When former NBA player Kent Benson arrived at the University of Indiana he could jump only nine inches off the ground. That’s an embarrassing jump for a seven-foot All- American. One year later, he was able to jump three times that high because he had a good coach.
How high you can jump is determined by the force that you can exert when you contract your leg muscles against gravity. so strengthening your muscles will help you to jump higher. However, you must exercise your muscles against resistance in the same way that you use them when you jump. You can bend your knees and hips and straighten them by performing leg presses up while lying on your back, sideways while sitting in a chair, or down against the ground when you squat in the upright position.
Basketball players who want to be able to jump higher should set up a schedule of weight training moderately on Monday, easy on Wednesday and hard on Friday. On days when your muscles feel sore or tight, skip your weight lifting workout.
Checked 12/29/14
