Skip Jump

This exercise is designed to increase one foot leaping ability. Do you remember skipping at recess back in kindergarten? This exercise is nothing but a series of power skips. The idea is to get a few steps running start, then leap into the air as high as you can off of one foot. Catch yourself on the same foot as you leap from, then bound forward and leap off of the other foot. Perform 6 to 8 leaps off of each foot.

Straight Leg Jump

The straight leg jump targets the calves and improves both quickness and leaping ability. The idea is to jump up and down as rapidly as possible, getting as high as possible, without bending your knees. By keeping your knees straight, the muscles of the upper leg can’t participate in your leap, forcing the calves to do all of the work. To really make this exercise work for you, you have to get your upper body involved. Explode up with your arms and torso with each bounce off of your calves. You can perform as many as 20-25 reps of this exercise per set since the calves take far longer to fatigue than other muscles.  Perform 3 sets.

Line Jump

The line jump is like jumping rope without a rope. Find a line on a field or court – any line will do – and simply jump across it as quickly as possible. Do this from side to side and back and forth.

Start off doing this exercise on both feet, and eventually work up to doing it on one foot. Jumping rope is similar to line jumping and a great form of plyometric exercise.


                                       Improving Quickness and Leaping Ability Program - Summary

Part One – Correct Alignment and Posture.

Follow the program in our Improving Posture and Alignment Tutorial.

Part Two- Develop Balance.

While you’re working on perfecting alignment, start the balance exercises outlined above as well. After 4-8 weeks you should notice significant improvements in both posture and balance

Part Three – Strength Conditioning for the Core and Legs.

Start core conditioning at the same time you start parts one and two. As for leg training, It’s generally best to wait until gross postural defects are corrected before beginning serious leg exercises. Once you’ve addressed any major postural issues (you’ve gotten your feet and knees pointing straight, your hips are level, your spinal curvature is where it should be, etc…, read through the Improving Posture and Alignment Tutorial for the details) start squatting with weight. Look to do squats twice per week. Do 5-6 sets as indicated, starting light and finishing heavy.

Train calves and hamstrings as well as squats for strength using the exercises indicated. Ideally you should do 6 to 10 weeks of strength conditioning for your legs before moving on to explosive training.

Part Four- Develop Explosive Power. A well aligned, balanced, strong body provides a base for building power. Six weeks before your season starts, start squatting explosively as explained above. Make your calf and hamstring exercises explosive as well. Begin performing plyometrics. Choose 3 to 5 of the plyometrics listed above, being sure to include either the straight leg jump or line jump exercise (or you can substitute jumping rope) to condition your calves. Perform a plyometric routine 3 times per week, once after you do squats, hamstrings, and calves (yes, you’ll be a bit tired, but you’ll still get a lot out of the workout) and twice when well rested. At this point you’ll only be performing squats and most other traditional leg exercises once per week to avoid overtraining.

Bringing it All Together:

Alignmnet, Balance, Strength, Power – this is a sure fire formula for a high performance injury-proof body. Fuel your body with the right foods (see Simple Enjoyable Healthy Eating and Eating for Performance), and complement your training in the gym with “mental practice” through visualization (check out The Power of Visualization) and you’ll be well on your way to a stronger, faster, more explosive game.