Jump Squats
Jumps squats are arguably the most important exercise to increase your vertical.
They add explosiveness and burst to your jump, which necessary for dunking.
1. First, you want to start with your arms either straight out or crossing your chest.
2. Keep your head up, your back straight, and your feet about shoulder width.
3. Now, squat down until your thighs are about parallel to the floor and jump straight up into the air, pushing with the soles of your feet.
4. When you touch the floor again, immediately repeat the squat and jump routine.
Try doing 10 reps for 3-4 sets each day.
* Remember to put a huge emphasis into exploding off the ground.
This is really important.
They add explosiveness and burst to your jump, which necessary for dunking.
1. First, you want to start with your arms either straight out or crossing your chest.
2. Keep your head up, your back straight, and your feet about shoulder width.
3. Now, squat down until your thighs are about parallel to the floor and jump straight up into the air, pushing with the soles of your feet.
4. When you touch the floor again, immediately repeat the squat and jump routine.
Try doing 10 reps for 3-4 sets each day.
* Remember to put a huge emphasis into exploding off the ground.
This is really important.
One legged calf raises
One legged calf raises are fundamental for developing strength and power in your calves which in turn can greatly affect the height of which you can jump.
1. You can either do this workout on an elevated surface, like in the video above, or just on the regular floor.
2. You want to focus on one leg at a time, in order to properly focus on gaining strength and muscle in each calf.
3. Balance yourself on the toes of your desired foot.
4. Slowly raise your heels by extending your ankles as high as possible and flex your calves.
5. Hold yourself in the flexed position for 1-2 seconds, and slowly come back down.
Try doing 3-4 sets of 20 reps each day.
* Doing this on an elevated surface helps increase the range of motion making the exercise tougher, but it also increases flexibility and strength.
1. You can either do this workout on an elevated surface, like in the video above, or just on the regular floor.
2. You want to focus on one leg at a time, in order to properly focus on gaining strength and muscle in each calf.
3. Balance yourself on the toes of your desired foot.
4. Slowly raise your heels by extending your ankles as high as possible and flex your calves.
5. Hold yourself in the flexed position for 1-2 seconds, and slowly come back down.
Try doing 3-4 sets of 20 reps each day.
* Doing this on an elevated surface helps increase the range of motion making the exercise tougher, but it also increases flexibility and strength.
Plyometrics
Plyometrics may sound like some fancy word but in short it translates directly to "jump training".
The video above shows an excellent example of two important plyometric workouts.
These workouts are necessary to develop your fast twitch muscles by exerting maximum force in short intervals. Again, be sure to focus on exploding off your feet as this is important in developing power off your jump.
Ski Jumps
1. Squat down with your feet together.
2. Jump to either side as far and as high as you possibly can and squat back down.
3. Repeat the process by jumping back to your original spot.
Try doing this for a total of 10 reps for 1-2 sets.
Single Leg Butt Kicks
1. Balance yourself off one foot, and hop off that same foot while whipping your leg back and "kick your butt".
2. You want to do this repetitively but instead of a fast paced motion, you want to focus on each individual repetition.
3. Switch legs and repeat the process.
Try doing this for 10 reps on each foot for 2-3 sets.
* I CANNOT STRESS ANYMORE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO FOCUS ON EXPLOSIVENESS.
The video above shows an excellent example of two important plyometric workouts.
These workouts are necessary to develop your fast twitch muscles by exerting maximum force in short intervals. Again, be sure to focus on exploding off your feet as this is important in developing power off your jump.
Ski Jumps
1. Squat down with your feet together.
2. Jump to either side as far and as high as you possibly can and squat back down.
3. Repeat the process by jumping back to your original spot.
Try doing this for a total of 10 reps for 1-2 sets.
Single Leg Butt Kicks
1. Balance yourself off one foot, and hop off that same foot while whipping your leg back and "kick your butt".
2. You want to do this repetitively but instead of a fast paced motion, you want to focus on each individual repetition.
3. Switch legs and repeat the process.
Try doing this for 10 reps on each foot for 2-3 sets.
* I CANNOT STRESS ANYMORE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO FOCUS ON EXPLOSIVENESS.