Vertical Jump Prowess

By and large, the vertical jump defies almost any other human physical movement when it comes to both dance and sports. There are many sports where the vertical jumping ability of the athlete determines his or her success. Outstanding examples of sports where vertical jumping ability comes into play are basketball and volleyball. In dance, ballet wins this award. Clearly, there is a direct relationship between one’s ability to jump vertically and their running speed — especially running speed over shorter distances. Many sports organizations will go so far as to actually test prospective recruits’ ability in vertical jumping.

To calculate one’s current vertical jumping height is fairly simple. Mark the fingertips of your strongest hand and then from a standing position, jump as high as possible and touch the wall — then measure that height. Now from a standing postion using the same hand bit without jumping, reach as high as possible and mark the wall with chalked fingertips. Simply subtract this measurement from the previous jump measurement to arrive at your own vertical jump height. The measurement of the jump is flawed if the athlete is permitted to take one or more steps before jumping, as the athlete will convert some of the energy developed in the step taken into the force of propulsion that generates upward lift.

Vertical jump strength stems from leg muscles utilized in explosive movement so it is necessary to develop those muscles in a similar fashion used to develop other muscles within an athlete or dancer’s body. Jump height limitations are directly related to fiber distribution in the dancer or athlete’s leg muscles. These fibers are known as fast-twitch and slow-twitch fibers. This distribution is a genetic determination. The more fast-twitch fibers a dancer or athlete has in their leg muscles determines faster muscle contraction thereby increasing one’s speed. Unfortunately, those dancers or athletes who possess more slow-twitch fibers than fast-twitch fibers won’t be able to jump as high as those who possess more fast-twitch fibers than slow-twitch fibers.

Out all vertical jump development exercise programs, plyometrics is considered to be the best. Plyometrics emphasizes explosive movement and speed which usually consists of the following exercises… Hopping, bounding, and jumping drills. The best plyometrics training program emphasizes that all exercises be performed at maximum intensity. Dancers and athletes should be warned to take their plyometrics training program levels slowly from one level to the next higher level in order to keep injuries at an absolute minimum. Plyometrics training increases stress on targeted muscle groups so proper rest is essential.

Flexibility attained through focused stretching programs, increases joint range of motion necessary to jumping. Hips, knees, and of course, the ankles always require proper stretching. This assists both athlete and dancer in maintaining an approximate 3:2 ratio in their relative strength of the quadriceps to the hamstring.

It is not uncommon for a dancer or athlete to increase their vertical jump by as much as four to nine incheas in as little as 90 days.