Jump Higher by Improving Your Triple Extension

Athletes will get great benefit if they have ability to jump higher. Things like slam dunk, block shot, & powerful spike are some of the benefits. Train your triple extension is a good way to increase your vertical jump. In order triple extension to happen, three joints are required: ankle, knee, & hip. They are fundamental for jumping, running, & squatting. When all those joints combine together in form of smooth movement from flexed position to extended one, a force to the ground will be generated to help you jump higher. The focus of triple extension training is to improve the fast twitch fibers in the muscles you used when performing a triple extension jump.

Let's see what's going on in every joint extension when you jump.

1. Hip Extension

Your hamstrings and glutes will extend forward your hips. The hamstrings generates about one-third of force created & composed about 70% of fast twitch muscle fibers. The hamstrings are essential for velocity and force you need to jump higher.

2. Knee extension

Quadriceps muscles which consists of quick twitch & slower twitch muscle fibers powered the knee extension. A tight hamstring may limited the knee flexion/extension. You can prevent this by stretching all muscle groups.

3. Ankle extension

Ankle extension is mainly driven by the calf muscles.

The question is now, how to improve your triple extension jump ? Well, the answer is Olympic lifts (The Snatch and Clean & Jerk) and weighted squat jump.

Olympic lifts is very recommended because of these reasons :

* The whole body compound movements are involved

* It duplicates motion patterns that are important for both of your movement & performance

* It will increases the movement range as well as improve posture

* It improves your explosiveness, speed, acceleration, & vertical leap

While weighted squat jump is very good for triple extension jump because by doing it, you exactly jumping using triple extension movement pattern. But remember, the purpose of this exercise is to maximize your vertical jump, not to train your leg strength.