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Two Tips on Jumping Higher in Basketball

Posted on May 13, 2010 at 10:25 AM

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Today, we want to give you a quick tip on increasing your vertical

jump and speed...

Many athletes focus on squats, sprints, lunges and many other types

of leg exercises to develop power. Most of these exercises target

the front thigh, the quadriceps muscle.

Infact, the quadriceps(front thigh) is the most frequently trained

and emphasized leg muscle, which also makes it the strongest...

But, the hamstring muscle, which is on the back of the thigh, is

one of the most under-trained leg muscles, and therefore its

usually weaker than it should be.

Most athletes don't know that the hamstrings(back thigh) are more

responsible for sprint speed & vertical jump than the quadriceps...

Thats right, powerful hamstrings mean a more powerful vertical jump

and blazing speed.

If you're not properly training this important muscle group, you're

missing out on serious gains.

Most athletes have much stronger quadriceps than hamstrings, which

is a major factor in limiting athletic potential.

To reach your highest athletic potential, the quadriceps and

hamstrings should be equally strong, and the way you can achieve

this is to focus on the following two exercises:

1) Stiff-Legged Deadlift: This exercise builds powerful hamstrings.

Its performed like a regular deadlift except the legs remain

straight and the knees are not bent.

2) Lying Leg Curls: Most gyms have a lying leg curl machine, in

which you lie down on your stomach and curl a given weight up

towards your butt.

Both of these exercises should be included in your workout routine,

with the goal of increasing the strength of your hamstrings...

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Basketball Conditioning Secrets

Posted on May 13, 2010 at 10:15 AM

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Its the 4th quarter, game on the line, competition getting tough...

Are you ready to show up and play like a star, or are you deadbeat

running out of energy?

It doesn't matter who played the better game in the 1st 3 quarters.

When it comes down to it, all that matters is what happens in the

end. You either win, or go home...

If you want to have energy, stamina and endurance at the end of

games, then you have to work on your overall basketball

conditioning.

Don't you wish that you could be as fresh & explosive at the end of

games as you are in the beginning?

Here are two secrets to basketball conditioning that are so simple

yet so deadly...

1) Sprint Training: FORGET running on the treadmill or around a

track for 20-30 minutes. Basketball players don't jog around on the

court...they run, they sprint, they work hard!

If you want to be an athlete, train like an athlete.

The best thing you can do to condition your body for basketball is

sprint training, in which you're doing 8-10 100 yard sprints at

about 75% maximum speed.

In other words, measure a distance of 100 yards and run it at about

75% of the highest speed that you can run. Your goal is to be *out

of breath* at the end of that run. This is VERY important. If

you're not out of breath, you haven't sprinted.

True sprinting means that in under 30 seconds you completely run

out of gas and you need to rest.

Now, you would sprint one time, rest for about 1-2 minutes, and

then do it again...for a total of 8-10 sets. The rest in between

each sprint helps you get your breath and energy back.

If you sprint train 3-4 times a week, your stamina and endurance

will improve dramatically.

The second secret to basketball conditioning is:

2) Jump Roping: Boxers and fighters jump rope for one reason,

because it gets them in shape...fast! Jump roping is one of the

best ways to improve your conditioning. By just doing a 10 minute

jump roping routine, you achieve the same benefit as jogging for

20-30 minutes...

And the nice thing is, you can jump rope at a low, medium and high

intensity pace. Its completely up to you, although we recommend a

medium intensity for a total of 8-10 minutes.

Jump roping also conditions your calves and it help you feel

quicker on your feet. To get the most of this great exercise, do it

at medium intensity for about 8-10 minutes, rest for 5-7 minutes,

and do it again for 8-10 minutes. So, you would do a total of 2

sets, 8-10 minutes each with a 5-7 minute rest in between. 4-5

sessions a week is more than enough.

Jump roping combined with sprint training is the ultimate way to

condition your body for basketball. It will help you gain stamina

and endurance, while making you quicker and faster.

Weight training and plyometrics, on the other hand, are great for

increasing power, and not for improving your overall conditioning.

If you want to be full of energy at the end of a tough game and

play like a star, start sprint training and jump roping today...

