Top Exercises to Increase Your Vertical

Finding out what the best exercises to increase your vertical are can be extremely difficult because of all the different information that can be found. I can relate to this problem because a short time ago, my vertical leap was horrible and nowhere near the rim. After finding a program that worked great for me and working hard at it for 2 months, I could finally dunk. It was difficult, but it was worth all the trouble when I saw the look on my friend's face when I dunked on him.

Here are some of the exercises to increase your vertical that I found were successful and allowed me to start dunking on everyone.

For this program, there are two different types of exercises you will be doing. The first is plyometrics, and the other is your typical leg workouts: squats, deadlifts, etc. Be sure that you warm up and stretch before you try any of these exercises because you don't want to cause any injuries.

Below are the plyometric exercises.

1. Squat jumps (3 x 10): Place your feet slightly wider than shoulder width and do a normal squat, like one you'd do when doing barbell squats. When your thighs are parallel to the ground at 90 degrees, explode as high as you can and land on the balls of your feet. Do another rep quickly and explosively as soon as you land.

2. One-leg squat jumps (3 x 10): The only difference between these and regular squat jumps is that you do these with only 1 leg. Until you've built yourself up, go slow because it takes time to build balance.

3. Box jumps (2 x 10): Find 3 stable things that you can jump onto, such as boxes or benches. Set them up so that they begin shorter and increase in height. Do a squat jump onto the first box. Let yourself fall off the box (don't jump), and explode onto the second box immediately. Repeat for the 3rd box. The 3 boxes are 1 rep total, so do this 10 more times. Rest, and then complete another set of 10.

4. Lateral jumps (3 x 10): You have the option to perform these using only one leg or both. I tend to switch it up for some variety. Find a long object that you can jump over, like a bench. Stand next to it and jump sideways, exploding up and over to the other side. Explode up and back over again immediately after landing.

Of all the plyometric exercises to increase your vertical, those are my personal favorites. You can switch them up a bit by creating your own variations. I usually do these exercises 2-3 times per week.

Now, I'll show you the conventional exercises that you should be practicing.

1. Squats (4 x 5-6): For obvious reasons, squats are known as the king of all exercises. To strengthen your back, shoulders, and abs, and build up muscles in your whole lower body, squats should be your exercise of choice. It is the only one that gives you as much bang for your buck. Do heavier squats and explode up as if you're trying to push through the floor if you're training to increase your vertical.

2. Straight-leg deadlifts (4 x 5-6): While deadlifts also benefit your whole body, keep your legs straight while you do them in order to focus on the hamstrings, which is where you want to be stronger. Start with a lighter weight and keep your back straight as you lower the bar toward the ground. Make sure the bar is close to your body all the time. Think of it as if you're touching your toes in a hamstring stretch but are also holding a bar with weight. As soon as you feel a nice stretch, explode up.

3. Calf raises (4 x 15-20): The key to jumping higher and running faster is all in your calf muscles. Calf raises can be done in several different ways, like on a leg press machine or on a standing calf raise machine. Another option is to just stand at the edge of a bench or platform with your heels hanging off the edge and press down with your toes. To really feel the burn, do higher reps.

4. Hamstring curls (3 x 10-12): Working out your hamstrings efficiently will also build explosiveness. It's important to choose a moderate weight so that you can strive for 10-12 reps. Variations are also available, such as doing one leg at a time.

Those 8 exercises to increase your vertical are the best ones that I know. Following this routine or a similar one will lead to you noticing results soon, as long as you're also eating a proper diet and allowing yourself rest and recovery time. It's a good idea to workout 4 days a week, and give yourself 3 days off to rejuvenate.

If you want to learn more in-depth tips on how to jump higher and get the full workout routine that I used, visit my site by Clicking Here. This routine was developed by a trainer who has helped many college, NBA, and Olympic athletes increase their vertical.

Another related article can be seen here: Exercises to Increase Your Vertical