Free Vertical Jump Training

Free Vertical Jump Training: What Not to do!

The key to effective aerobic training that burns off the maximum amount of fat is long-term consistency not intensity. It doesn’t matter if you run a mile, jog a mile or walk a mile you will burn exactly the same amount of calories. The best exercise by far for the purpose of fat-loss is fast walking either indoors on the treadmill or outdoors. What many don’t know is that walking produces a greater percentage of fat loss as opposed to jogging or running. Other aerobic activities are the treadmill, bike, climber or any other training gear found in or out of the gym. Walk or exercise until you are mildly puffing and hold that rate until the allotted time. If your aerobic activities leave you panting or breathless, your going too hard, your energy is coming from your carbohydrate reserves and not from your fat stores. Try fast walking for one hour a day every day of the week if you are able.

Here are some of the benefits of Fast Walking.

* Easy to Perform * Most Conventional * All Natural Body Movement * Doesn’t Cause Injuries * Can Be Done Anywhere * The Best Minimal Effort Exercise for Fat Loss

Research shows that regular, brisk walking is one of the best exercises we can do for overall fitness. It suits people of all ages and fitness levels, it’s easy to get started and there’s no complicated technique to learn or equipment to buy.

Walking is an excellent way to get fit because it uses nearly all the muscles and, as you have to carry your body weight, you can get a good workout from it.

It’s also safer on the joints and the back than most other forms of exercise because you’re not jumping up and down, so the impact is low.

Studies have shown that taking a daily 20-minute walk can reduce the risk of heart attack as much as 50%, it also reduces high blood pressure and helps to burn fat to keep weight under control.

Walking and other weight bearing exercises (Strength training) helps to increase bone mass, which protects against osteoporosis and bone fractures.

In the first two weeks, go for a 20-minute walk every other day and then increase this to 40 minutes. At first try to do five 20-minute walks per week totalling 100 minutes a week. Once you get used to the regular exercise, increase this to 40 minutes for five times a week.

You can then gradually increase this as you see fit, if you want to walk every day for 40 minutes or even an hour so be it. Remember the more you walk the more fat that will be burned off. The best pace for fitness training will make you slightly breathless, but you should still be comfortable and be able to carry on a conversation.

As you get fitter, you’ll want to stretch a little harder to keep your heart rate up. Try lengthening your strides, increasing your pace. Keep your shoulders back, your chest lifted and your tummy pulled in when you walk, hold your head up for open, easy breathing.

Practical Tips…

* If your feeling stressed, try counting your steps repeatedly from one to ten as you walk, this helps some people achieve a meditative effect and can be a great tension reliever when practiced over a full 40 minutes.

* Time yourself, measure the distance or increase the gradient to make the workout more challenging. Drink plenty of fluids during and after your walk.

* Make safety your first consideration. Don’t walk after dark except in well-lit, busy places. Start the walk slowly, and then gradually increase the pace.

So, go ahead in all other activities try to move, move, move. Try parking the car further away from your destination so you can walk the extra distance, hide all your remote controls so you have to get up and change the channels manually. These all help burn those extra calories and body fat from your frame.

Gary Matthews is the author of the popular fitness eBooks Maximum Weight Loss and Maximum Weight Gain. Please visit http://www.maximumfitness.com right now for your ‘free’ weight loss e-course.

Tags: jump higher, free vertical jump training, how to jump higher, increase vertical leap, exercises for jumping higher

Lets have a look:

1/ Back to Basics - To build muscle you must train short and with intensity, you only have a limited amount of energy per session. Tests reveal that blood sugar levels drop dramatically after 20 minutes, so exercise selection is crucial.

Compound multi-joint movements have to be used as these offer more training stimulus, are more functional and heavier loads can be lifted. Examples of compound movements include squats, bench press, dips, and chin-ups. Performing three to four exercises with high intensity during a session are what is needed.

All the main structures of the body are worked hard during this time, remembering that as you get stronger in your upper body exercises i.e. Dips, Lat Pull downs, you will also add size to your upper arms as well as your shoulders. Working on these big compound movements has a knock-on effect throughout the whole body; there is no need for specialization techniques or isolation movements.

The thing is, the whole body is worked hard, rest and recuperation is allowed to take place and at the next exercise session we push out a few more reps than before with the same weight, then we have gotten stronger i.e. more muscle.

2/ Perform One Set Per Body Part - Having performed one set of an exercise to total failure then it should be near on impossible to generate the same force and intensity for another set. If you are able to generate the same force and intensity for this second set then the first set was not worked hard enough.