Don't forget to check out the BBall360 Store for all your basketball needs

MAIL TO: Email Bball360.com

How to Increase Playing Speed in Basketball

Posted on April 9, 2010 at 7:14 PM

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1.Speed of movement in short distances and limb strength are related; athletes with higher leg strength to body weight ratios also tend to sprint faster. You need to increase your leg strength while you maintain or decrease your weight.

Recommended exercise: Olympic Lift

Barbell Jerks. 3 to 6 sets. 66%-100% of one Rep Max. 3 - 5 repetitions. Rest 1.5 - 5 Min.

2.Your best exercises are strength training involving heavy weight, near-maximal muscle contractions, low repetitions, and full recovery between sets. These exercises have been shown to produce greater increases in the cross-sectional area of fast-twitch fibers than slow-twitch fibers.

Recommended exercise: Olympic Lift Barbell Clean. 3 to 6 sets. 66%-100% of one Rep Max. 3 - 5 repetitions. Rest 1.5 - 5 Min.

Don't forget to check out the BBall360 Store for all your basketball needs

Basketball Balance and Agility Workout

Posted on March 25, 2010 at 4:23 PM

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Okay, today we want to talk more about balance & agility and give

you the next set of exercises to do.

Remember, great balance & agility is one of the secrets of playing

better basketball. The 1st step is to improve your balance, and the

next step is increase your lateral quickness and improve your

ability to "twist and turn"...

Basketball involves a LOT of twisting and turning, you constantly

have to change directions, move your body, sprint hard and

decelerate quickly. All this movement can be very

difficult...unless you're an agile athlete.

One of the most important things you need to be able to do is to

rapidly decelerate, or to slow down quickly, while still being in

control...

On a strong drive or a sharp cut, you need to run fast but you ALSO

need to slow down quickly, or you might miss your target. Do the

following exercise to work on your deceleration:

>> 3-Point Sprint-n-Stop Exercise: Starting from the 3-point line,

quickly sprint towards the basket and try to stop yourself right

underneath the hoop within 2-3 steps.

Basically, to do this exercise correctly, you need to run as fast

as you can and right before reaching the hoop, you have three steps

to come to a complete stop right underneath the hoop.

*Important*: This exercise can be very tough on your knees and

back. Make sure to stretch properly and WARM-UP. Warm up by doing

light jogs until you break a sweat, and then do a couple of sprints

before performing the exercise.

The next exercise will help you develop better lateral movement and

quickness:

>> Side-Hops: Starting on two legs, hop from side-to-side

(right-to-left, left-to-right), landing on both legs. Don't cover

too much distance with your hopping, no more than 1-2 feet. The key

here is quick hopping. You want to hop side to side as quickly as

possible, without spending too much time on the ground...

Once you get a good feel of hopping on both legs, do one-legged

hops, so you're doing the same exercise but this time you're only

hopping side-to-side on only one leg. Make sure to do both your

right and left legs.

12-15 seconds completes one set, and perform no more than 3 sets.

*Important*: Once again, this exercise can cause injury if you

don't warm-up properly. Make sure to stretch, do a light jog, and

start off with slow hopping as a warm-up.

Don't forget to check out the BBall360 Store for all your basketball needs

Basketball Agility Workout

Posted on March 25, 2010 at 4:19 PM

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Some players make the game look easy...They handle the ball super

smooth, their footwork is sharp, their moves are like butter...it

seems as if basketball is part of their blood.

Don't you wish you played like one of these talented players?

If you want your footwork to be sharp, your moves to look smooth,

and your drive to be unstoppable, then you have to develop the

following 3 things:

- Agility

- Balance

- Body Control

The good news is, you can work on these things and make your

basketball game...a lot better!

Agility is the ability to change direction of the body quickly and

efficiently, while maintaining full control. Basketball players

have to be very agile, because they're required to cut, jump,

accelerate and stop while twisting and turning their bodies in all

different directions...

If you want to develop a great drive, you gotta have agility. The

1st step to developing agility is to improve your balance.

Improving your balance will not only help you stay on your feet,

but it will also help prevent injuries and increase quickness...

