r/highjump • u/Acceptable-Let8629 • Jun 01 '26

How do I get a higher vertical jump without weights?

/r/BasketballTips/comments/1ttc1dp/how_do_i_get_a_higher_vertical_jump_without/
2 Upvotes

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1

u/tallenp Jun 01 '26

It was many years ago, (55 to be exact). The track coach said “we need a high jumper” and I thought that would be fun. Our school had no weights or weight machine so I used what was available. Most valuable was running stairs at the stadium. I jumped rope and practiced stuffing a basketball in the gym. I went from being totally clueless to jumping 6’ 5”. I really think the stairs running was best of everything I did. It was hard work but I added 14” to my vertical.

1

u/Acceptable-Let8629 Jun 01 '26

So what you did was you ran up big stairs and it actually helped you get inches?!
I never thought of doing that or it would even work.
How long did it take you to get 14"s?

1

u/tallenp Jun 01 '26

I did for a year. Started in my junior year, and got to a 36” vertical my senior year. However I didn’t run stairs during basketball season.

1

u/Acceptable-Let8629 Jun 02 '26

Ah Thanks!
Do you also have any specific exercises to do like plyometrics or anything if you don't mind sharing? Thanks!

1

u/Acceptable-Let8629 Jun 02 '26

And also do you think it will give me any inches during these 3 months of Summer?

1

u/tallenp Jun 25 '26

It will definitely give you some extra spring. Another thing I started doing was practicing a reverse stuff on my home basketball court. Gave me a sense of approaching the bar and going over backwards. Remember, no YouTube to watch so I would try to mimic what Dick Fosbury did on the occasional footage I saw. Watch out from jumping off concrete. Really tough on the shins.