For this part of the physical fitness assessment, it is important that you do a good upper and lower body stretch. Be sure to include a good stretching of the Achilles tendon. Do the shoulders and the arms, and bend to each side with your arm above your head - right arm up, bend to the left and visa-versa. This will stretch your intercostal muscles. Preventing injuries to the intercostal muscles can save you six weeks of intense pain. I’ve had four gnarly injuries to my intercostal muscles. It hurts a lot for a long time.
Here is a break dancer, showing some basic stretches for the lower body. The kid does a good job–he isn’t super-flexible either, so it should be easy to copy what he does. But remember . . . know your own limitations.
After the stretch, do a few squats. This will warm up the muscles that you will be using for this test. After six to ten squats, take three practice jumps at about one half your total power. Maybe a couple more and you are ready to test.
Now use your own ingenuity to figure out how to measure your jump. Maybe you could stand near a wall, stretch your arm as high as you can reach and make a mark with chalk. Then, while still holding the chalk, jump as high as you can and make another arc at the peak of your jump.
I like the idea of joint in an open arc better. I may try it by hanging a string. It may take a few tries to " tune it in", but what I think is good about this is that it can be used as the trainer to build explosive leg strength. Simply hang a nail by a string. As you are able to vertically jump higher and higher then you can keep winding the string around the nail.
For the purposes of the physical fitness assessment, take your best out of three or four jumps. This isn’t only about strength, it is also about technique. Here is a tip: If you swing your arms from down to up as you spring up, if timed correctly can give you a little extra lift.
For purposes of a workout to train to build your explosive leg power, but also train to increase overall strength and endurance of your entire lower body, here is a simple work out:
I can’t emphasize enough how intense a workout you will get from jumping rope. The springing action in the calves will carry over to the vertical jump. Explosive muscle strength comes into play both in the thighs and the calves. Here is an article I did on that favorite exercise.
You know jumping rope isn’t just for little girls. Wouldn’t it be cool to get a bunch of adults together, kind of like a "spin" class, yet it’s all jump rope… Like the kind where a person gets on each end of a rope . . . or two ropes if it’s Double Dutch. Music cranked, in sync with the tempo of the jump rope. Check this video out. Who says "white girls can’t jump?"
Squats round off the lower body workout. Men have been known to squat 1000 pounds.
What can the girls do? This is a tiny girl doing almost double her body weight, which puts her on par with the 400+ pound guy who did 1000.
But if you can do a set of fifteen without weight on your shoulders and still be able to walk the next day, then you are doing awesome! If you haven’t done any exercise in over a year, I warn you: Wade in slowly! Your leg muscles will put out the energy you demand. They may only feel a little noodley after you’re done. But wait twenty four hours . . . you’ll be hurtin’ for certain! The lactic acid buildup from the tearing and surprise use of the muscles will cause a very achy pain, like a big bruise, all over your upper legs and glutes. Just start out with a set of fifteen. Add a set each workout until you get to three. Then increase the reps you do in each set by ten to twenty percent. Take enough time to heal between days that you do squats. Wait until you are no longer sore before you do another set of squats. Before you know it you’ll be doing them with weight on your shoulders!
Walking is great exercise for the legs especially when the walk includes stairs or steep uphill grades. Run an errand on foot once in a while. Or don’t bother to look for the closest parking spot. Take a spot as fat away ad you can and walk. Even bring the cart back to get in another lap before driving off.
Now the best way to train to improve the distance you can raise your body off the ground by the vertical jump . . .Is by doing the vertical jump! Practice it. Maybe keep that nail on a string in a place where you can take a couple tries at it on your way to check the mail. Set it about an inch higher than your last best jump. Keep going from there until you reach it again. See how much you can improve in only seven weeks. Remember, the more weight you loose the more height you gain without additional strength needing to be developed.
If this Factoid is too basic for you, check out this serious vertical jump trainer . . . Jacob has put a lot of effort into mastering the increase of explosive leg power. He also explains the difference between jumping endurance, compared to explosion: strength plus quickness.