By working on your balance, you sharpen your neuromuscular

reflexes. Balance is simply the ability of the brain to connect

with your body, identify where you are in "space", and recruit the

right muscles at the right time to help you stay upright (not fall

over).

Basically, good balance means your mind has a great connection with

the nerves in your lower foot muscles. The better the mind-muscle

connection, the quicker you can react, the better your moves will be.

>> Here are two balance exercises you should start doing everyday:

1) One-Legged Stand: Stand on one leg, with your hands out to your

sides like an airplane, with your eyes open. Once you can maintain

balance on one leg for 60 seconds, then do this move with your eyes

closed. It'll be a LOT harder with your eyes closed...once you can

do it with your eyes closed for 60 seconds, move on to the

2nd exercise below:

2) Tippy-Toe Stand: Standing on one leg, rise up on the balls of

your feet, so that your heel is 6 inches off the floor. Your

balance should be on your toes and the balls of your feet. Balance

in this position on just one leg, with your eyes open. Once you can

do this for 60 seconds, try this move with your eyes closed, and

watch how hard it gets!

Make sure to do the above 2 exercises on both your right and left

leg.

We guarantee that by doing this, you'll notice an improvement in

your footwork, your quickness, and your moves.

Don't forget to check out the BBall360 Store for all your basketball needs

Basketball Dribbling Drill Workout

Posted on March 25, 2010 at 3:47 PM

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Hope you've been enjoying yourself and training hard at basketball.

If you've been following this newsletter, and practicing what you've

learned, you're DEFINITELY getting better. If you've been slacking

off, then ask yourself, "how badly do I want to be the best at

basketball?"

Today's email is short and quick. We want to show you 2 moves that'll

help you get faster, jump higher, and build endurance in your legs...

so you can play well at the beginning of the game all the way to the

end of the game.

Alright, here's the moves:

1) 2-ball Low Pounding: Start in a standing position and spread your

legs wider than your shoulders. Squat down by bending at the knees,

keeping your back straight. Now, grab two basketballs, one in each

hand, and pound both balls to the ground in between your legs.

Remember, the key is to stay low in your squatted position, and pound

the balls low and fast...

Stay in this position for atleast 45 seconds, and watch how much your

legs burn. PUSH yourself. This drill is designed to develop thigh

strength and endurance. Every couple of days, try to increase the

time. Never stop improving.

2) Explosive Squat Lay-ups: Start under the basket with a basketball.

Spread your legs wider than your shoulders, and hold the ball below

your waist. Now, squat down bending at the knees, keeping your back

straight. Squat down and touch the ball to the ground and then

EXPLODE up and do a lay-up. Do 10 lay-ups just like this and switch

to the other side of the hoop. Perform 2-3 sets on each side.

This drill will build explosiveness in your legs, improve your lay-ups,

and teach you how take it up strong. As you get better, add more

reps or sets to continue building endurance in your legs...

What did you notice about both the above drills?

Both drills emphasize getting low to ground by bending your knees.

We cannot emphasize this enough...staying low is the key to being

quick and explosive in basketball. You always want to maintain a bend

in your knees, never keeping them straight.

Don't forget to check out the BBall360 Store for all your basketball needs

Basketball Dribbling Aids and Ballhandling Performance

Posted on March 25, 2010 at 3:40 PM

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If you're ready to develop a slick handle and awesome

off-the-dribble moves, then you have to do these four things:

1) Learn how to control the ball mostly with your fingers.

2) Keep your head up. Never look down at the ball.

3) Strengthen your wrists and fingers.

4) Improve dribbling with your weaker hand.

Until you work on the above four things to perfection, you'll never

handle the rock like a pro, and your dribbling moves will always be

weak and out of control.

The real secret to lightning quick crossovers and flashy dribbling

moves is having great finger and wrist control, being able to keep

your head up, and being able to handle the ball with both hands.

Most people use their palms to control the ball. This isn't

good...using your palms causes you to lose control, and most

importantly, it forces you to dribble the ball slowly. If you can't

be quick with the dribble, then its really hard to be effective

with the ball...

