Vertical jumping is essential in many sports such as soccer, basketball, volleyball and more. The better your vertical jumping abilities are, the greater you will excel in sports that use that skill. Online personal training degree programs are available for speed and agility training that helps you improve and increase power to give you a better competitive edge in group sports. A personal fitness degree in sport specific coaching or high intensity interval training, also known as HIIT training, can help your training to increase your vertical jump. Below are some exercises that can help you improve you vertical jumping skills:
- Plyometric Training. A good personal fitness training program will utilize plyometric training to build strength and power. Plyometric training uses jumps to activate the short twitch muscle fibers to promote quickness and power. Plyometric training is a high impact exercise, yet can help build up the supporting tissues and muscles around the joints to prevent sports injury when performed correctly.
- Box Jumps. Box jumps are used in many high intensity interval training sessions as well as cross fit styled workouts to improve performance and build endurance. Box jumps utilize all the of the major muscle groups in the legs with emphasis on the hamstrings, glutes, and quads to build muscle, strength, and power for vertical jumping.
- Squat Jumps. Personal fitness training schools will use squat jumps for benefits similar to the box jump. Squat jumps are easy to do, but are powerful exercises so being aware of form when performing them is important for preventing injury. Good form is more important than quantity when exercising with squat jumps. Squat jumps use the glutes and hamstrings to stabilize the body and build strength.
- Scissor Jumps. Scissor jumps are a type of plyometric exercise that combines a jump and lunge together alternating lunging legs with each jump, which makes the legs mimic the motion of scissors opening and closing. Personal trainer help will be beneficial if you have never done these types of jumps before. Personal trainers can help demonstrate each exercise and watch your form as your perform them to make sure you are doing them safely and effectively. A personal trainer can also make modifications or offer adaptations of the exercise if needed so that you are receiving the benefit of the workout while being proactive about reducing your risk of sports injury.
