It is often said that basketball is one of the most strenuous sports when it comes to sheer physical ability. Strength plays second fiddle to speed, agility, quickness, and vertical leaping ability. An exercise called vertical plyometrics will help improve an athlete’s vertical leap by training certain muscle groups to develop explosive bursts of power that can be performed repeatedly whenever demanded. The basketball dunk training vertical leap is especially benefited using plyometrics.

Vertical plyometrics play a big part for an athlete to have an added edge over other competitors. But plyometric exercises are not for everyone, even for the seasoned athlete. Certain factors should be considered before an athlete is to train using plyometrics. Weight plays a critical factor, as athletes over 240 pounds are advised to do mild plyometrics as the training may put too much strain on muscles and tendons. Basketball players, in particular, are required to have a very low fat index as common sense will dictate that the heavier the athlete is, the more difficult for the muscles to perform a higher vertical jump.

Only well-conditioned athletes with no history of any injury to the particular muscle group involved should perform vertical plyometrics, guided by a well-trained fitness coach. The exercises are very demanding and may increase the risk of injury. Mild plyometric exercises are often recommended for injury rehabilitation, but only under strict supervision.
An athlete who wants to have the edge in overall athleticism should consider vertical plyometrics to improve speed, agility and dunk training leaping ability.

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As a high school student, I became fixated on increasing my vertical leaping capabilities. I’ve always been competitive and testing my skills and abilities have always been important to me.  I remember that I was 2nd in the school at 34″ during my junior year.   The person above me jumped 36″ and went on to be a starter for the UConn basketball team.   I decided that I would really focus on plyometric training exercises to increase my vertical.  My first experiment was with a program titled Air Alert II. It was the opposite of what I really needed, and not effective.

The big promises of Air Alert II were all hype and no substance, I didn’t suddenly add ten inches to my jump! My $10 bought me a few pages of paper and nothing else, in spite of how good it sounded. The regimen incorporated a series of five movements, including calf raises, step ups, leap ups, squat jumps and burnouts. But, it was the intense schedule of workouts that represented the problem with the program, not the exercises themselves.

Many such jump training programs involve five days of plyometrics, and Air Alert II was no exception, it was a big problem. The extreme nature of the exercises, three to four sets of fifty to one hundred reps each was awful. Although it does some good, over training isn’t a wise decision. A hundred reps doesn’t do much for the vertical leaping, anyway.

A vertical leap is an explosion upward.  High rep training isn’t the best way to increase leg strength. Consider the theory behind the bench press exercise. Someone wishing to build substantial strength would be advised to complete several sets of 1-3 repetitions with a large amount of weight.  If you applied the principles of the above program, it would be like trying to increase your bench press by doing 100 reps with just the barbell.   Maybe your endurance would improve, but you won’t get meaningfully stronger.  Bench pressing five days in a row would be a terrible idea, too, and not work well.

In my opinion, the most effective way to gain leg strength and improve your vertical leaping ability is to concentrate on low repetition plyometrics training workouts. Different types of plyometric exercise determine the needed reps.  Some plyometrics exercises work best with only 5 reps, while 10-15 reps for others will help you gain explosive power.   Regardless of the exercise, just remember to put in an intense effort.   If you can jump 2ft in the air, then don’t train by jumping 1ft in the air.

Everyone has a different definition of plyometrics, but the best definition I’ve found is that plyometrics training includes exercises designed to produce fast, powerful movements.  For explosive speed and power, plyometrics are the best exercises around. Indeed, those who concentrate on vertical leap improvement programs typically gain a faster time in the 40 yard dash too. Another frequent misunderstanding is the assumption that the calves are the main determinant of vertical leaping ability. Attempt to jump by not bending at the knee, and afterward, jump normally. It should soon become apparent that you are able to jump much higher by bending at the knee, as you are making use of the strength contained in the quads and hamstring muscles. Although calf muscles are important, the bigger leg muscles give the extra power for explosive strength.

My training program combines cardio workouts and added leg strength via the plyometric method, since vertical leaping isn’t my main or only goal. Although I don’t use them, plyometric training can include particular vertical leap improving exercises.

The cardio benefits of plyometric exercises are impressive, even for those who aren’t interested in explosive power or vertical leaping.  Because you put in an intense effort, you burn off glycogen which helps lead to fat loss.  For me, plyometrics training is far more pleasant that working out on the elliptical or riding an exercise bike.  I also like the fact that plyometrics training improves my leg strength without making my legs big and bulky.  Therefore, no matter if you are keen on improving your leaping and dunking abilities, or just wish to gain a more impressive physique by doing something other than cardio, plyometric training exercises may be a great choice for you.

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Although having strong legs is a advantage when training to dunk the ball. You need to condition the rest of your body also. Look at Olympic power lifters, you think they can get that enormous torso off the ground to dunk a basketball? They undoubtedly have some of thee strongest legs in the world but their upper body is not trained for jumping.

Overall full body conditioning is the key to reaching your maximum vertical leap. The most important thing is to use a good training program that works the large muscle groups of the body. By working the large muscle groups you involuntarily work the smaller muscles also. The end result is a solid foundation to work with when learning the mechanics needed to allow you to jump higher and dunk a basketball.

Look at all Major sports that require the ability to jump high. The obvious sport is basketball but there is also volleyball and wide receivers in football. In general they are lean without excessive body fat. These athletes train their whole body, not just their legs.

Another advantage of conditioning the whole body is speed. When all your muscles are stronger they compliment each other and you will be faster. Just because you can jump higher than everyone in a basketball game does not mean you will be the best player. You must have speed and agility to go along with your ability to jump.

The best exercises to perform to help you jump higher are high intensity cardio like sprints, You also want to do resistance exercises that use large muscle groups. You should always workout with a spotter when working with heavy weights.

Do not just go to the gym and start doing squats till you puke. If you can afford it work with a trainer, this can be very expensive, do so. At the least get a good quality training system to follow. And here is the real secret to jumping higher in basketball games and dunking the ball. Whatever training you do you must stick with it. The ability to jump higher than you do now takes time.

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