Free advice regarding vertical jump training is everywhere. It seems that almost everyone is an expert. Especially coaches, as well as athletes with really good hops. All of which is a strong indicator that when there are that many know-it-alls around, most of them really do not know much.Sometimes just a little bit of information, even when one hundred percent accurate, can become fundamentally counter productive. Far too many of those experts out there suffer from a simple problem: they do not know what they do not know. That can become a real negative.The focus of this article is on two of the key factors involved in the development of a much higher jump reach. The information is based in science and long time experience and is taken from a well established jump training expert.It is important to note up front that these key factors are but just two of all of the major factors that must be addressed and trained on in order to achieve huge improvement in vertical leap. So this information is just but a smaller part of what is required to get way better. Never-the-less, these are keys.The first centers around a concept that is commonly referred to as game speed. That would reference the intensity level that is not only required but also normally expended in the course of head to head athletic competition.
We are not talking warm-ups here. We are addressing the physical effort that it takes to win when the game is on the line and the score is being kept.It is amazing that there are many athletes who will practice their skills and fundamentals, their tactics and strategies, at less than full speed. As a matter of fact, there are a notable number of athletes who literally believe that practicing at one speed and playing at another is useful training. How foolish!In most sports, success is mostly based on reactive ability. Reactions are based upon habits. Habits are build in practice and become automatic through what seems like endless training. To train in half speed reactive ability is nonsensical. The habits that will manifest themselves in the heat of competition are those that are trained in during practice. Half speed training leads to half speed competitive reactive ability. A fools plan indeed.The old saying is spot on: As you practice, so do you play. In the case of vertical leap improvement, that means you most only train at levels of high intensity should you want to gain ten inches or more on your vertical. Literally each repetition of each and every exercise must be treated as a distinct and separate event. Since most training out there is to fatigue, this type of proper training seems counter intuitive. However, getting it right is critical.
The second key factor is the one most often overlooked. It is the matter of nutrition. So many athletes will skill train with an awareness of almost everything but nutrition. Yet everyone has to acknowledge that proper nutrition is fundamental to maximizing success. Real strength development takes place much more during meals than it does during workouts. Developing explosive strength is based upon the right nutrient and energy profile in your body, not upon the black iron in a weight room.The fact is that if most athletes maintained their current training program and changed nothing other than their nutrition, they would be dumb founded by their increased results. Good nutrition is central to developing big time hops and any vertical training program worth pursuing includes this very important component.Although this seems simple and should go without saying, most vertical jump reach development programs do not emphasize these two key factors. In fact, any program lacking either one of these (let alone both) is simply not worth pursuing. The link below leads to a program that has both components embedded within a very comprehensive approach to jump development. It is available for your review.Regardless of how you proceed, make sure to attend to the game speed and nutritional steps when training to grow better hops. Leave them behind and gaining ten inches or more on your vertical will border on impossible.