People jump for different reasons. They jump because they are surprised, excited, angry, or trapped on one side of a rain-filled gutter. Although almost all of your muscles contribute at least a little bit to a jump, some muscles play a bigger role than others. If you want to jump higher, simply train the muscles that play the biggest role in jumping and they will help you get those extra inches off the ground. In our previous blog we introduced the movements and muscles that do the most work every time you jump. In today's blog we take a closer look at the exercises you can do to strengthen the most important jumping muscles.
Heupbuigers
All jumps start here. When you move your thigh toward your abdomen, it is called hip flexion. This means that when you squat before you jump, you flex your hip joints. As you begin to stretch and swing toward the sky, use your hip flexors. They are small muscles, but they are important when it comes to explosive movements such as jumping or sprinting.
- How to Strengthen Your Hip Flexors:Lie on your back. Keep your legs straight and raise and lower them one at a time in a controlled manner. Make sure to keep your lower back pressed against the floor and keep your abdominal muscles tight. Doing this ensures that your hip flexors do the work without bending your spine.
Calves
You have two large muscles on each of your calves. One is at the front and the other is at the back. The gastrocnemius is located at the back of your leg and provides the typical calf shape that we are used to. The soleus is located at the front of your leg. When you leave the ground and push off with your toes, both muscles work as a team to give your feet the best pushing force.
- How to strengthen your calves: You can do a heel raise while standing, but if you are training to jump, we recommend jumping rope or tuck jumps. These two exercises will increase your strength while training your muscles to deliver the explosive force you need to jump.
Hamstrings
If you've ever pulled a hamstring, you know how powerful these muscles are... and how important they are for virtually every movement of your legs. The hamstrings are located at the back of your thighs and balance the powerful quadriceps muscles at the front of your thighs. They activate when your thigh moves back or your knee bends and your heel moves toward your butt. When you jump, all three parts of the hamstring are activated, especially in the explosive phase.
- This is how you strengthen your hamstrings:You can do squats to strengthen your hamstrings, but if you want to train them even more, lunges are a good option.
Quadriceps
These large muscles in the front of your thighs do a lot of work every time you jump. When your legs are bent and you start to fly into the air, the quads pull most of your weight. The stronger and better adapted to explosive movements they become, the higher you can jump. We definitely want to mention that you need to train your muscles to be explosive; strength alone is not enough.
- How to Strengthen Your Quadriceps:Squats are very effective at strengthening your quads. You can incorporate jumps into your squat routines to get that explosive workout too!
Some people jump for a living. Although we can't all be so lucky,you have options!Go to Rebounderz Trampoline Parks in Sterlingfor some jump training and fun today!
FAQs
It is known that jumping on a trampoline differs from plyometric training as it is not just a cycle of extension and contraction movements, but is performed on an elastic base. In this study, there was a 13.55% improvement in vertical jump distance, and this improvement was statistically significant.
How long should you jump on a trampoline for a workout? ›
Just remember to take it easy at first start with 10 minutes of simple jumping. Try to increase the frequency of your bounces to get your heart rate up, because robust bouncing for 10 minutes should have the same effect on your body as running or jogging for 30 minutes.
What happens if you jump on a trampoline every day? ›
One of the major trampoline exercise benefits is it can significantly improve your heart health and cardiovascular system. Trampoline jumping can help lower your resting heart rate, cholesterol levels and triglyceride levels, all important to maintaining a healthy heart, according to Exercise Coordinator Lori Lyons.
What body part makes you jump higher? ›
“Your calves, your hamstrings, your quadriceps, your glutes—these are the muscles that help propel your body upward when you jump,” says Antoni. “Your calves help with stability and ankle extension. Your hamstrings help extend your hips and flex your knees, and your quads help you have a strong takeoff.”
How high should you jump on a rebounder? ›
Health Bounce Technique:
When bouncing, avoid bouncing too high or out of control (feet should never leave more than two inches off mat) and keeping the head erect and the eyes forward. Keeping low will better control the bounce.
Can you lose belly fat by jumping on a trampoline? ›
Here's how trampolining works as a workout:
It helps you burn calories, which is essential for overall fat loss, including belly fat. Low-Impact Exercise: Trampolining is gentle on the joints, making it suitable for individuals of various fitness levels.
Is 20 minutes of rebounding enough? ›
How Long Should I Rebound? Once you're past the beginner's stage into rebounding, we'd recommend a 10 minute exercise twice every day. According to NASA, a 20-minute rebounding session can be as effective as a 30-minute jog.
What do 10 minutes on a rebounder do? ›
In a classic study by NASA Scientists, they found that jumping on a trampoline for 10 minutes is a better cardiovascular workout than running for 33 minutes. In the same study, NASA Scientists concluded that trampolines were 68% more effective than jogging yet require less effort.
What are the cons of rebounding? ›
But those that have spine conditions like Degenerative Disc Disease, Osteoporosis, Sciatica or a pinched nerve should probably stay away from consistent trampoline jumping. Particularly when rebounding, your spinal tissues stretch and compress concurrently, which can put additional pressure on your discs.
Is rebounding better than walking? ›
Rebounding has much less impact on joints and soft tissue than other exercises. When bouncing, pressure is more distributed throughout the body, whereas when walking or running, the pressure is mainly on the ankles.
Rebounding is a great low-impact exercise that's fun and different. In just 15–20 minutes a day, you can burn calories, gain muscle strength and enhance your balance while improving your immune system — and helping turn on the afterburn effect.
Is there a secret to jumping higher? ›
The secret to jumping high is found in physics. Increasing your vertical jump comes down to one simple concept: Increase your overall power-to-body weight ratio. If you can do this, your vertical jump will scientifically have to increase.
Can you train yourself to jump higher? ›
You can increase your vertical jump by focusing on both strength and speed training.
Does jumping on a trampoline make you taller? ›
Helping bones grow longer through stretching, eating a nutritious diet, and getting plenty of Vitamin D, may indeed make you look taller. Although jumping on a trampoline alone won't make you any taller, there are still plenty of reasons why it's good for you.
Is jumping on a trampoline for 10 minutes good? ›
It may be fun, but this workout can burn a serious amount of calories. Due to its low impact nature, a 10 minute trampoline session can burn the same amount of fat as a 30 minute run. That's up to 1,000 calories an hour.
What actually makes you jump higher? ›
The secret to jumping high is found in physics. Increasing your vertical jump comes down to one simple concept: Increase your overall power-to-body weight ratio. If you can do this, your vertical jump will scientifically have to increase.
What is jumping on a trampoline for 10 minutes equivalent to? ›
Time Saver
A NASA study found that 10 minutes of jumping on a trampoline is the equivalent of a 30 minute run. The fact is exercising on a trampoline take less time than running. If you're a busy parent who struggles to find time to exercise you can go for a quick jump right in your backyard!
