Jump Training

You may be wondering why vertical training is so important to athletes in a wide array of sports. Well increasing your jumping ability has several benefits associated with it. It is a good way to enhance and maintain leg strength. Plyometric training also helps prevents injuries.  Many coaches and trainers use these methods in the routine.  When training, athletes should use movement that match the movements in their sport.

The main key to plyometrics is explosive drills that not only help with increase height of jumps, but improves reflexes, balance and coordination.  It also develops  muscle memory. and releasing large amounts of power in a short time span.

There is another, often overlooked benefit of vertical training- the ability to run faster. The ability to accelerate quickly and jump high correlate very well with each other. It is pretty hard to find a great leaper that is slow or a speedy sprinter with no ups.

Perhaps it depends on the sport that the athlete is training to excel. For volleyball players, getting up quickly is most important. In basketball, the high vertical is crucial for rebounding, lay ups, dunks, and jump shooting. Jumping is a necessary skill for football players in the role of cornerback, wide receiver, and running back. Even outfielders in baseball can take advantage of better jumping ability to catch balls going over the fence.

In conclusion, regardless of your sport increasing your vertical game can only up your game!