Vertical Jump Worship

By and large, the vertical jump defies almost any other human physical movement when it comes to both dance and sports. In quite a few sports along with dancing, the athlete or dancer's ability to jump will often become the measure of their success. Believe it or not -- ballet, as well as basketball and volleyball's use of the vertical jump are legendary. Overall athletic ability of both athletes and dancers has a direct correlation to their vertical jumping. The National Football League, where prospective players are subjected to various physical tests, requires every player to be tested for both vertical leaps and 40-yd (37 m) sprints, irrespective of the position played.

From a standing jump, the highest point that an athlete or dancer can touch minus the touch from a standing position is defined as their own vertical jump measurement. Flaws in vertical jump height are often recorded because the dancer or athlete is allowed to take one or more steps right before they jump. This is incorrect vertical jumping height measurement protocol.

Vertical jump exercises target vertical jumping muscles in the same way one targets other muscular regions of their body with specific exercises. 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. You're born with the distribution of these two kinds of fibers... Their distribution within a dancer or athlete's leg muscles is based entirely on DNA. Speed requires rapid muscle contraction and rapid muscle contraction is determined by the quantity of fast-twitch fibers in an athlete or dancer's leg muscles. The bottom line is this... The more fast-twitch fibers one has, the more speed they can develop.

Plyometrics is vastly considered to be the best jumping development exercise strategy. Plyometrics emphasizes explosive movement and speed which usually consists of the following exercises... Hopping, bounding, and jumping drills. Performing exercises at maximum intensity is the object of any good plyometrics training program. To keep injuries from occurring, athletes and dancers should implement plyometrics training with caution when it comes to progressing from one level to the next. 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 serves both athlete and dancer in maintaining an approximate 3:2 ratio in their relative strength of the quadriceps to the hamstring.

If an athlete or dancer incorporates adequate resting with his or her plyometric training program, increases in vertical jump height by as much as 4 to 10 inches is entirely within their grasp within 90 days.