How To Train For a 40 Inch Vertical Leap

So you want a 40 inch vertical leap? I'm not going to lie to you, it doesn't come easy. If it did everyone would be jumping high and dunking the basketball. The good news is that YOU CAN increase your vertical leap if you are willing to put in some hard work and implement the right training routine.

I can say this from experience because I personally increased my vertical jump from 31 to 43 inches! Now this didn't happen overnight, in fact it took me 7 months to hit that mark. Unfortunately there is not a magic pill that you can take to help you increase your vertical. (At least that I know of, if you find one please let me know :)

The better you understand your body and WHY you are performing certain exercises, the faster your training will yield results. So, before we begin your 40 inch vertical training we need to understand some basic principles:

Principle #1 - Focus on Quality instead of Quantity

One of the biggest mistakes people make is performing a bunch of sets and reps. They spend hours each day doing drills and are dedicated to them. They feel the burning in their legs and calves but get no results. So why is this?

Well, this type of training focuses on your muscle endurance rather than your jumping strength. This individual may be training very hard but he is training the wrong way. QUALITY not quantity and INTENSITY not repetition are the proper characteristics of effective explosion training.

INTENSITY must be the focal point of your workouts. If you are pacing yourself during your workouts you will not see the results in your vertical jump that you are looking for. Instead you need to do fewer reps.

Principle # 2 - Overload Your Muscles

The main muscles involved when a person jumps are the quads, hamstrings, and calves. In order to increase your vertical jump we need to improve our EXPLOSION and POWER with these muscles. If we want to increase our power they have to become stronger. To gain muscle strength we have to workout with VERY HEAVY weights with low reps. Overloading the muscles in this way makes muscle fibers stronger and capable of contracting with greater force, which results in more EXPLOSION. Which is exactly what we are looking for. This is an important step in training for a 40 inch vertical.

Principle #3 - Complex Explosion Training

Complex training is the combination of plyometrics and weight training. There is ABSOLUTELY no other training method that will increase your vertical jump better than the correct implementation of these two techniques. Stop looking for the perfect gadget or gizmo to help you achieve that 40 inch vertical jump that you are looking for they don't exist. Nothing beats hard work.

For suggestions and examples of some of my favorite exercises to help increase your vertical jump check out the links I have below. You can find several exercises that I recommend that are VERY effective at helping you increase your vertical.

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A little about me....

Brayden Fisher is a basketball player, athlete, and just a regular guy who has increased his vertical jump from 31" to 43". He has several articles and websites dedicated to teaching others how to increase their vertical jump. If you would like more information on the subject visit his other sites at:

http://www.40inchvertical.net/ - This is the program that I used to gain 12" on my vertical in 7 months!

Increase YOUR Vertical Leap - This site includes several exercises that are VERY effective at increasing your vertical leap.

Comparing Vertical Leap Programs: Which is the Best? - Compares the top vertical jump programs.

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