It is very important to understand how to jump higher in basketball if one wants to excel in the game.
This is because basketball is a jump intensive sport.
The two most popular offensive techniques used to net balls are the dunk or slam dunk and the hook, especially the sky hook.
Consequently defenders also need to be able to jump high in order to stop scoring attempts.
No one is exempt as it is quite essential to jump high in order to stop passes and attacking opponent players.
So, one must be able to jump high to be regarded as a valuable player by the team.
The answer to how to jump higher in basketball lies in understanding what helps build the muscles of the body that are used to make high jumps.
The things that are very essential in building these muscles are nutrition and exercises.
Let us have a look at these factors that will help us learn how to jump higher in basketball.
Nutrition is a very important thing if you are trying to grow muscle.
The nutrient that is most essential for muscle growth and strength is protein.
Protein also provides the energy required by the body to perform enduring athletic tasks like play intensive games of ball.
Among the different types of proteins whey protein is regarded as the best for building muscle.
This is because the amino acids in whey protein work more towards building muscles than in producing energy.
One can obtain a proper intake of whey protein by taking whey protein supplements, which are made from cow milk.
Cow milk contains two types of protein.
They are whey protein and casein protein.
Casein is less soluble and also less functional in muscle building than whey protein though the casein content of milk is higher then the whey content - almost 4 times higher.
Whey protein isolates are generally much better that whey protein concentrates as whey protein isolates contain about 90 per cent protein compared to the 29 to 89 per cent protein content of whey protein concentrates.
Isolates also are fat and lactose free.
Exercises are also crucial if you want to know how to jump higher in basketball.
The muscles used in jumping can be made significantly bigger and stronger by exercising them properly.
The muscles that are most used to jump are the dorsi flexors, the calf muscles and generally all the muscles of the leg.
However, it is important to keep all the muscles of the body in shape and strong.
The dorsi flexors can be exercised well by any exercise involving pressure on the balls of the feet.
Typical examples are walking around the house on the balls of the feet or standing on a raised ground like stairs or bricks on the balls of the feet and then relaxing on the floor.
The calf muscles can be exercised properly by doing calf raises as well as running on a vertical incline.
The muscles of the leg can be exercised well by a very popular sprinting exercise called suicide.
Many coaches use this technique when training players on how to jump higher in basketball.
In this exercise you have to start from the baseline of a track and run 15 feet.
Then you have to stoop and touch the ground with your fingertips.
Conclude by running back to the baseline.
Gradually you must increase the distance repeatedly by 15 feet until you have reached 90 feet.