If you give the first set 100% effort and work it to total failure (You cannot move the bar after the last rep) there is no more requirement for further stimulation. Therefore you need to do one set per exercise, remembering to complete the training session in 20 - 30 minutes so to have the most stimulus as possible and then move on to the next exercise.

Current research shows that single set training is as beneficial as multiple set training, decreasing the chances of over training and saving energy for other lifts required during the workout. Because you are doing one set per exercise, you will have to work it hard and to total failure.

3/ Cycle Your Strength Training - The development of muscle and strength is interrelated so the exercise session will have to be designed so that increases in strength are equal to increases in functional muscle. Cycling intensity through changes in repetitions and poundage’s throughout your training program is an effective way to maintain progression and avoid training plateaus.

4/ Don’t Train To Long - Training itself causes the breakdown of muscle tissue. When a person trains very intensely cortisol is released into the blood stream, which causes the breakdown of muscle tissue. The amount of cortisol released is highly dependant upon the length of training time.

Therefore to minimize this effect training should be completed in the absolute minimum time required which is no longer than 20 to 30 minutes max. Your blood sugar levels are also dropping by this time, so do what you have to do in this time and get out of the gym, go home and grow.

5/ Don’t Cheat - Do not cheat on your reps! Every strength-training trainee runs into this problem sooner or later and it will grind your gains to a stand still. There are many ways to increase the intensity of your sets and the weights used in order to maximize results. Cheating to increase your weights actually takes strain off your muscles and places it on your joints, which is counterproductive.

Now that you are armed with this information, you wont need to spend all of your time in the gym, by all means workout hard while you are in there but when you are finished go home and grow and enjoy life.

Gary Matthews is the author of the popular fitness eBooks Maximum Weight Loss and Maximum Weight Gain. Please visit http://www.maximumfitness.com right now for your ‘free’ muscle building e-course.

How Much Protein Do I Need - Protein is a normal part of out diet; a nutrient widely distributed among animal and plant foods, and it plays many essential roles in the body. Dietary protein has two possible fates - it can be either used in growth and repair or burned for energy, like carbohydrate and fat. Sedentary person: 0.75 grams/lb/day, Recreational athlete: 1.00 grams/lb/day, Serious athlete: 2.00 grams/lb/day.

Protein Cycling - Since strength training greatly increases the rate at which protein is broken down in the body, it follows that 0.75gms per Pound is inadequate. On the other hand to increase the intake of protein to say, 3.0gm per Pound straight away would trigger mechanisms to eliminate the excess protein.

One way to overcome this is to increase the protein in steps until a maximum efficiency point is reached and then it is drastically reduced. This obliges the body to compensate by increasing the efficiency for the absorption of protein and amino acids.

Why Carbohydrates? - Carbohydrates supply energy to out body, fibre for prevention against disease and taste and texture to food, they are found in cereals, potatoes, fruits and vegetables. Recommended: 4 to 12 grams/lb/day. Over the last 30 years, research into food and blood glucose response has completely changed our carbohydrate classification system.

It has been learned that it is impossible to predict the impact on blood glucose levels by certain foods, instead people are fed carbohydrate foods and the response measured. This response is known as the Glycaemic Index (GI), it is a measure of how quickly carbohydrate foods are digested and absorbed, as indicted by elevated blood glucose. The slower the rate of blood glucose increases the lower the GI.

Super Foods - In the food industry super-foods are called “functional foods”. These foods provide a health benefit beyond the simple provision of nutrients or energy, and usually target a specific disease or condition. In most cases media headlines about the disease-fighting capacity of foods are hyped up versions of current research reality. Below is a summary of what some super-foods can and can’t do for you.

Vitamins and Minerals - In general an adequate intake of vitamin and minerals can be achieved with a balanced diet. However, there may be a strong rationale for supplementation in specific nutrients.

Herbals - The latest herbal super-stars include Echinacea, gingko, and St John’s Wart. They don’t pitch themselves as lifesavers, but more as life-maximizes, helping you to get through the day with less disruption from colds, memory failures, blue moods, and more.

Supplements - To supplement or not to supplement, that is the question on more consumers’ lips than ever before. There are various reasons why people may be interested in supplementation. Concern about getting adequate nutrients from our food supply. A Suspicion of pharmaceuticals and a belief that diet alone will not achieve optimal nutrition.

Studies suggest that a number of supplements may deliver on advertising claims. However, consumers can spend large sums of money on products that have little or no proven efficacy.

The Bottom Line On Supplements - your diet that might achieve your goals but choose only products that shows the amount of active ingredients on the label. Be aware that “natural” does not mean ’safe’; some herbal supplements may have unpleasant side effects. Don’t treat serious medical conditions yourself. Discuss supplement use with your doctor. If you are pregnant or are breast-feeding consult a doctor before taking supplements.

