If one common goal exists among basket ball players, it’s the desire to increase the height of their vertical jump. Many erroneously assume that this skill is a result of genetics, and that only the exceptionally tall can ‘catch air’. Using plyometric exercises, even athletes who are short in stature can see marked improvement in their vertical jump.
What is plyometrics? Plyometrics is a category of exercises that an athlete can use to increase the power and height of his or her vertical jump. These are high impact exercises meant for individuals who are already in very good shape.
Before describing a few beginner plyometrics training exercises, it is important to note that the athlete should start slowly, and rest at least two minutes between sets. Any sign of injury should be taken seriously, especially among those who are not experienced with high impact exercise.
It is best to begin with some beginning jumping exercises. Starting with a warm up of two legged up and down jumps for several reps is a good place to begin. At the start, these do not need to be particularly high, and they do not need to start from a low crouch. However, as strength an exercise increases, it will be beneficial to start the jumps from a lower crouching position, and to set goals of increasing the height of the jump. The jumper can benefit from jumping next to a wall and attempting to slap a goal line marked on the wall. This also provides a concrete way to measure the increase in the athlete’s vertical jump.
Jumping Exercise
Even better results can be attained by using a simple step aerobics ‘stair’. Here, the athlete starts standing on the stair, and then crouches and leaps off the stair. Upon landing, he or she immediately jumps up again. As an alternative, the jumper starts on the stair and very quickly jumps sideways to his or her left, then leaps back onto the stair, then jumps sideways to the right. These exercises should be performed rapidly in order to best increase the height and power of the vertical jump.
Tags: Plyometric Training, vertical jump
