Sport-specific Training Drills for Basketball

The definition of a vertical jump is the difference between your standing reach and your jumping reach. Your standing reach is how high you can reach standing with one arm above your head and both feet flat on the floor. Your jumping reach is the height you can achieve by jumping straight up from a standing position without taking a step. Measure your vertical jump before you start this program, then measure it again after a couple of weeks. I guarantee your vertical jump will increase.

STRENGTH AND POWER
Because a vertical jump is an explosive movement, both power and strength are necessary.

The best strength exercises for developing a better vertical jump are squats, lunges, and step-ups. These three movements are what're known as compound movements, meaning they work across two joints - both the knee and the hip joints. Utilizing these compound movements will help you work all the muscles involved in jumping simultaneously and thoroughly.

Power exercises are movements that are explosive and quick. Jumping itself is explosive and quick in nature, so utilizing exercises like power cleans and weighted box jumps are ideal, because they mimic the motions involved in jumping.

With this in mind, let's look at the next extremely important thing: how to perform these exercises correctly.

THE STRENGTH EXERCISES
1. DUMBBELL SQUATS
Squats are perhaps the best exercise for developing leg and hip strength - the essentials for vertical jumping. At the same time, however, squats are also one of the most often ill-performed movements. Make sure to read the instructions below carefully, and concentrate on your form. Doing squats incorrectly will not only limit your jumping ability, but may also lead to injury.
-- Starting Position: Your feet should be parallel, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, and two dumbbells should be grasped at your sides. Throughout the movement, keep your head forward, back straight, chest high, arms straight to sides, and feet flat on the floor. Concentrate on maintaining equal distribution of weight through your forefoot and heel.
-- Movement: Squat until your thighs are parallel to the ground, then extend your knees and hips and stand up straight again. Repeat.

2. STEP UPS
Now that you have completed the keystone movement, squats, it's important to move on to a supplementary movement that works the legs independently. Such a movement, like step-ups, will isolate each leg and ensure that both legs are worked to equal failure.
-- Starting Position: Stand with dumbbells grasped at your sides in front of a box or bench about 16 inches high. Keep your torso upright during this exercise, and remember that stepping a distance from the bench emphasizes the Gluteus Maximus; stepping close to the bench emphasizes the Quadriceps. It's a good idea to fluctuate between stepping close and far so that you're sure to work all the muscles we're targeting equally.
-- Motion: Standing in an upright position holding the dumbbells, step up with one foot onto the box or bench. Extend the knee and hip of the leg to stand up on the box or bench, and bring your second leg up beside the first. Return to the starting position by first stepping down with the second leg, then the first. Do all your reps with one leg, then switch and do the same with the other.

3. LUNGES
Like step-ups, lunges are ideal because they will work your legs independently, thus ensuring that both legs are worked equally to fatigue.
-- Starting Position: Your feet should be parallel, shoulder-width apart, and two dumbbells should be grasped at your sides. Throughout the movement, keep your head forward, back straight, chest high, arms straight to sides, and feet flat on the floor. Concentrate on maintaining equal distribution of weight through your forefoot and heel.
-- Motion: Step as far forward as possible without leaning forward and descend on your front leg until your front knee is at 90-degree angle. Extend the front leg to step back into the starting position. As with step-ups, perform all your reps with one leg, then switch to the other.

THE POWER EXERCISES

4. POWER CLEANS
Power cleans are an advanced movement, but they are also extremely effective if performed correctly. Be sure to study the movement described below and concentrate on your form. Use lighter weights at first to master the movement, then you can move on to heavier lifting.
-- Starting Position: Stand over a barbell with the balls of your feet positioned under the bar slightly wider than hip-width. Squat down and grip the bar with an over hand grip slightly wider than shoulder-width. Position your shoulders over the bar with your back arched tightly. Your arms are straight with your elbows pointed along the bar.
-- Motion: Pull the bar up off the floor by extending your hips and knees. As the bar reaches your knees, vigorously raise your shoulders while keeping the barbell close to your thighs. When the barbell passes mid-thigh, jump upward extending your body. Shrug your shoulders and pull the barbell upward, keeping the bar close to your body. Aggressively pull your body under the bar, rotating your elbows around the bar. Catch the bar on your shoulders while moving into a squat position. Hitting the bottom of the squat, stand up immediately.

5. WEIGHTED BOX JUMPS
Weighted box jumps are a type of exercise known as plyometric. The goal of plyometric exercises is power, not strength, so start with light weights, maybe 5 or 10 pounds in each hand.
-- Starting Position: Stand in front of a box that has at least a 2 foot by 2 foot landing surface. The box should be about 16 inches in height. Stand straight holding two light dumbbells in your hands.
-- Motion: Squat down and jump explosively upward onto the box. Concentrate on landing softly. Once you've achieved an upright position on the box, jump back down, never letting your hips go below your knees and concentrating on every jump. Repeat.

THE PROGRAM

Squats:
4 sets of 6-8 reps
Step-Ups: 3 sets of 10 reps per leg
Lunges:
3 sets of 12-15 per leg
Power Cleans: 4 sets of 8-10 reps
Weighted Box Jumps:
3 sets of 10 reps