Vertical Jump Workout: Can You Increase Your Vertical Jump Without Using Weights?

Can I improve my vertical jump without lifting weights? This is a common question that I get all the time. I realize that there are many people out there that do not enjoy lifting weights and they want to know if it is possible to increase your vertical jump without them. My answer to them is......YES it is definitely possible to improve your vertical without lifting heavy weights.

I love vertical jump training and I want everyone to be able to benefit from it. There are many of us out there that cannot afford the dues or do not have access to a gym. Don't let that stop you from training. Below I have included a vertical jump workout that will increase your strength using a variety of body weight exercises that are very challenging.

A Vertical Jump Strength Workout - (Without Weights)

Sprints - Running 50 or 100 yard sprints are very effective at increasing your vertical leap. Sprinting increases not only your speed but your EXPLOSION which is exactly what we want. Perform 5 sets of sprints twice a week.

Low Peterson Step-Up - The Peterson Step-up begins with one foot on a low platform. Lift the heel of the foot on top of the platform and position the toes so they are just behind the heel of the opposite leg that is on the ground. Now lift the toes of the foot you're standing on, as this will increase the emphasis on the working leg. From this start position straighten the leg on top of the platform while lowering the heel. Use a slow 3 second lift phase and 2 second lowering. Increase the height of the step for more difficulty. Do 2 sets of 25 with each leg.

Squats - The squat movement is without a doubt the best overall exercise you can do to increase your vertical jump. Bodyweight squats can be challenging if done correctly. When performing squats stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and lower down until your thighs are parallel with the ground. Do 3 sets of 20.


Lunges - The lunge is a very effective exercise for the legs it will improve strength, balance and coordination. Step forward with one leg and lower your upper body down, bending your leg (don't step out too far). You should have about two to two and a half feet between your feet. Do not allow your knee to go forward beyond your toes as you come down, keeping your front shin perpendicular to the ground. Push up and back and repeat with the other leg or do all the reps with one leg then switch. Do 3 sets of 20.


Rim Touches - This one is very easy. Find a basketball rim and jump as high as you can taking no more than a one step jump. EXPLODE up as hard as you can. Do this 5 times. Then rest for a minute or so. Repeat this exercise 3 times. DO NOT perform more reps or a bunch of sets. This will defeat our purpose. We want to train our VERTICAL JUMP EXPLOSION. Doing a bunch of reps and sets will train our stamina and not our ultimate height.



It is possible to get significant gains in your vertical jump without weights. BUT.....yes there is a but, most people are not going to even come close to their true vertical jump potential without using a proper weight training program. If you only train using body weight exercises there will come a time when your vertical leap gains stop and the only way to further your progress is to improve your base strength.



I recommend using a strength training program that uses a combination of weight training and plyometric exercises to get the best results. I was able to increase my vertical jump by 12 inches over 7 months using this type of program. For more information on this check out the links I have below:


http://www.40inchvertical.net/

Increase Your Vertical Jump

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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Do Jump Strength Shoes Really Work? Let's Find Out...

Jump strength training shoes can be expensive. They range in price from $89 - $149 depending on the manufacturer. So, are they really worth the money? Let's take a look.

Strength shoes are designed with a 1.5" hard rubber platform attached under the balls of your feet which prevent your heels from directly hitting the ground. This will make your calf muscles have to work harder in any exercise that you perform in them. In reality, I'll admit that many people DO increase their vertical jump using platform shoes. However, the improvement is because of the drills and exercises they do not by the magic of the shoes.

A Scientific Study on Strength Shoes

There have been several scientific studies that have compared two focus groups. One group of people using jump strength training shoes and one group without them. Both groups used the exact same training program, and the group without the shoes increased their vertical just as well, if not better than the other group.

The workout was provided by the manufacturer. It randomized 12 intercollegiate track and field participants to a Strength-Shoe group and a normal-shoe group. After 8 weeks of a training program supplied by the manufacturer, the normal-shoe group showed a tendency to improve more than the Strength-Shoe group on all performance measures!

The individuals training in regular shoes improved more in the 40-yard dash, vertical jump, strength at slow speed, and strength at fast speed. Only calf circumference tended to improve slightly more in the Strength-Shoe group. Two of the six athletes in the strength shoe group complained of shin splints, and one of them had to drop out of the study because of the pain.
Don't get me wrong, I don't have anything against jump strength shoes. If you want to use them that is great. I'm just trying to give you some solid information. I have never used strength shoes in my vertical jump workouts and I was able to increase my vertical by 12 inches over a 7 month period of time.

However, just using strength shoes alone probably won't bring you the type of gains that you are looking for. A step-by-step program will enable you to reach your goals faster. An extensive customizable vertical leap program that covers all aspects of training is needed to see REAL gains (like the 12" gain that I got).

Simply, targeting improvements on your form alone and mastering the proper techniques can increase your vertical by 2 - 4 inches! You can find out more information about increasing your vertical leap and the program I used at the links I have below:

http://www.40inchvertical.net/

How To Train for a 40 Inch Vertical

Increase YOUR Vertical Jump