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While jumping high is not as essential to basketball success as the NBA highlights insinuate, adding a little extra spring to your vertical leap can give your overall game a boost. Although popular opinion dictates that jumping ability is genetically inherent, any dedicated athlete can significantly improve their vertical leap by training specifically to build explosive strength.

STRETCHING:
Always prepare for any type of workout by stretching thoroughly for at least 15 minutes. By exercising without stretching, it is possible to develop muscles that are too tight, and this bad for two reasons. First and most importantly, overly tight muscles can cause the body to be more susceptible to variety of injuries including muscle pulls, strained or torn tendons, or even bone problems such as shin splint and microfractures. Second, cuts your explosive strength by forcing the body to work against its own resistance, wasting precious energy that could be used boost you even closer to the rim. Focus on stretching the hamstrings, calves, quadriceps, but don't neglect the back and shoulders. They also play a role in mechanics of jumping and should be loose as well. Always remember that flexibility is as important as strength.

BUILDING STRENGTH:
Weight training will improve your vertical significantly by allowing you to exert more upward force by using stronger muscles. Here, the main muscle groups to targets are the quadriceps and calves. Many players focus primarily on developing the calf muscles, but the majority of the lift comes from the much more powerful quads. Use standing and seated calf raises to work the calves, and strengthen the quads by using compound movements such barbell squats, lunges and cleans. If you are new to weightlifting, make sure to consult a qualified trainer or coach on the proper technique for these movements. Don't settle for textbook descriptions or the typical "start-finish" pictorials that are found in bodybuilding magazines. The difference between safe, effective form and wasteful, possibly injurious technique lies within many minute details that need to be explained and often demonstrated to fully grasp. Start off using light weights until you become comfortable with each movement. Ideally, it's good to use a weight that allows you to do three sets of eight to ten repetitions at a moderate pace. Don't go so fast that you bounce in and out of the repetitions because there is a high chance of injuring the knees or back this way. On the same

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