Physical Activity/Improving Your Vertical Jump

Whatever your game or sport, there's a good chance that increasing your vertical jump will improve your game. Having a good vertical jump is very useful in almost every sport today because more and more athletes are spending more time in the air. Here are a few exercises that helped me increase my vertical by six inches. I went from barely grabbing the rim, to being able to dunk with one hand off of the dribble and catching alley hoops with two hands.

Exercises

 * 1) Find a place where there are a lot of stairs and run them until your legs burn. Find a certain number of repetitions that are challenging and gradually increase them over time. This will also help with your conditioning.
 * 2) Stack those aerobics boxes and platform things against a wall for support. Start with light weights (5 lb.) and then jump with your right foot facing the box and then jump off. Then alternate with your left foot, then two feet. Repeat for another repetition starting with your right foot again. Then start the entire process over only this time you jump sideways onto the box. This will help your vertical jump even more because it hits your muscles from a different angle.
 * 3) Jump rope for quickness and explosion

Tips
You do not have to use heavy weights. In fact, they will increase your risk of getting injured.(do not exceed 10 lb.) When you land, make sure you are balanced and there is a slight bend at your knee.