The key is to learn how to use your fingers. Ofcourse, this takes

lots of practice. Later on this email, we'll show you how to

practically force yourself to dribble with your fingers.

Keeping your head up when you dribble is another extremely

important skill. Think about it, if you're staring down at the

ball, how will you read your defender? How will you know where your

teammates are? Keeping your head down is as good as being blind,

because you can't see in front of you.

Dribbling requires a decent amount of finger and wrist strength,

since you're constantly pounding the ball to the floor and

executing moves. Infact, the faster a dribbling move, the more

overall finger and wrist strength it requires. To gain strength in

this area, do forearm curls with a pair of dummbells. Increasing

your wrist and finger strength will also improve your shooting.

Many times, we've seen players dribble with mostly one hand and

drive only on one side of the court. This is a major disaster,

because the defense can read you perfectly. To be a lethal

offensive weapon, you have to dribble equally well with both hands,

which allows you to drive on either side of the court.

If you want to become your defender's worst nightmare...if you want

to dish, drive, and shoot at will, then improve in the four areas

we talked about in this email...

Now, are you ready to take a shortcut that will help dramatically

improve your ball-handling? There's a couple of special training

aids that help you develop much better handles ... Very few

players know about these training aids. Using them can help you get

5x better results from every ball-handling drill you do.

These training aids are the NayPalm Dribbling Aid and the Dribble

Specs. The Nayplam Dribbling Aid is a special glove you wear on

your hands that forces you to use your fingers, strengthen your wrists,

and improve your weak-hand. The Dribble Specs are goggles you wear that

prevent you from looking down...

Basically, the NayPalm Dribbling Aid helps improve your ball

control and the Dribble Specs force you to keep your head up. Both

these training aids should be in every baller's arsenal...especially

if you want to seriously improve your ball-handling as fast as possible.

Don't forget to check out the BBall360 Store for all your basketball needs

Basketball Warm-up Drills

Posted on March 25, 2010 at 3:37 PM

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The best type of warming-up is dynamic stretching and

sport-specific drills.

Dynamic stretching is the opposite of static stretching. It is a

slow controlled movement through the range of motion. However, you

NEVER "stretch and hold" during a dynamic stretch.

Dynamic stretching is better for warming-up because it helps boost

performance. You should spend about 10 minutes doing a dynamic

stretching routine before competitive play. Some key exercises to

do are as follows:

- Shoulder Circles: Stand up straight, feet about shoulder-width

apart, knees slightly bent. Raise your arms to your sides to about

ear-height. Keeping your elbows straight, rotate your arms in a 180

degree motion as if you're turning a steering wheel.

- Arm Crossover: Stand up straight, feet about shoulder-width

apart, knees slightly bent. Swing both arms out to your sides and

then cross them in front of your chest.

- Side Bends: Standing straight, put your hands on your hips and

bend down directly to your left side using only your trunk. Come

back up to standing position and bend to the opposite side.

- Hip circles and twists: Stand straight and put your hands on your

hips. Now make circles with your hips in circular direction. After

finishing a few circles, start doing twists by grounding your feet

and then twisting to one direction by using your abs and hips, and

then twisting to the opposite direction (keep your feet planted,

they do not move)

- Half Squat: Instead of doing a regular full squat, just do a

half-squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Use

bodyweight only and don't do more than 15-20.

- Leg Swings: Stand sideways onto the wall. Weight on your left leg

and your right hand on the wall for balance. Swing your right leg

forward and backward. Switch legs and repeat.

- Cross-Leg Swings - Put both hands on a wall, lean forward

slightly, and putyour weight on your left leg. Swing your right leg

to the left in front of your body, pointing your toes upwards as

your foot reaches its furthest point of motion. Then swing the

right leg back to the right as far as comfortable, again pointing

your toes up towards the end of the movement.

- Lunges: Stand up straight with both feet together. Lunge forward

with the right leg as far forward as you can, until your right

thigh is parallel with the floor. Come back up to the starting

position and repeat with left leg.

- Ankle Hops: Bounce up and down using only your ankles. Do not

bend at the knees. Hop strictly on the balls of your feet as far up

and as fast as you can, using only your ankles.

