Vertical Jump Training - Methods For Increasing Flexibility

[Hugo Perry]

Flexibility is a crucial factor in training to jump higher. The
ability of the muscles and tendons to stretch and store energy is the
foundation of the stretch-shortening cycle (SSC). The SSC is the
muscle action that occurs in any jump, assuming there is a counter
movement involved.
In recent months, I have been training several friends of mine to jump
higher. Each one of them lacked the flexibility necessary to maximize
the effects of their training. Thus, increasing their flexibility was
a primary goal. All the trainees have made significant process. We
have used the following methods...
1. We perform a dynamic warmup before every workout. The warmup
includes drills like body squats, walking straight-leg deadlift,
walking lunges, lateral lunges, and other movements which put the hip
joint through a wide range of motion. I also encouraged the trainees
to use this type of warmup even on non-training days if they were
going to play basketball or volleyball or do any activity.
2. The same focus we put on range of motion during the warmup is
transferred over to the strength exercises. Specifically, we pay
attention to the hip joint. For squats, we sit back into the motion,
keep the weight on the heels, and go down to parallel. This provides a
great stretch of the hamstrings and glutes. We aim for that stretch
while doing lunges, stepups, straight-leg deadlift, and other lifts as
well. This method is important since it not only requires that the
body segments be placed in a position that stretches the muscles, it
forces the lifter to be strong and explosive from that position.
3. Thorough static stretching is done following every workout. Static
stretching is to be avoided before a workout, since it can reduce
force output in the muscles immediately following.
4. The last part of our stretching routine is PNF stretching of the
hamstring. PNF stands for proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation.
This procedure involves putting the target muscle in a stretched
position, then contracting that muscle as hard as possible for 5-10
seconds while it is held in the stretched position, then pushing the
stretch even farther as the muscle relaxes from the contraction. We
repeat this 3 times, with 10-15 seconds between contractions. This
procedure can be quite uncomfortable, but it is effective.
I have been strict in following these methods. At the end of his last
workout, one of my trainees said, "I can't tell you how much more
flexible I am." He is 5'9" and has added about 5 inches to his
vertical in 6 weeks. He rattled in a dunk this week.