How to Increase Your Vertical Leap - Understanding Your Body

People like Michael Jordan give us this "illusion" ofWhen learning how to increase vertical leap their is
flight or extended hang time, is it possible for mana huge amount of stress placed on the muscles
to fly? Well no. Is it possible to learn how toof the athlete as they are often overloaded
increase vertical leap? Certainly! When we want to(which means to push the body to do more than
learn how to increase vertical leap we first needit is already). The most important thing about
to understand our body. How it operates, whatwhen overloading a athlete is to avoid injury by
it's made of and how it works. Your body weightensuring their training program for vertical leap is
on average consists of 40-50% muscles, andappropriate to their ability and fitness level. When
there are 3 muscles groups which are;I refer to fitness for how to increase vertical leap
- Skeletal musclesI am talking about 4 distinct areas and they are;
- Cadiac muscles and1. Cardiovascular (aerobic) endurance:
- Smooth MusclesThis type of fitness is achieved through regular
Now there are a couple other muscle groupsaerobic exercises that requires repetitive
when you break down even further but they aremovement on large muscles groups over a
not important to learn at the moment. The majorextended period of time. E.g. jogging, swimming,
muscles group we want to focus on whenrunning, skipping and playing sports such as
learning how to increase vertical leap is thebasketball, soccer / football and rugby.
skeletal muscle as it helps the body move. The2) Muscle Strength:
skeletal muscles can be defined into 2 distinctTheir are 3 different types of muscles strength
groups;that are required when learning how to increase
- Fast-Twitch muscles andvertical leap they are limit, explosive and reactive
- Slow-Twitch musclesstrength. These different types of strength help
Now there is often to much or not enoughto improve vertical leap in different aspects.
emphasis placed on these 2 different types of3) Muscle Endurance:
muscles when learning how to increase verticalWhen learning how to increase vertical leap
and honestly that is not your fault, you cannot bemuscle endurance is important to continually be
helped if you have not been educated properly soable to keep your vertical to a maximum during
I am trying to set the record strait about howgame time. Muscle endurance refers to the ability
fast and slow twitch muscles and how theyof your muscles to repeat the same movement
affect your vertical leap when you are learningover a certain period of time. Your muscle
how to increase vertical leap.endurance level will increase as you continue to
One of the biggest myth's that many peopleexercise them and increase their strength. This is
believe when they are learning how to increasebecause the muscles learn to burn energy more
vertical leap is that genetically African or Africanefficiently thus reducing lactic acid levels, which
American people have a higher ratio ofmeans you can endure overloading training for
fast-twitch muscles to slow-twitch muscles thenlonger periods of time.
anyone else in the world. It is not true that4) Joint Flexibility:
African or African American people have a higherWhen learning how to increase vertical leap it is
ratio of fast twitch to slow twitch muscles.important to ensure that you have a good range
However it is true that you are born with aof motion. This not only helps you to jump higher
certain number of fast-twitch and slow-twitchbut also to prevent injury. The Range Of Motions
fibers and this cannot be change.(To my extent(ROM) a muscle or joint can undergo is limited by
of knowledge, although I am not a sportsthe joint's structure and surrounding connective
physician or analyzer.) However it's not just howtissue (ligaments, tendons and muscle fibers). You
many fast-twitch fibers you have in your bodyknow those isolated stretches your basketball
that can help you learn how to increase verticalcoach tells you to do, well they not only decrease
leap, the size of these fast-twitch muscles alsoyour injury rate but it also increase your vertical
has an affect on how high you can jump. You areleap as it allows the muscle to retain more force
able to increase the size of your fast-twitch fiberswhen you squat before your jump. Bet you don't
with hardwork, determination and proper gymthink stretching is so stupid after all now.
training.