The above dynamic stretching exercises are excellent for getting

your muscles and joints ready for gametime.

After doing the above exercises for a total of 10 minutes, move on to

the following sport-specific drills (in this order)...

1) Take 10 free-throw shots, grabbing your own rebounds.

2) Running from the 3-point line, do about 10 layups from the right

side and then do 10 layups from the left side.

3) Defensive slides - Moving sideways, slide to the left as quickly

as you can. Then, slide to the right as quickly as you can.

4) Go underneath the rim and do a few jumps trying to get up as

high as you can.

5) Pick up a ball and work on doing your ball-handling moves at

game-speed. Doing these at game-speed is very important.

6) Do two sprints - one from the baeline to half-court, and the

other from half-court back to the baseline.

7) Finish by doing a light jog around the gym once or twice.

Don't forget to check out the BBall360 Store for all your basketball needs

Basketball Reaction Workout

Posted on February 2, 2010 at 5:39 PM

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Many basketball games are decided by a split second reaction, a couple of inches, a single point, a quick turnover...etc. Faster reaction can be the difference in your winning the basketball game, instead of losing it. Take a look at this basketball reaction drill and the reaction ball. You can get the BBall360 reaction ball --> HERE <--

You can get the BBall360 reaction ball --> HERE <--

A Reaction Ball can enhance your reactive ability and help you make quick decisions. A great exercise for basketball players in general is to toss the reaction ball high in the air, and when the reaction ball hits, try to jump in the same direction as the Reaction Ball. You can start by jumping left and right only, and later try 360 degrees. Try to jump as soon as the Reaction Ball hits the ground.

Don't forget to check out the BBall360 Store for all your basketball needs

5 Ways To Boost Your Vertical Jumping Now!

Posted on February 1, 2010 at 6:38 PM

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Vertical jumping...what an exciting topic. Every single basketball

player desires to have a sky-high vertical, so they can rise up and

dunk over the competition!

Today, we'll reveal some of the best ways to improve an athlete's

vertical jump...Feel free to share this with your team and introduce

this in practice.

So, what is the best way to boost vertical jump?

Ok, so there are five areas of training that you need to work on to

improve your vertical jump. These five areas are:

- Stretching / Flexibility

Stretching is extremely important to promote blood-flow, loosen up

the muscles, and prevent injury. If done correctly, stretching can

and will increase performance.

- Balance / Agility Training

Balance & agility training helps to sharpen your neuromuscular

reflexes, which is basically the ability of your brain to react

quickly. This type of training also strengthens the lower leg

muscle & tendons, such as the ankles, shins, & feet.

- Power Factor Weight Training

Ordinary weight training just won't do. You have to follow a very

specific type of lifting with specific reps, sets, & weights. Only

then can you improve your vertical jump with weight training.

- Eccentric / Isometric Weight Training

This is an innovative form of weight training that teaches you to

achieve maximal contraction, or maximal force in the shortest

amount of time possible.

- Plyometric Training

Almost everyone has heard of plyometrics, but what they don't know

is "true plyometrics". True plyometrics help you to shorten the

myostatic stretch reflex, which is the ability of your muscles to

transfer power quickly.

*Note*: In order to achieve maximum vertical gains, you must

address each and every one of the five training areas above...

For today, we wanna give you atleast a few exercises to do. Here

are some exercises we recommend you start doing right away:

- One-Leg Balance Exercise:

Stand on one foot (keep the other foot OFF the ground), close your

eyes, and balance on one foot for 30-45 seconds. Switch to the

other foot and repeat. Do this exercise every single day to improve

your balance.

- One-Leg Calf Raises:

Stand on one foot and do simple calf raises, but make sure that

your heels never touch the ground! So, you would raise up on your

toes, and on your way down, you would make sure that the heels

don't touch the ground. Do atleast 50 repetitions. Repeat with the

other foot. Do this exercise every single day to strengthen your

lower leg muscles. This exercise is MUCH more difficult than 2-leg

calf raises, so make sure to do these on just one foot.

