| By :
Glenn Devey
Answering the question of how to increase your vertical doesn't need to be as difficult as you may have thought. Mastery is possible through identifying the correct steps, drilling them in good form and measuring your progress. Let's take a look at a couple of tested methods that you can use today. To begin with, you need to visualize where you are and where you want to be. Take a moment to approach your basketball hoop and give your best possible jump. Repeat this in your mind and close your eyes as you imagine you are reaching your goal. Try assuming that you're lighter than you are actually. Then open your eyes and do another powerful jump. You might have noticed that you saw an increase, and in all likelihood it might be attached to how you swung your arms. When we get excited and motivated we have an arm swing we do that helps to propel our bodies up slightly higher. While it won't get us a matter of feet you will certainly notice a few inches in improvement. Another important factor is flexibility. This way the body begins to become more pliable and provide more elasticity to perform the leap. When you focus on stretching the flexibility in both the legs and the glutes, it is almost certain that you will become limber in no time at all. Since you are looking for how to increase your vertical, you will understand how important strength will be in this process as well. The majority of your explosive force will originate in your legs, so be certain to build the maximum strength possible in your lower body. As they increase in power the amount of height you can get in a jump increases as well. If there is room in your backyard, you might consider adding a trampoline to it. With this you can practice your jumping and prepare yourself for better landings as well. If possible, add a medicine ball to the mixture - this is a great way to help build your leg muscles and practice toward your goals as well. As mentioned earlier there is something of merit to strengthening your ankles and calves, but you need to build your toe muscles as well. Since they are essentially what you will spring off of, it is vital that you take the time to build them up so they can give you more lift. A great way to start is with toe curls and crunches. As you begin to increase the muscle in them with this method, begin to push up and stay on your toes for about ten seconds. When you do this on a regular basis, you begin to increase the amount of weight that they can project and soon you find you can increase your vertical leap better. Essentially, you will find practice and persistence are going to be the best allies you have in this process. While we all want instant results, some processes do take time. Give yourself time to repair and grow, and then accurately measure your performance once per week. You should begin to see results within a matter of days and reach your peak in no time at all. When you are jumping at your own personal max, there will a huge sense of satisfaction and achievement at having done so.
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