I’ve been a long time student of vertical jump training. I’ve gotten my vertical jump as high as 39 inches, and it currently sits around 36 standing.
Vertical jump training isn’t difficult, but there are a few things you absolutely NEED to do in order to maximize your results. Before you get stronger, make sure you have made your body as efficient as possible. This way you will get the most out of your strength and you won’t be simply laying down strength on top of dysfunction.
One of the first things you need to do in your vertical jump training is to fix your “force couples.” This will make you more efficient right away and get your glutes firing.
“Force couples” is just a fancy way of saying “hips.”
The way your hips are “tilted” on your pelvis will determine how efficiently you move. To move efficiently we need to be able to activate our glutes and move primarily through them.
Stand sideways in front of a mirror and lift your shirt up. Take a look at your belt line. Is it parallel with the floor, or tilted down or up? If it’s parallel, congratulations – you are in good pelvic alignment.
Most athletes are tilted with the front side down, which is called anterior pelvic tilt. These athletes need to strengthen their glutes and hamstrings and lengthen their quads. Do plenty of hip flexor and rectus femoris stretching, as well as weightroom movements like deadlifts, glute hams and pullthroughs. Hit your abs hard as well because in the posterior tilt position they are lengthened and weak.
If you’re tilted the other way, you’re in what’s called posterior pelvic tilt. You’re going to need to strengthen your quads and lengthen your hamstrings. Hit front squats and single leg squats hard, and don’t put too much emphasis on your hamstrings – they are plenty tight right now.
Once you get your hips in proper alignment and individualize your training around them, the results from your vertical jump training will explode.
Train hard.