4 Powerful Exercises to Dramatically Improve Your Vertical Jump

Are you looking to add serious inches to your vertical jump? Whether you’re a basketball player trying to throw down your first dunk, a volleyball player wanting to spike with more authority, or any athlete seeking to enhance your explosive power, improving your vertical jump is a game-changer.

In this comprehensive guide, I’ll share my top four exercises that have been proven to increase vertical jump height. These ballistic-based movements will not only improve your jumping mechanics but also enhance your rate of force development and overall power output.

Feel free to watch the video below as well that goes along with this article.

Why Your Vertical Jump Matters

Your vertical jump is more than just a measurement—it’s a direct indicator of your lower body explosive power. A higher vertical jump translates to:

• Greater athletic performance across multiple sports
• Improved acceleration and first-step quickness
• Enhanced ability to change direction rapidly
• Better overall lower body power and coordination

Before diving into these specialized exercises, I want to emphasize one crucial point: strength training should still be a cornerstone of your training program. Back squats, front squats, hex bar deadlifts, RDLs, split squats, and lunges are all fantastic exercises that build the foundation necessary for an impressive vertical.

The exercises I’m sharing today complement that strength work by developing the reactive ability and explosive power that turns strength into jump height.

Exercise #1: Bulgarian Split Squat Jumps

Despite the vertical jump test being a two-legged movement, single-leg jumping variations offer tremendous benefits due to something called the bilateral deficit. This principle states that the strength and power we can generate on one leg, when combined with the other leg, exceeds what we can do when jumping off both legs simultaneously.

Why Bulgarian Split Squat Jumps Work:

The Bulgarian split squat jump creates a forward-leaning posture that activates your glutes and posterior chain. Many athletes are quad-dominant when jumping, so learning to engage your posterior chain can lead to significant improvements in jump height.

This exercise also teaches you to get into a more athletic position, mimicking the counter-movement aspect of your vertical jump.

How to Perform:

1. Place one foot on a bench, split squat stand, or even a couch
2. Position yourself in a staggered stance with your torso slightly forward
3. Lower yourself into a quarter squat position (no need to touch your knee to the ground)
4. Explosively jump as high as possible using your arms naturally
5. Land softly on the balls of your feet, maintaining a springy, reactive position
6. Repeat in a rhythmic fashion without pausing between reps

Key technique tip: Stay on the balls of your feet throughout the movement to develop calf strength and maximize posterior chain engagement.

Recommended protocol: 4-5 sets of 3-5 reps per side at the beginning of your workout

Exercise #2: Band Resisted Vertical Jumps

Band resisted vertical jumps utilize a unique training principle called overspeed eccentrics to enhance your stretch-shortening cycle and jumping power.

Why Band Resisted Jumps Work:

The bands create constant downward tension that forces your muscles and tendons to stretch faster than they would under normal conditions. This accelerated stretching develops your stretch-shortening cycle, which is crucial for explosive movements like jumping.

Additionally, the bands teach you to land in an athletic stance, improving overall body control and positioning for subsequent jumps.

How to Perform:

1. Secure thin resistance bands to a stable anchor point (squat rack, deadlift platform, etc.)
2. Create an X-pattern across your body by placing the right band over your left shoulder and the left band over your right shoulder
3. Position yourself so there’s moderate tension in the bands
4. Perform explosive vertical jumps, focusing on height and proper landing mechanics
5. Land on the balls of your feet and immediately transition into your next jump

Important note on resistance: Use bands that provide enough resistance to limit your jump height to between 6-12 inches. If you’re jumping less than 6 inches, the bands are too heavy; if you’re jumping more than 12 inches, the resistance isn’t sufficient.

Technique tip: Focus on landing softly and maintaining a rhythmic, reactive jumping pattern to maximize tendon adaptation.

Exercise #3: Hurdle Hops

Hurdle hops are excellent for developing your stretch-shortening cycle and reactive ability off the ground.

