, Tunisia, Dr. Wisloff has established the relationship between vertical jumps and a number of important variables, among them maximal force and sprinting performance: “Results showed that the vertical jump power and jumping take-off speed measured on a force plate were significantly correlated to 30 meter sprint performance in elite soccer players.”
Considering its reliability as a tell-all test, the vertical jump is remarkably simple to execute.
First perform a standing reach, the act of raising your hand as high as possible and marking the point at which it’s fully extended. This is done standing flat-footed, as is the vertical jump. Leap upward without taking a step, and mark your maximum reach. Subtract the difference between the two marks and you’ll have your score.
NBA players typically jump between 28 and 34 inches. Twelve to 20 inches is all that can be expected of a recreational athlete, sobering figures that underscore the demands of this time-honored maneuver.
“Vertical jump is an explosive action,” notes Dr. Wisloff, “relying upon the ability of the player to produce a great amount of force in a very brief duration of time. Its duration is around 0.6 seconds, and is mainly performed with participation of the lactic oxygen-independent ‘anaerobic’ metabolism with a significant contribution (13 per cent) of the lactacid metabolism.”
Resistance training is the recommended course of action for those wishing to improve their vertical jump. Weight lifting and plyometrics build strength, but do not address the issue of technique. Learning to properly execute a jump takes practice, which is best undertaken on a trampoline.
Repeated landings on a hard surface pose risk of injury. A study conducted by California State University seems to verify the advantages of utilizing a trampoline for vertical jumps.
Researchers Andrea Ross and Jackie Hudson drew the following conclusions after compiling data on a group of intercollegiate basketball players:
“The mini-trampoline appears to be an effective apparatus for increasing the height of the vertical jump. Also, the mini-trampoline seems to elicit better technique from many individuals: In terms of balance, there was significantly less forward translation in the jump. Range of motion, as indicated by knee flexion in the crouch, decreased for most subjects. And the coordination of the thigh and shank was relatively simultaneous after the training program.”
Up, Up and Away!
Power and speed are both acquired the same way regardless of what sport or movement it’s for. These exercises are essential for both, making them ideal for enhancing your vertical jump:
- Squat
- Calf raise
- Leg press
- Lunge
- Power clean
- Dead lift
- Plyometric exercises
The marketplace is saturated with products guaranteeing increased jumping power with minimal effort. Nothing is to be gained from these gimmicks, which are far more likely to cause injury than improve performance.
Adding inches to your vertical jump usually takes months of concentrated effort, a fact neither contraptions nor wishful thinking can alter.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
