Vertical Booster Pack
Single Leg Drop Jump With Dumbbells
Description: Hold two dumbbells, 10-25 lbs. in weight. Use 10 lbs. in the beginning until you are sure your joints are capable of absorbing a landing. Stand on a chair or plyo box (12″ in the beginning, then adjust to higher setting over time). Balance on 1 leg. Hop off and land on the same leg you were balancing on atop the chair or plyo box. Try to land on the ball of the foot.
Repeat until you complete 3 sets of 5 reps for each leg. Do this once a week. In later weeks, when you are sure your joints are strong enough, add weight and height as needed.
Do not participate in high impact activities such as jumping on a hard surface for 48 hours after completing this exercise.
Benefits: The single leg drop jump with dumbbells is a great way to stimulate the central nervous system. Stimulating the central nervous system with this exercise will increase neurofiber connectivity as well as stimulate neurfiber replication. Neurofibers tell an area of a muscle to contract. With more neurfibers connected to muscles for jumping, these muscles will contract faster, producing a higher jump over time.
Four Step Bound and Jump
Description: Start at the bottom of stairs. The four step bound and jump is executed by taking 4 bounding steps and finishing with a two legged jump. Try to make the exercise sport specific.
For example, in volleyball, for right handed hitters, step or bound with the right foot up two steps, then the left foot bounds up another two steps, and then drive step bound up three steps with the right leg, land the left leg up two steps and then do a two legged jump up more steps (as many as you are able).
In the video the athlete is just learning this exercise and moving carefully. Once you have the movements down, move explosively in your bounds and finish with an explosive two legged jump.
Benefits: This exercise works the posterior chain muscles and benefits the 4th step leg to transfer energy vertically into the jump better than if done on flat ground. The four step bound and jump both works the muscles involved in jumping plus it facilitates improving one’s technique for jumping in volleyball when hitting.
Pistol Squat on Bosu Ball Holding Weight (with both hands)
Description: Turn a bosu ball over with the bottom facing up. Stand with one leg on the bosu ball while holding a weight with both hands. Do a pistol squat, bending the knee and lowering the hips all the way down, then tighten the core and stand back up with the same leg. Keep the other leg in the air and in front of you as you lower. Do 3 sets of 9 on each leg.
Benefits: This exercise works the stabilizer muscles of the legs, the arms, and the core. One must be athletic to do this exercise. You can work up to doing this exercise on flat ground, no weights and even lowering to sit into a chair until your stabilizer muscles are ready to do this. You may not be athletic now, but when you can do this, it indicates you are very athletic.
Approach and Block Jump wearing Jump Soles and Portable Power Jumper
Description: Put jump soles and a portable power jumper. Do a standing block jump for 3 sets of 10 reps, maximum explosion. Do an approach jump for 3 sets of 10 reps, maximum explosion.
Benefits: The combination of jump soles and portable power jumper provide excellent resistance and muscle confusion while doing standing block jumps and a dynamic approach jump. The resistance works all the muscles involved with jumping in a way that teaches the body to more efficiently channel energy into a vertical jump. For example, if you bend at the waist too much while jumping, rather than bending the knees, your back will quickly tire out. This means you jump with your back too much and are likely losing kinetic energy from poor form. This combination of the jump soles and power jumper help you feel when you are working the correct muscles to jump higher.