Only Eat the Good Fats - Eat the good fats and feel and look great, Authorities now agree that fat is essential for maintaining optimal health. If good healthy skin and fast metabolism is what your after then you must eat some fat. The good fats are found in fish, nuts and seeds, avocados and cold pressed oils. Avoid fried foods and saturated fats as these raise cholesterol and clog arteries.

Eat A Variety Of Foods - For protection from the majority of illnesses such as heart disease and cancer you need a variety of foods that deliver that mix of nutrients and minerals. Aim to eat different coloured fruits and vegetables.

Try to eat a different food each month. Eat an apple a day as the apple pectin cleanses the body’s digestive system by removing toxins and therefore preventing degenerative health problems such as cancer.

In conclusion, I am sure if you can apply even just a few of these tips to your everyday eating habits I am pretty sure you will see the results in the not to distant future.

Gary Matthews is the author of the popular fitness eBooks Maximum Weight Loss and Maximum Weight Gain. Please visit http://www.maximumfitness.com right now for your ‘free’ weight loss or muscle building e-courses.

Researchers have found that fitness enthusiasts can reduce the time they spend working out by two-thirds and still achieve the same results. A study involving male weightlifters has suggested it is counter-productive to spend hours exercising.

Those who exercised less saw significant decrease in body fat. The study focused on 16 students aged 19 to 23, who already worked out regularly. They were split into two groups. Both carried out upper-body training three times a week for eight weeks. One group did one set of eight repetition: the other did three sets of the same exercise.

At the end of the study both groups had improved “significantly” in terms of muscular strength, said researchers from the health and exercise science unit at the University of Glamorgan in Pontypridd, Wales. Report author Dr Julien Baker said “This study indicates that it is counter-productive to spend hours at the gym, and that a shorter work-out can achieve exactly the same results.

Muscles take between 4-7 days to fully recover from a workout and another 2- 3 days for over-compensation to take place. It can also take up to 7-14 days for the neuro - muscular system to fully recover from a high intensity strength training session.

I¡¯ve observed in 20 years working in gyms, the same people continuing to train week in and week out, three to four and even more times a week even though they haven¡¯t made progress in months or even years of training.

I have found through experience that any strength training program that has you in the gym three or more times a week will have you plateau within four to five weeks and nothing you do will shift you from this plateau short of cutting back on training which will re-start the gaining processes again.

The only exception to this rule is the beginner whose strength will increase through neurological adaptations for up to three months after starting strength training.

Also perfect technique must be maintained and followed to maximize the training stimulus on the muscle and to minimize the risk of injury during this period. Studies have also concluded that split strength training programs have been shown to be no more beneficial than full body training programs.

The training frequency that you, and everybody else, should use is variable, not fixed. I repeat not fixed, when you strength train, as a way to develop more muscle the intensity of your workouts has to progress upward.

If they remain at the same intensity there is no reason for new muscle to grow. If you want to train effectively you have to understand the relationship between the increasing intensity of your workouts and the decreasing frequency of those workouts.

The two main components of strength training are the intensity of the exercise and the recovery after the exercise. Infrequent, short, high intensity weight training sessions, followed by the required amount of time to recover and become stronger is what is needed to increase functional muscle size.

Your rest days are just as important as your training days. By giving your muscles more time to recover between strength training sessions you will be on the road to major gains in strength, muscle size and fat loss.

So there you have it, it’s not the training volume but the intensity and recuperation that’s important when it comes to Gains in Strength and Muscle.¡±

Gary Matthews is the author of the popular fitness eBooks Maximum Weight Loss and Maximum Weight Gain. Please visit http://www.maximumfitness.com right now for your ‘free’ weight loss or muscle building e-courses.

I advocate an eight-second repetition with a three second lifting (positive) movement and a five second lowering (negative) movement. I believe this to be a safe and productive exercise speed When performing each exercise through a full range of motion, accentuate the lifting part of the movement slowly and smoothly for each repetition to the count of three.

Don’t pause in the contracted position but lower the resistance slowly and smoothly to the count of five. Maintain a normal breathing pattern throughout the whole movement exhale on the lift and inhale on the release. Avoid locking joints when lifting weights, always keep a slight bend in the arms and legs.

Fast and jerky movements should be avoided at all times as they place undue stress on the muscle and connective tissue substantially increasing the likelihood of injury.

Examples of this are: arching the back and bouncing the bar off the chest in the Bench Press, bending forward under squats and using any sort of momentum for any other exercise. These will work counter to your goals so be aware and eliminate them from your program.

