Jumping for Athletic Performance

Jumping tasks, whether they are vertical or horizontal, should be included regularly in strength and conditioning programs.

 Jumps are part of a larger skill set needed to be successful in sport competitions. In some instances, the ability to jump higher or farther than another competitor will determine who wins the competition, while the repetitive nature of jumping tasks in other sports does not determine the winner. In team sports, jumping tasks may be used during rebounding in basketball, spiking/blocking in volleyball, diving in baseball, etc. While impulse may ultimately determine the jumping performance of an individual , distinct force-time characteristics may determine the spike and magnitude of the impulse created [1,2]. Greater maximal muscular strength may modify the force-time characteristics of an individual. Specifically, increasing maximal muscular strength achieved through resistance training can alter both peak performance variables as well as the shape of the force-time curve [3-6]. 

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