How to Grow a Pair of Wings: A Guide on Increasing Vertical Jump

You’ve just picked up a sport that you’ve been itching to try. That could be anything—football, basketball, volleyball, or even badminton. You start to play it for a bit, getting a feel of the sport, and you decide that you like it, and even want to pursue it further. 

However, there’s a major hurdle you can’t seem to get over. In volleyball, you can’t spike the ball because your hand doesn’t even clear the net. You can’t even pick up rebounds on the basketball court because your opponent simply grabs the ball away over your head. Guess what? You’re not jumping high enough. You have absolutely ZERO explosiveness. It almost seems as if every jump, gravity pulls you right back down. It’s a crushing feeling— not being able to enjoy your sport.

So, how do we fix this issue? The answer isn’t some complicated meal plan or Spartan training programme. It’s jump training—also referred to as plyometrics. 

What are plyometrics?

Plyometrics are short and intense bursts of explosive movements aimed at increasing the vertical jump (Solan, 2023). Typically, this involves having your muscles exert maximum force in short intervals, which can be done through various types of movements, such as jumping, dropping and landing from a ledge, or bounding from side to side. Plyometric exercises take advantage of the stretch-shortening cycle of muscles, combining a rapid stretch (eccentric phase) followed immediately by a contraction (concentric phase).

The purpose of this type of training is to: 

• Increase rate of force generation - to generate the most amount of force in the least amount of time.

• Increase power output

• Improve agility and vertical jump

• More efficient muscle contractions - requiring less energy to perform the same movement

• Better control during the starting or stopping of movements

• Decreased risk of injury to the joints and muscles - they learn how to absorb the impact and transfer it into something productive

(Fletcher, 2022)

How do I get started?

Great question! Getting started isn’t as big of a hurdle as you might think. Here are three simple exercises, performed either with no equipment or an elevated surface (box). You can do these at home or at a gym.

Jump Squat

A jump squat is an explosive bodyweight squat to build power.

• Begin in a squat position, feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent

• Lower your body into a quarter-squat

• Explode upward, jumping as high as possible

• Swing your arms overhead

• Land on your toes first to absorb the impact

• Return to the squat position and repeat

Box Jumps

A jump onto an elevated surface (box) to improve explosive power and coordination.

• Stand in front of a box, feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent

• Box should be stable

• Swing your arms and jump explosively onto the box, landing softly with both feet

• Stand tall on the box, then step back down one foot at a time

• Repeat while maintaining control and balance

Depth Jumps

Dropping down from a box in a controlled manner, with a jump to improve reactive strength and power.

• Start by standing on a box or platform, feet shoulder-width apart

• With one foot, lead yourself to the ground as you step off the box (don’t jump) and land softly on the ground

• Immediately jump upward explosively as soon as you land

• Rinse and repeat

• Focus on minimizing the time spent on the floor

Reference List

Fletcher, J. (2022). How and why to train plyometrics. [online] Medicalnewstoday.com. Available at: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/plyometrics#benefits [Accessed 28 Apr. 2025].

Solan, M. (2023). Plyometrics: Three explosive exercises even beginners can try - Harvard Health. [online] Harvard Health. Available at: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/plyometrics-three-explosive-exercises-even-beginners-can-try-202308022960 [Accessed 28 Apr. 2025].