Every athlete I train undergoes an initial evaluation and then periodical re-evaluations every 6 weeks to monitor progress. A few of the things we test are squat strength, deadlift strength, vertical jump, 20 yd dash, 5-10-5 agility test, and broad jump. Having measured all these things hundreds of times, I’ve started to notice some interesting patterns and come to realize that the broad jump might be the best indicator of overall athletic ability.
Archive for the ‘Jump Training’ Category
Good Broad Jump = Good Athlete
Posted: December 3, 2013 in Jump Training, Speed, TrainingTags: broad jump, explosiveness, glutes, hip extension, posterior chain, power, speed, sprint
The Basics of Vertical Jump Training
Posted: May 22, 2013 in Jump Training, TrainingTags: jump training, leg strength, power, vertical jump
Having a good vertical jump can be a huge asset for any athlete, regardless of sport. Even if your sport doesn’t involve much jumping, improving your vertical jump has a carryover effect to running speed and overall explosiveness. For football, basketball, and volleyball players, the vertical jump is also one of the first “measurables” that scouts and college coaches look at when evaluating talent, so not only will the ability to jump high help you succeed in your sport, it will make you more valuable to the people that decide who gets to play on their teams.
Given the importance of having a good vertical jump, you’d think that more trainers would know how to put together a program to improve one’s vert. However, this is not really the case. (more…)