March Madness: Increase Your Vertical

“How can I increase my vertical?” It’s one of the most common questions we hear from basketball lovers of every age and skill level that take part in our advanced fitness programs.

So, with March Madness well underway, we thought it was a good time to offer a few tips on how to increase your vertical the right way.

The 2 Keys to Increasing Your Vertical

There are 2 keys to increase your vertical, and you need to master them both to really see the results you desire. The first key is building the muscles in your legs so you can apply more force in a shorter amount of time as you jump. Power = force x velocity, so increasing your power output lets you jump higher, faster. Makes sense, right?

The other thing you’ll need to increase your vertical is the knowledge on exactly how to use your newfound power (and how to use it quickly). The only way you can see the big gains you desire during a game is by learning how to apply your force and momentum as efficiently as possible.

Ability Rehabilitation Basketball

Check out the tips below to help you up your “ups.”

Increase Strength

As we mentioned above, strength isn’t the only thing you’ll need to increase your vertical – but it is required to help you skywalk. Consider following a program that develops your muscles with basic leg strengthening moves such as deadlifts, squats and balance exercises. Bulgarian split squats are great for building strength and balance simultaneously.

Release the Force

Whether you’re in mid-stride on your way to the hoop or you’re going up for a powerful putback, how you release your force is crucial to maximizing your vertical. To develop the ability to apply your force lightning quick, utilize landing and jumping training to maximize efficiency, power and balance. Are you noticing a theme develop here? Hint: it’s efficiency.

Learn the Right Way to Jump

There are dozens of muscles, joints, movements and split second calibrations involved when you’re getting ready to sky over your defender…but are you jumping as efficiently as you can? Are you maximizing every ounce of force available to you? Probably not. When a large amount of force is needed in the blink of an eye, efficiency is king. By being technically sound, you can add inches to your vertical immediately. Then, as you add strength, you’ll begin to notice gains at even more rapid pace.

Go Knotless

Knots in your muscles are notorious for restricting the length of muscle tissue, making what muscle you have shorter and weaker. Use a foam roller to help lengthen your muscles and increase, you guessed it, efficiency with every move prior to hitting the hardwood.