Jump Higher for Basketball

Picture this. You're playing a neighborhood superiority-deciding basketball game. With 5 seconds to run on the clock you have a clear path to the opponent's hoop and the scores are tied. If you make this shot you'll be the toast of your team and neighborhood for weeks. To rub it in, you decide to go for a mega dunk but as soon as your feet leave the ground you realize that you've blown it and you can barely even reach the board, thus ending up with cake on your face. To avoid such a scenario and many other similarly sticky situations learn how to jump higher for basketball.

It pays to remember that the first step to be able to do so is to build your overall stamina and strength and more specifically, the group of muscles in your legs. You can easily locate a bunch of plyometric exercises and simple exercises that are designed to greatly improve your leap and make your basketball jump higher. The best part about the exercises to jump higher for basketball is that you can do them at home.

These are the muscles that you need to concentrate on building, in order to achieve your goal.

Calf Exercises
The force of your jump will be determined by the strength in your calves. For this you need to be the proud owner of a great pair of calves. If you're at the gym, focus on calf raises and toe rises. Start with about 50-100 per day depending on your fitness level, but slowly increase the number. Aim to reach a target of about 400 calf raises and about 300 toe rises. Make sure that your heels do not touch the ground. Use as heavy a weight as possible. If the gym is not for you, then stand on your toes and walk around for a few minutes. Repeat this throughout the day. If you can walk backwards while on your toes, even better. Jump up and down on one spot for as long as you can. If you own a jump rope, use it. The best method is to go for a run. Follow a strict regime and stick to it regularly and you'll begin to see results as your explosive jumping ability will improve.

Thigh Exercises
Next come your thighs. Start off with doing squats every single day. Begin with a set of 50 and then increase the intensity as you begin to get used to it. Again running will also help strengthen your thigh muscles.

Plyometric Exercises
To achieve this, stand with your feet spread apart. Straighten out your arms ahead with your palms facing down and jump up as high as you can. This will increase your ability to perform a standing jump. If you wish to master a running jump then try that in open space. Make sure both your feet are on the ground before you take off. This is one of many basketball drills to jump higher.

Abdominal Exercises
The strength of your abs will also influence the height of your jump immensely. The arch between your back and your abdominal muscles plays a key role in being able to jump higher for basketball. Perform a number of crunches and leg raises all day in order to strengthen your upper abs as well as lower abs. More on abdominal exercises.

Cardiovascular Exercises
Cardiovascular exercises like running, cycling, and swimming are a must in order to improve your overall stamina and general fitness. More on cardiovascular exercises.

Weight Training
Lastly, you must start weight training in order to build general muscle mass in your body and perform tasks that seemed superhuman to you previously. This is in addition to your basketball workouts to jump higher. Remember, it's not the amount of repetitions that you do but the weight you lift that makes the difference. Supplement these exercises with a balanced diet and watch the difference in a couple of weeks. Remember to also take a break once or twice in a week so as to let your muscles recover. This period of rest is when the muscles actually start developing.

Being able to jump higher for basketball is not as difficult as it may seem but it does require a lot of sincerity, patience and hard work from your side. The most important thing to remember is to have a great time, stay positive and be honest to yourself and the rest will follow suit. Now picture all that I spoke of, again, but the difference is that this time you pulled off a superb slam dunk and made the other team look like absolute amateurs. One small step for your team, one giant leap for you.