What Does Your Vertical Jump REALLY Need? - Indianapolis Fitness And Sports Training
Sports Performance Training

What Does Your Vertical Jump REALLY Need?

written by Mike Robertson

Every volleyball player wants a bigger vertical jump.

But do you know what it really takes to make this happen?

Many would say to get stronger – and sometimes that’s correct.

Some would say “fast twitch” training – and sometimes that’s correct.

What many coaches fail to realize is that several performance variables influence the outcome of your vertical jump.

Force production, rate of force production (RFD), peak velocity in the jump, and elasticity all have a major impact on the height of the jump.

But here’s the big problem with all this:

Knowing there are several factors influencing the vertical jump, which one do I need to be focusing on?

Our vertical jump assessment is designed to identify and prioritize which vertical jump variable you need to train.

Here’s a brief overview of what we look at:

  • Force output,
  • Power output,
  • The muscular influence on the jump versus the elastic influence on the jump, and
  • The speed at which you jump.

Collecting these measurements allows us to funnel each volleyball player down the exact training path that addresses their specific needs.

Identifying the need, prioritizing the need and ultimately training the need will make that deficit that kept your vertical jump from improving become a strength.

With that being said, here are 4 vertical jump exercises that develop different qualities.

Force Production

Rate of Force Development

Elasticity

Peak Velocity

Achieving a higher peak velocity can be achieved by choosing the correct training path based on your needs. It is a quality that is influenced by the 3 qualities above so there is no ONE exercise or method to improve this.

In some ways it is the result or best combination of the above qualities.

Summary

If your training is focusing on a quality you are already strong in then your results will be limited.

But focusing on a quality that is a NEED, can maximize your vertical jump performance.

As the saying goes, “Choose – but choose wisely.” Your performance depends on it!

Mike Robertson

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