Maybe you aren't a volleyball player, track athlete or basketball player looking to increase your vertical jump. Or maybe you are. Maybe you are someone who simply wants to be more athletic and you want to look the part of an athlete while you're at it too. No matter which camp you find yourself in, jumping higher and the methods to get there will only enhance the goal you are chasing. And while yes, if you want to jump higher you need to actually jump, it unfortunately isn’t as simple as that. If you want to improve in a sport you need to do more of that sport, but what's the saying? Work smarter, not harder. And by working smarter when training your vertical jump you will find the gains come a bit easier.

So why even care about jumping higher if you aren’t in a sport that specifically benefits from it? Well, there's a few reasons. If you are an athlete, even one who won't directly benefit from actually jumping, you will still benefit from the by-product of training your vertical jump. Explosiveness, agility and competitiveness all come to mind as benefits of training a higher jump. Refining body awareness and motor skills that come with jumping are also an added benefit. Not only the push off the earth to reach maximum height but also the proper mechanics to land in a way that prevents injury is also something any athlete, dare I say human, can benefit from.  

When it comes to the everyday person, jumping higher can also improve your day to day life. Explosive strength and coordination make everyday activities, like climbing stairs or lifting objects, more efficient and safer. So yes, if you are an athlete you can see why jumping can be an added benefit. But it’s safe to say that even if you aren't an athlete but would like to live a healthy and active life, you can benefit from jumping higher or at least trying to.

Yes, you need your legs to jump. Most people think of quads and calves when it comes to jumping. And yes, those muscles are definitely important. But they aren’t the only muscles that play a massive role in your ability to have ups. Your quads play a significant role in extending the knees, providing much of the force needed for upward motion. However, they are only part of the picture. The calves are an essential muscle in jumping but the primary objective of the calves is to extend the ankle and push off of the toes. Sure, imperative to a jump but we all know that to jump higher its more than simply your toes pushing off the ground.  

Hamstrings have a supportive role in jumping that is often overlooked or not considered. They are vital for hip extension and stabilizing the knee during explosive movements. One muscle that is most often not considered yet one of the most critical in jumping higher is the glute. Your glutes can be considered “the powerhouse of jumping” because they generate the majority of the explosive force for hip extension, which is essentially the most critical component of a vertical leap. Last but not least is the core muscles. A strong core stabilizes the spine and transfers power effectively between the upper and lower body. 

Now that you understand what muscles are required to jump higher and the importance of jumping higher, let's unpack the how of it all. How do you actually jump higher?

Similar to if you were going to try to deadlift a bar off the ground, improve your clean and jerk or even become a better sprinter, the first thing to focus on when wanting to improve anything is the technique of what you're doing. In order to jump higher, its not necessarily blindly throwing your arms above you and pushing off the earth as you hope for the best. It is a bit more nuanced than that and in order to get the most out of your jump, learning proper techniques and form can improve the outcome.

First thing is the starting position. Ideally you want a strong base, that means your feet are about hip width apart with chest and shoulders back and core engaged. Loading the squat is somewhat natural, dropping into a quarter squat position but the next part is where most people can benefit from. Making sure to incorporate the aggressive arm swing to generate upwards momentum is important. Remember, jumping is a full body activity so use those arm as you drive out of that solid base.

Exploding straight up requires triple extension, similar to in an Olympic lift. Full extension of ankles, knees and hips as you drive your arms upwards will help produce the most force as you push off the earth. To reach max vertical height, keeping the body straight, core engaged and avoiding flailing while in the air is important. A neutral head position will also help aid in staying balanced.

So yes, jumping is simple but to improve the jump in order to reach maximum vertical height can become a bit more tricky as you break it down.

Another way to improve your ability to jump higher is to jump in different ways. Adding plyometrics can be to your benefit when incorporating them in training. These explosive movements are designed to improve power and reactivity in your muscles. They also work your fast twitch muscle fibers which are responsible for producing those necessary powerful bursts of energy. Plyometrics also teach your muscles to store and release elastic energy more effectively and this in turn makes your jumps more powerful. 

