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Did you see the dunk in LeBron James’ game from the free throw line? How about your left hand jam on Dwight Howard? Watching LeBron James dive in is just amazing.
In case you didn’t know: the 24-year-old forward ranks fifth in dunks (90) this season (2008/2009). Only Dwight Howard (125), Amare Stoudemire (96), Nene (95) and Andrew Bynum (92) dived further until 02.06.2009.
Believe it or now, James, who is 6’8 ” and 250 pounds, has a 41-inch vertical. Now, how did you manage to get such a vertical jump?
Here’s the secret: Olympic weightlifting. Like Baron Davis, LeBron used Olympic weightlifting to increase his vertical jump. And this is why:
Several independent studies have shown the effectiveness of Olympic weightlifting in increasing your vertical jump. For example, a group of lifters using Olympic lifts (high pulls, Power Clean, and Clean and Jerk) were compared to those using vertical jump exercises (single- and double-leg hurdles, alternating single-leg hurdles , etc.).
After 8 weeks, the Olympic weightlifting group had significantly increased their standing jump and 10-meter sprint speed over the control group using standard vertical jump exercises (Tricoli, 2005). Of course, this is not the only exercise LeBron used to increase his vertical jump. Squats, lunges, leg presses, leg extensions, and jumping rope are things you need to know if you want to improve your vertical jump.
But two things are crucial here: the correct number of repetitions and the correct execution. That means you need a specific training plan.
But keep in mind: jumping ability is about power AND speed. So you also need to work on your speed. Here is a very effective exercise to improve your speed:
Wind sprints (6 sets, 50 meters, 3 times a week). That means sprinting or running very fast for a short period of time, several times, between 20 and 30 seconds.
So next time you see LeBron James dive in, turn off the TV and start training!
PS Bonus tip: Lose a few kilos! Every extra pound is the extra weight you have to lift in the air. If you’re already in good shape, try reducing your body fat below 15-10 percent.)