Comments on: How can I jump higher for basketball?

By: avedesco

avedesco — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 10:13:57 +0000

Hey,
I’m only 5′10, so I feel you’re situation. Like you, I’ve always had good ups, I’m currently a collegite high jumper, and I might be jumping for The University Of Michigan next year. But there is a difference between leaping and jumping, usually when you have a leaper, they take off with both feet. Go to youtube and check out Brent petway, he’s a leaper. Then there’s a jumper, which I am, we take off of one foot. If you look at a video of Michael Jordan dunking from the free throw line, he takes off of one foot, and that gives you the ability to soar in the air for a longer time, and if dunking is what you’re looking for, that’s the opportunity you need.
alright, improving… There is alot of emphasis on calves for jumping, and although they can help, that’s not where you get your power (they’re also one of the hardest muscles to get to grow, so get them tone, but don’t spend all your time on them). Try this, stand on the ground and jump using only your calves, you might get an inch or two, so the remaining 30+ inches of jump have to come from your thighs and butt, that’s what you need to work on. Since you’re young, I would talk to a trainer about lifting while you’re still doing the majority of you’re growing, you don’t want to hurt anything.
The exercises I do in college to help build muscle and explosiveness are some of the ones I’ll tell you.
A safe one is the leg press machine, figure out what eighty percent of your max is, and half that. You want to use only one leg at a time for this, which concentrates even growth on both legs, which is good for leaping. Also, do them with an explosive motion, like jumping it has to be quick.
Second is squats, I do these, but I only go down about 1/3 depth, you dont squat all the way down to the floor when you jump, so don’t do it when you lift. again, do them quickly, and using light weights (only) rock up onto your toes.
Finally are cleans, a type of olympic lift, get a trainer to show you how to do these because you can hurt yourself if you do them wrong. Again, do them as fast as possible, and start with light weight.
when you’re done with legs, you can also juice another few inches off of your arms. Find someone who can show you how to do upright rows, which will build lats and back muscles, these give you drive in your arms and help get your momentium going up.
Any other questions, let me know.
Good luck jumping.

By: Matt W

Matt W — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 10:13:57 +0000

Do lots of squat and lunges. When your lifting focus on being explosive. You’ll need to create plenty of upwards force very quickly to jump higher.

By: pvaidya18

pvaidya18 — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 10:13:57 +0000

To jump you need to work on your muscles in your leg. Working on your calves would help but the more leg muscle the higher you will be able to jump.

By: athleticsfan12

athleticsfan12 — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 10:13:57 +0000

I’m the same as you. Same height, age, can really play basketball. But I can’t dunk. You’ll need to grow a lot taller to dunk. To jump higher, you need to grow taller. If you want to be an awesome rebounder on your team, 5′8" isn’t going to do it. Sleep more. That’s when you grow, you know. Get your rest. Also, when you jump, in case you don’t already know, you don’t run and jump. To jump higher, you stop, take one firm step forward, then bring your other foot forward while crouching, then leap high into the air for the rebound.

By: SuperBear

SuperBear — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 10:13:57 +0000

I can dunk but it takes alot and EVERYDAY WORK not every other day EVERYDAY!! Make sure you strech your legs real good calf streches back steaches. Get some weights and carry them up some stairs or hills it (that will make your rebounding jumping ability better) next some calf raises just grab a medicane ball lift it above your head and up and down till you can’t anymore, and then just lift weights for your legs and calfs it will make you grab the rim E-Z you don’t even have to run and touch the rim you just jump