How to improve my jumping ability

Question

I am a basketball player. I can dunk but not as good as i would like to. I am looking for any techniques exercises, or training regiments that would improve not only my vertical but my entire dunking ability. As a basketball player i know how important experience is, so if you have personal experience with maximizing jumping ability, let me know. TY

Answer 1

Do Calf raises everywhere and anytime. And walk on your toes and run on them. Also do calf jumps and explosive squat jumps. Lunges too. For more power and explosiveness, work on your core, (abs and lower back), it will help alot.

Answer 2

They say "Practice makes perfect".

Answer 3

I hear that doing squats increases jumping ability.That and drinking ROCKSTARS.

Answer 4

The best training for improving leg strength and your vertical jump is called "explosive" training. Many NBA players use it and other Athletes who require leg strength. As the name suggests its a very fast paced movement.

Squat Jumps: Set yourself up for the basic squat position, lower yourself parallel to the floor, hold and then explode straight up leaving the floor and thrusting your arms upwards. As you land bend your knees back into the squat position and explode again. Continue for 3 sets of 8 repititions. (or what you are comfortable with)

Russian Lunge: (Essentially lunge jumps, similar to squat jumps but in the lunge position.) Place one foot 3 feet in front of the other and lower your body until your foward thigh is parallel to the floor. Quickly push yourself backup and spring off the floor, landing with the opposite leg foward. As soon as you land, lower yourself back into the lunge position. That's one rep. Then repeat. (This exercise is in fact used by Dwight Freeny of the Colts)

Once you find the exercises easy hold dumbells or wear a weight vest to increase the resistance.

Anything fast paced and explosive that causes stress in your leg muscles will aid in improving your leap. Other basic exercises like calf raises are also good.

Also, simple jumping exercises to improve futher is by doing a consecutive jumping drill. Begin by jumping as high as you can off both feet. Your hands should be above your head and rotating to help you jump high. As soon as you land, go right back up. Repeat this twenty-five times. Next, jump twenty-five times off your right foot, then twenty-five times off your left. Keep your hands up and go up as quickly as you can after landing. Next, jump twenty-five times bringing your knees to your chest. You can now bring your arms down in order to maintain balance, but continue jumping as quickly as possible. Then jump twenty-five times trying to kick your heals into your rear end. Finally, perform twenty-five Jerry Wests. A Jerry West is a jump in which you bend forward at the waist extending your arms at forty-five degree angles. Try to touch your fingertips to your toes.

Personally i don't like things like the leg press and other machines. though everything i just metioned and free weight exercises i find work the best but you won't really need weights for the exercises I mentioned until you really start to get stronger.

For further exercises for improving your jumping abilities I would advise you go to nike.com and follow the links for Nike SPARQ Training. It's in both the Basketball and Football sections. The training program is great, and the videos explain everything. This will give you exercises that will aid more in the overal jumping ability, compared to vertical jump.

Hope Iv'e helped

Answer 5

Drink alot of water

Answer 6

You need to evaluate what your strengths and weaknesses are. Some people have a lot of strength but maybe can't utilize very much of it because of a lack of explosiveness. Others may utilize most of their strength for explosive movement but don't have much strength to work with. There's a good explanation here http://offto.net/jumpjump/

If you can't squat well, work on that first for sure. Since you can already dunk, I'm guessing you have pretty good all around ability and could use a  balanced training program with weight room work, including power lifts, and plyometric drills.

As far as "dunking ability" you gotta practice. I used to miss every time I tried a windmill dunk, but now I can put them down even when my legs feel crappy. Good luck

Answer 7

If you are fat, lose weight.

If you are skinny, get stronger. Get stronger legs and upper body strength.

Answer 8

Plyometrics + Weights is the best way to improve your jumping ability.

Explosiveness is what matters in basketball (plyometrics will help), strength will be obtained by lifting weights. simple as it.