6 Best Plyometric Exercises to Increase Vertical Jump

Plyometrics is an essential part of any athlete's training. You can utilize the explosiveness of plyometric exercises to your advantage in the gym.

If you're a basketball player or an athlete, or simply trying to increase your vertical jump, plyometric exercises offer a great blend of strength training, cardio, and explosive bursts of exercise. Plyometric exercises improve explosiveness and power, which makes them perfect for improving vertical jump performance.

Plyometric Exercises to Boost Vertical Jump

Here's a look at six such exercises:

1) Burpee

The burpee is a full body plyometric exercise that works the lower body and core muscles as you lower down into a squat position. To make things harder, you can throw some push-ups and mountain climbers in there.

You can easily add resistance by wearing weights around your waist or holding dumbbells at chest level when doing this exercise. That will improve both power output and speed control while jumping higher during plyometric exercises.

Here's how you do this exercise:

Place both feet on the floor, shoulder-width apart.
Bend down into a squat position with palms facing forward, and stand straight up again before performing ten repetitions without any breaks - try adding some extra hops after each rep, if possible.

2) Split Squat

The split squat is a great exercise for improving vertical jump, as it trains the legs to work as a unit, which translates to increased power when jumping.

It's done as follows:

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointed outward slightly, and knees unlocked. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at arm's length.
Take a big step forward with one foot so that the front leg is bent at 90 degrees and the rear leg is straightened behind you on a bench (a lunge position).
Lower yourself till your front knee is almost touching the floor (the back knee should be parallel to the ground).
Push yourself up using both legs equally till you're standing tall again.

3) Squat Jump

The squat jump is one of the most basic plyometric exercises, but it can be a great way to start adding explosive power to your vertical.

The exercise targets the quadriceps and hamstrings and helps you build strength in those muscles while also improving overall athleticism.

To do a squat jump:

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, with hands on hips or hanging at sides (or holding light dumbbells).
With an explosive movement, lower yourself into a squat position by bending your knees and flexing your hips back till your thighs are parallel to the floor; hold for one count.
Push up through heels as fast as possible so that you’re standing straight again before jumping up off the floor as high as possible with arms locked out overhead.
Land softly on toes without letting heels touch the ground between jumps; continue for the desired number of reps.

4) Box Jump

Box jumps are a great plyometric exercise to boost your vertical jump. This workout can be done with or without a box.

For beginners, it's recommended to start out without the box and then progress to using one as you become stronger and more experienced in handling your bodyweight.

How to do a box jump:

Stand about 2 feet away from the edge of the box with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Bend your knees slightly, and keep your back straight throughout the movement (don't arch it).
Place both hands on top of the box; jump up onto it by pushing off from both feet at once.
Land on both feet in a squatting position; repeat by jumping off again into an upright standing position.

5) Reverse Lunge

The reverse lunge is a dynamic movement that targets the glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves. It's also an excellent total-body exercise that uses compound movements to strengthen your lower body while improving coordination and balance.

Reverse lunges can also help improve leg strength (especially in the muscles of the backside), as well as improve power output from both legs. As with other plyometric exercises for vertical jumping, this exercise requires perfect form for maximum effectiveness.

How to perform the exercise:

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, with your toes pointing forward and hands on your hips.
Slowly step backward with one leg till it'sbent at 90 degrees. Keep the other leg straight and torso upright as you do so.
Bend both knees so that they're over the ankle of the back foot; push off with that foot, and return to a standing position in one fluid motion to complete one rep.

6) Jumping Rope

You can increase your vertical jumping ability by jumping rope. It's a great way to build explosive power, which is key for improving vertical jumping prowess. It's also a good idea to make sure you're using a rope that's the right length for you, as doing so will help reduce injury risks and boost efficiency.

If you're just getting started with the exercise, start by jumping in place before progressing to jumping up and down. As you improve, add one or two more jumps per rotation of the rope till you're doing 15-20 revolutions each time (depending on how tall you are).

Takeaway

You can use plyometrics to improve your vertical jump, but it's important you do them properly. Make sure you're performing the exercises with good form, and always warm up before starting any workout routine so that there're no injuries.

The aforementioned exercises listed above are some of the best for increasing your vertical leaping ability. That's because they require strength in both the lower body and upper body muscles, which will help develop power when jumping.