Whether you play basketball, volleyball, football, or track, a higher vertical jump gives you an edge. It means winning rebounds, blocking shots, clearing hurdles, and moving more explosively in every direction.
The good news is that jumping ability can be trained. Here are five ways to improve yours.
1. Get Stronger
Strength is the foundation of jumping. A jump is simply the application of force into the ground, and the more force your legs can produce, the more potential you have to leave it.
Focus on movements that build the entire lower body:
Squat Variations: Back squats, front squats, zercher squats, or goblet
Hinge Variations (hips): RDLs (romanian deadlifts), sumo deadlifts
Single-leg Variations: Lunges, split squats, 1-leg squats (to a bench or off)
You don't need to chase a huge one-rep max. Just pick variations you feel comfortable with, and aim to make steady progress every week (+5-10lbs or +1-3 more reps).
2. Train Explosiveness
Strength matters, but in sport what matters more is how quickly you can use it. Jumping happens in a fraction of a second, so you need to train the ability to produce force fast.
This is where plyometrics come in:
Countermovement jumps to practice the basic pattern at full effort
Box jumps to build power while limiting the stress of landing
Broad jumps and bounds to develop horizontal power that supports vertical
Medicine ball throws to train explosive hip extension
Depth drops focused on stiff landings which produce high forces quickly
Quality beats quantity here. A small number of crisp, maximum-effort jumps does more good than dozens of tired, sloppy ones.
3. Clean Up Your Technique
Two athletes with the same strength can jump very differently depending on how they use it. Technique is often the quickest win.
A few things to work on:
Arm swing. Driving your arms up aggressively helps lift your whole body. Many athletes under-use their arms.
Countermovement depth. Dropping too far or too shallow can limit you. Every athlete is different. Find the depth that feels fast and powerful for YOU.
Full extension. Finish the jump by pushing through the floor as aggressively as possible. INTENT IS EVERYTHING!
Active feet. Push off the ground hard and pull your toes to the sky while in the air
Bonus tip: Film yourself, especially if you are alone. This is extremely helpful in seeing things you may not feel, and then you can use it to make corrections.
4. Build the Hips, Hamstrings, and Ankles
Jumping is not only a quad exercise. The glutes and hamstrings drive hip extension, and the calves and ankles deliver the final push off the ground.
Build your posterior chain strong with hinges, glute bridges, and hamstring work. Build lower leg stiffness with calf raises, isometric holds, jump rope, and low-level hopping drills like pogo jumps. Strong, springy ankles help you transfer force efficiently and also reduce the risk of common lower-leg injuries.
5. Recover and Manage Your Volume
Most athletes who struggle to improve their vertical aren't doing too little. They're doing too much, too often, without enough rest.
Jumping is demanding on the nervous system and the joints. Piling on hundreds of jumps a week, especially on top of practices and games, leads to tired legs and poor performance. Instead:
Keep high-intensity jump sessions short and to the point (10-15 minutes or 15-20 total jumps)
Leave at least a day or two between hard jump sessions
Progress into more advanced jumps gradually
Prioritize sleep and adequate food, since both support power and recovery
If your legs feel heavy and your jumps are getting worse, that's a sign to back off, not push through.
A Simple Weekly Template
Here's one way to put it together:
Day 1: Lower body strength session paired with jumps (ex: Goblet Squat paired with box jumps)
Day 2: Upper focused lift with medicine ball throws
Day 3: Rest or light activity
Day 4: Lower body strength session paired with jumps (ex: RDLs paired with high hurdle jumps)
Day 5: Full body strength session with low intensity plyos (pogos, hurdle hops, jump rope)
Days 6 and 7: Rest, sport practice, or easy movement
Adjust this around your sport schedule, age, and training experience.
How Fast Will It Improve?
Gains vary a lot. Athletes who are new to training often see quick improvements, while more experienced athletes progress more slowly. Test your vertical every few weeks under the same conditions so you can see real changes instead of guessing.
The Bottom Line
Improving your vertical is not about a secret exercise. It's about getting strong, training explosiveness, refining technique, supporting your hips and ankles, and recovering well. Be patient, stay consistent, and the numbers will follow.