Bounding drills specifically can enhance the connection between your brain and muscles, improving coordination and reaction time. Improving the neuromuscular efficiency of your body's ability for muscles to contract more quickly and forcefully during a jump. SInce jumping isn't just about strength but also speed, plyometric training helps improve your agility and therefore improve the speed at which your muscles can produce force.

Some of the more common plyometrics like depth jumps to improve stretch-shortening cycle, box jumps to build explosive power and broad jumps to improve horizontal explosiveness and coordination can be added to training. But some of the less common plyometrics like lunge jumps can be added to strengthen legs individually while improving explosiveness and balance and tuck jumps to train quick takeoffs and high-intensity bursts can also be incorporated in plyometric training. Adding plyometric work 1-2 days a week will help you see the improvements you desire.

Getting stronger isn't something most people would be upset by. When trying to jump higher, getting stronger is most certainly to your benefit. And since we know the main muscle required to jump, incorporating strength work specific to those areas can be beneficial. In general, strong leg muscles generate more force which ultimately translates to higher jumps.

Keeping strength work as simple as incorporating basic compound movements like the back squat, deadlift and even box step ups are some of the more common options. These help with the foundation of strength. Jumping is a power movement so training strength with power and explosiveness is also important. Kettlebell swings and olympic lifts like the clean and snatch are important. Triple extension is a key focus on jumping high and with each of these power movements, strengthening that triple extension is part of the training.

Some of the less common strength approaches to improve your jump can also be beneficial. In particular, isometric holds will strengthen tendons which is important for force production and injury prevention. Wall holds, pause squats and even single leg work like rear foot elevated split squats with a pause in the bottom position can be pivotal in training. Similar to isometric work not being very common, some of the accessory work that can improve your jump shouldn't be overlooked either. Nordic curls will not only strengthen the hamstring but can be key in injury prevention. Strengthening dynamic trunk control with anti rotation movements such as the dumbbell chop or crossover med ball throw can be experimented with.

Overall, 2-3 days a week of jump specific strength work can be beneficial.

While we already talked about strengthening that dynamic trunk control with weekly strength work, focusing on core work by itself is beneficial. Core strength provides the foundation for force transfer during jumping. A strong core improves balance, stability, and power generation. It's also worth noting that a strong core stabilizes the spine and transfers power effectively between the upper and lower body, making it essential for efficient and high jumps.

When discussing the core, we aren't solely talking about those mirror muscles either. Engaging the deeper core muscles, the transverse abdominis (TVA), is critical in dynamic trunk control. Exercises like a plank and some of its many variations are among the most simple yet incredibly effective approaches to strengthening the core. Planks on forearms, sides, weighted and even making the dynamic movement rotating from side to side can train the TVA well. 

Hanging leg raises are one exercise that has a dual purpose. This exercises will focus on and improve dynamic core engagement but it also helps strengthen the hip flexors. And again, circling back to the anti rotation movements, adding in pallof presses and similar variations can be key to not only working the TVA but also help improve control and balance. 2-3 sets of these movements about 2-3 days a week is a simple enough way to add to your training. If you struggle to know how to add each of these things, our Peak Strength app can take the guesswork out of it for you.

Last but not least, improving both mobility and flexibility will help improve your jumping height. Both mobility and flexibility will improve the range of motion you have. With improved range of motion in your hips, ankles, and knees comes your ability for better jump mechanics. Mobility in key areas like the thoracic spine, hips, and ankles also ensures seamless energy transfer from the ground up during the jump.

Key areas to focus on for specifically jumping higher are the more obvious ankles and hips but also beneficial would be focusing on hamstrings and the thoracic spine. Focusing on the ankles and hips maximizes explosive power and range of motion, while strengthening the hamstrings and thoracic spine improves stability, energy transfer, and overall jump mechanics.

Working from the bottom up, calf stretches, 90/90 hip rotations, toe touches, and cat cow stretches are some of the most basic ways to stretch and mobilize the ankle, hip, hamstring and spine.

Improving your jump takes more than just practicing jumps—it’s also about building strength, enhancing mobility, and refining your technique. By focusing on key areas like your ankles, hips, hamstrings, and thoracic spine, and incorporating exercises for flexibility, stability, and power,