Why Hurdle Hops Work:

Consecutive hurdle jumps train your body to efficiently absorb force and then immediately redirect it into the next jump. This trains the elasticity in your tendons and muscles, specifically your Achilles tendon and posterior chain, which translates directly to a more explosive vertical jump.

How to Perform:

1. Set up a series of hurdles (2-5) at appropriate heights
2. Position yourself in front of the first hurdle
3. Jump over each hurdle consecutively without stopping between jumps
4. Focus on staying on the balls of your feet and maintaining a springy, reactive movement
5. Use your arms naturally to generate momentum
6. Drive your knees up with each jump to maximize height

Key technique point: The hurdles should challenge you but not be so high that you land heavily after each jump. You should barely hear your feet contacting the ground.

Red flags: If you’re landing hard and heavy or stopping between hurdles, either reduce the height or focus more on staying light and reactive.

Recommended protocol: 3-5 sets of 3-5 repetitions (each repetition consists of jumping over all hurdles in sequence)

Exercise #4: Seated Weighted Vertical Jumps

The seated weighted vertical jump specifically targets your rate of force development from a dead-stop position.

Why Seated Weighted Jumps Work:

By starting from a seated position, you eliminate the stretch-shortening cycle from the equation, forcing your muscles to generate force without the benefit of a counter-movement. This develops pure explosive power and improves your ability to generate force rapidly.

The added weight (dumbbells) removes arm swing from the equation, forcing your lower body to do all the work and creating a hyper-focus on lower body power production.

How to Perform:

1. Sit on a box with your knees at approximately a 90-degree angle (box height should put you above a deep squat position)
2. Hold light dumbbells at your sides (10-15% of body weight)
3. Lift your feet slightly off the ground (1-2 inches)
4. Drive through the floor as hard as possible and jump as high as you can
5. Land softly and return to the seated position
6. Come to a complete stop before initiating the next rep

Important weight note: The dumbbells should be light enough that you can still get 3-6 inches off the ground but heavy enough to create resistance. If you’re jumping higher than 12 inches, the weight is likely too light.

Technical consideration: The box height should keep you above knee level to prevent training in a deep squat position, which doesn’t transfer well to vertical jump performance.

Recommended protocol: 4-5 sets of 3-6 reps

Implementation Strategy

Don’t try to incorporate all four exercises into a single workout. Instead, strategically implement them throughout your training week:

• Early Week Session: Choose 2 exercises (ex: Bulgarian Split Squat Jumps + Hurdle Hops)
• Late Week Session: Choose the other 2 exercises (ex: Band Resisted Jumps + Seated Weighted Jumps)

Combine these specialized jump exercises with your regular strength training for maximum results. A typical workout sequence might look like:

1. Warm-up
2. Jumping exercises (2 from the list above)
3. Strength training (squats, deadlifts, etc.)
4. Accessory exercises
5. Cool down

Keys to Success

For these exercises to deliver maximum results, remember these critical factors:

1. Maximum effort – Every single rep should be performed with 100% intensity
2. Proper technique – Focus on the technical details outlined for each exercise
3. Progressive overload – Gradually increase difficulty as you improve
4. Consistency – Perform these exercises regularly for 6-12 weeks
5. Track progress – Measure your vertical jump regularly to assess improvements

Expected Results

When following this program consistently while maintaining your strength training, you can expect a 2-5 inch improvement in your vertical jump over a 6-12 week period. Many athletes see even greater gains, especially if they’ve never trained specifically for vertical jump before.

Conclusion

Improving your vertical jump requires a multi-faceted approach that includes both strength development and specialized power training. The four exercises outlined above—Bulgarian Split Squat Jumps, Band Resisted Vertical Jumps, Hurdle Hops, and Seated Weighted Vertical Jumps—directly address the specific physical qualities needed for an impressive vertical.

Remember that consistency and proper technique are key. Apply maximum effort to each rep, track your progress, and combine these exercises with solid strength training for the best results.

If you implement these exercises correctly, you’ll be jumping higher than ever before and dominating your competition in no time!

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