- Frog Jumps:

Squat down (without weights) and then explode back up into the air

from a deep-squatted position. So, stand with feet shoulder-width

apart, and squat down until your butt is almost touching the

ground. From that position, explode up by straightening your legs

and leaving your feet to go in the air. Do 2-3 sets of 5-10

repetitions every OTHER day.

- Maximum Height Jumps:

From a standing position, jump as high as you can into the air.

Upon landing, jump straight back up while spending the least amount

of time on the ground. The most important thing in this exercise is

to minimize your time on the ground. So, you're going for maximum

height AND minimum time on the ground. Stay on the balls of your

feet and explode right back up as soon as you land. Do 2-3 sets of

5-10 repetitions every OTHER day.

Don't forget to check out the BBall360 Store for all your basketball needs

Basketball Vertical Jumping Workout

Posted on January 19, 2010 at 5:46 PM

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Ok, so there are five areas of training that you need to work on to

improve your vertical jump. These five areas are:

- Stretching / Flexibility

Stretching is extremely important to promote blood-flow, loosen up

the muscles, and prevent injury. If done correctly, stretching can

and will increase performance.

- Balance / Agility Training

Balance & agility training helps to sharpen your neuromuscular

reflexes, which is basically the ability of your brain to react

quickly. This type of training also strengthens the lower leg

muscle & tendons, such as the ankles, shins, & feet.

- Power Factor Weight Training

Ordinary weight training just won't do. You have to follow a very

specific type of lifting with specific reps, sets, & weights. Only

then can you improve your vertical jump with weight training.

- Eccentric / Isometric Weight Training

This is an innovative form of weight training that teaches you to

achieve maximal contraction, or maximal force in the shortest

amount of time possible.

- Plyometric Training

Almost everyone has heard of plyometrics, but what they don't know

is "true plyometrics". True plyometrics help you to shorten the

myostatic stretch reflex, which is the ability of your muscles to

transfer power quickly.

*Note*: In order to achieve maximum vertical gains, you must

address each and every one of the five training areas above...

For today, we wanna give you atleast a few exercises to do. Here

are some exercises we recommend you start doing right away:

- One-Leg Balance Exercise:

Stand on one foot (keep the other foot OFF the ground), close your

eyes, and balance on one foot for 30-45 seconds. Switch to the

other foot and repeat. Do this exercise every single day to improve

your balance.

- One-Leg Calf Raises:

Stand on one foot and do simple calf raises, but make sure that

your heels never touch the ground! So, you would raise up on your

toes, and on your way down, you would make sure that the heels

don't touch the ground. Do atleast 50 repetitions. Repeat with the

other foot. Do this exercise every single day to strengthen your

lower leg muscles. This exercise is MUCH more difficult than 2-leg

calf raises, so make sure to do these on just one foot.

- Frog Jumps:

Squat down (without weights) and then explode back up into the air

from a deep-squatted position. So, stand with feet shoulder-width

apart, and squat down until your butt is almost touching the

ground. From that position, explode up by straightening your legs

and leaving your feet to go in the air. Do 2-3 sets of 5-10

repetitions every OTHER day.

- Maximum Height Jumps:

From a standing position, jump as high as you can into the air.

Upon landing, jump straight back up while spending the least amount

of time on the ground. The most important thing in this exercise is

to minimize your time on the ground. So, you're going for maximum

height AND minimum time on the ground. Stay on the balls of your

feet and explode right back up as soon as you land. Do 2-3 sets of

5-10 repetitions every OTHER day.

Don't forget to check out the BBall360 Store for all your basketball needs

How to Increase your Vertical in Basketball

Posted on January 18, 2010 at 10:55 PM

comments (1)

Understand that muscles do have a limit; but you can maximize your potential if you properly train, condition, and push yourself. So make sure that you're willing to practice whenever you can!

Focus on building your core strength as well as your calf muscles and quad muscles in your legs. These along with your hip flexors are the primary jumping muscles.

Start small. When you choose a workout and get started, one of the most common is calf raises. Start small, and work your way up. It is much better in the long run.

