Here at Rebounderz Lansdale, jumping is our passion. Whether it’s leaping across our Ninja Warrior Course, bouncing around in the trampoline park, or hitting a sick slam dunk, like Joel Embiid, on the SlamBall court, jumping is what we do. Maybe you’re unhappy with how high you can jump or you just want to get even better to impress your friends. With that in mind, we have four fun ways you can increase your vertical leap to help you get some elevation. Once you’re ready to show off your mad ups, come on over to Rebounderz and get jumping!

-Trigger Points

To get the most out of your leg muscles, it’s important that you take care of your trigger points (also known as muscle knots). Throughout your body are various trigger points that restrict the length of your muscle tissue, which reduces their potential energy and makes them weaker. To get rid of muscle knots, use a foam roller as a way to relieve them. When you use it, move slowly and focus on any tender spots until the knot releases. Spend 30 seconds on your calf, IT band, and quadriceps before repeating the process on the other leg. This will make your muscles more flexible, allowing for more freedom of movement.

-Bulgarian Split Squats

To build strength in your legs, try Bulgarian split squats. Stand a few steps away from a bench and put one foot behind you onto the bench (with the top of the foot touching the bench.) With a dumbbell in each hand, stand straight with your chest up. Lower yourself down until your back knee nearly touches the floor. With the heel of your foot that is on the floor, push yourself back up to a standing position to complete the rep. Three sets of eight reps per leg will help you greatly when you are trying to improve your leg strength.

-Depth Jumps

To do a depth jump, step off a box, then immediately jump up after touching the ground. This improves reaction time and teaches your lower body muscles to activate quickly for an explosive leap. Start off slow, with a box that is six to eight inches off the ground. Step off, jump as high as you can as soon as you hit the ground, with your arms outstretched overhead. Once you have safely landed, repeat the process. For your first week, do three sets of three reps, moving to four sets of three reps for week two, and five sets of three for the third week.

-Jumping Rope

The schoolyard favorite shouldn’t be relegated to the playground. Jumping rope is a simple yet effective way to improve your explosive power. Not only that, it’s a fantastic cardio workout, so it’s very helpful for your overall fitness. To see the best results, jump rope for 30 minutes, four to five days a week.

-Calf Raises

When Shaquille O’Neal played at Louisiana State University, he would do 1,000 calf raises before bed. After he started to do that, his vertical leap improved by a whopping 12 inches! Of course, we’re not saying that you have to do 1,000 calf raises. Adding this exercise to your routine is a great way to improve your leaping ability, and with no need for added weight or equipment, you can do this anywhere and anytime.

No matter what you’re looking to do with your improved jumping ability, there are many simple and fun ways to do it. All of the exercises we have listed here will also help your balance, which is a vital part of successful jumping. When you are ready to really get some airtime, come to Rebounderz in Lansdale!