Exercise during normal activities. You don't have to make a big deal of it. Focus on using those muscles as much as possible during everyday life. Walk with a toe-heel style, instead of flat-footed. You'll notice a huge difference right away. Walk on tip toes every where you go! Helps increase vert.(Be careful because this can lead to future joint problems in the toes)

Do exercises to improve jumping:

Mini hops: jump a little off the ground, over and over without stopping. Jump rope is great for this.

Squats - these help to stretch and strengthen at the same time.Do 100 squats! Do 10 sets of 10.

Calf raises - these are a major work out. They don't seem too hard, but if done thoroughly, they can make you unable to walk for an hour or two. Start with just a few dozen, then as you feel capable, add more and more. It is not uncommon to do 200+ when you are in great shape. Do both feet at the same time to start, then as you are able, balance on one foot and do them with all your body weight for maximum effect.Do 300 raises, by doing sets of 20 until you reach 300.After that let you legs rest for 5 minutes. Then do some more calf raises. how ever many you want! It will increase your vertical really fast!

Walk or run on tip toes for 20 minutes, then backwards for 3 minutes.

Stand in 1 spot on tip toes for 2 minutes.

Start stretching at least 3 times a day, working mostly on the hamstrings, quads, hip-flex ors and glutens and calves. Simply use a towel to stretch your given limb to its comfortable limit for 10 seconds, then from the same angle pull/contract against the stretch for 10 seconds, relax and go back into the stretch. You should be able to easily improve range of motion, as this type of stretch tricks the body into giving up more flexibility! Repeat this sequence again one more time at the improved range. Stretch only after your work-outs, as research indicates stretching before an event or work-out actually decreases power output.

Try walking around on your heels without letting the ball of your foot touch the floor. This will help to strengthen the tibalis anterior (commonly referred to as dorsi-flexors).

Load your body with some weight before jumping, like jumping with a medicine ball. What happens is that your body will recruit more motor units in the working muscles, allowing the work to seem much easier when you don't have the weight, because you are now using more of them!

You can also try the "unloading jump". Grab a pair of 10lb dumbbells (or any weight), hold them at waist level, quick step up to the rim to do a rim jump (counter movement jump); at the peak of crouch just before you would take off for the rim, drop the weights and blast off. The science behind this method is that when you load the eccentric contraction with more weight than the concentric (jump), you will be able to create more force. One set of 5-10 reps with this new drill will give instant as well as residual leap increases!

Strengthen the ankle muscles. Do 50 ankle hops.10 sets of 5 then after that do 10 sets 3, proper jumping technique as well. You can save overall fatigue and improve your stamina when jumping correctly.Practice jumping off 1 leg, 2 legs, 1 leg reverse, and 2 legs reverse.

Weight train, specifically your posterior chain muscles (lower back, glutes and hamstrings). Your posterior chain accounts for up to 80% of the force generated for your jump.

Stand with just your toes on the bottom step of a staircase and move yourself up and down on just your toes.

Realize if you use ankle weights, you must be careful that you don't use too much weight or you will stretch your ligaments which can end your career.

Remember, it is important to separate your speed/plyometric training days from your strength training. This is a fatal flaw many programs are selling you that will rob you of much deserved results!

Always keep track of your increases. This way, you can track your process and find what works for you and what doesn't. This isn't to say that something which does very little may not work wonders for you in the future, and vice versa.

Exercise your muscles consistently. If ever your muscles are not being built up, then they are atrophying (weakening).

Next jump you go up for a spike, deliberately concentrate on swinging your arms up fast, timing it with the jump. See what happens!

Ask yourself, does the sport you're involved with require power or endurance? If you're a football player, gymnast, or sprinter you have no need for aerobic training. When would you use it?

The more you do long duration endurance training the more your muscles will learn oxygen consuming low output slow-twitch characteristics.

You want muscles that are becoming more efficient at using the creatine phosphate energy system! You really need to focus on those high-intensity/short duration drills like sprinting.

Remember to stretch! Muscles require at least 48 hours of rest to rebuild broken down muscle fibers after long workouts. You'll notice that your calf muscles will get bigger on the days that you rest! Without proper rest, muscles will become immune to your physical routine, and may not increase in mass or strength.