If you are not sure about the speed of the movement move slower, never faster, do not sacrifice form for the sake of more repetitions. The slower speed is safer also because you can stop at any point in the movement range. There are also advantages to training with slower movement speeds. These include:

. A longer period of muscle tension . A higher level of muscle force . A lower risk of tissue trauma and injury

The development of lean muscle and strength go hand in hand, therefore a exercise session will have to be designed so that when your strength improves, then you will also be increasing your useful lean muscle also.

Changes in repetitions and weight throughout a bodybuilding training cycle is an effective way to maintain progress over time and avoid training plateaus ie when you fall into a slump in terms of your inability to gain strength and muscle.

Activation of muscle fiber types is dependant upon the levels of tension experienced in the muscle and feedback provided from the muscle sensory organs. So the number of repetitions per set have to be changed throughout a strength training cycle.

The higher the repetitions for a strength training exercise, the more the slow twitch muscle fibers are affected. These are the muscle fibers that promote endurance.

Moving further down the scale, the lower repetition range will activate the fast twitch muscle fibers (strength muscle fibers) and increase strength and grow lean muscle. For strength training the stimulus must be below 20 repetitions as to have an effect on the phosphate energy system and to activate the fast twitch fibres.

The resistance must also be progressively increasing for the number of repetitions performed to achieve your training goals.

The number of repetitions per set of exercises can then be adjusted between say 15 and 8 over a ten week strength training cycle. From these adjustments, as you move from week one to week ten, the absolute intensity of the exercise increases (the weight used for the exercises increases) thus promoting more functional muscle growth.

The closer your strength training cycle progresses towards the end of the cycle, the lower you¡¯ll find the repetitions will become and the weight will become heavier also. This will have an effect of increasing your lean functional muscle and hence elevate your metabolism for fat loss.

For gains in strength and muscle size,long rest periods must be used to replenish the phosphate energy system for the maximum performance in the next exercise.

Slow controlled contractions are also recommended for controlled tension on the muscle and safety. When you reach a point where you¡¯re using exercises with heavy weights (free weights, like the bench press), have a helper or spotter handy who will give you support on the last few reps. alternatively, you can use machines where no spotter is necessary.

In conclusion, by performing and cycling your repetitions correctly you will be one step ahead of the pack in attaining your exercise and strength training goals.

Gary Matthews is the author of the popular fitness eBooks Maximum Weight Loss and Maximum Weight Gain. Please visit http://www.maximumfitness.com right now for your ‘free’ weight loss or muscle building e-courses.

And the best thing for me was the learning experience. I learned so much from these world class coaches and here is my chance to share what I learned. I must warn you though: There is a chance you can bang your head on the rim by following these vertical jump tips!

The first group of guys I will speak of are Jason C Brown, Steve Cotter and Brett Jones. Besides being gentlemen and world class strength coaches they also share the unique distinction of being kettlebell training experts.

I must admit when I first learned about kettlebells years back I never really gave it much thought because I thought you could do kettlebell exercises with a dumbbell. As I quickly learned, you can not do exercises that are specific to kettlebells with a dumbbell. It’s not the same. Try a kettlebell swing with a dumbbell and they are very different. Now this is not to say that dumbbells are bad. This is just to say that each piece of equipment has a specific use and each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

In speaking with the gentlemen a few things ring through with kettlebell lifting that make them excellent tools for vertical jump training.

1. It is very hard to find an exercise that mimics the motion of vertical jumping better than the kettlebell swing. Further more is that you can perform the exercise explosively. Now this is not to say that power cleans or snatches are not great exercises that teach explosive hip extension but they are more technical and harder to teach. This is simply not the case with the kettlebell swing which makes it excellent for working with large groups. Our weight room workouts have over 40 student athletes working out at once and introducing the kettlebell has been a blessing because I find it much easier to teach the movements than power cleans. And even easier than teaching the hang clean. Does this mean I’m lazy? No, I just happened to find a better tool for teaching athletes explosive hip extension. Will I abandon the power and hang clean? No. No I have even more exercises in my tool box which makes it easier not to be married to a set a certain exercise.

So what’s the lesson here? If you can add kettlebells into your training programs you have an excellent vertical jump training tool that is hard to beat.

2. Another great thing about kettlebells reiterated by Steve Cotter is that there is a unique quality in the shape of kettlebells: The shape I believe and many other trainers will agree is that they actually guide you into proper form. Because of the round shape any deviance from bad form and you automatically feel it so you get right back into the correct groove. This is key and something I’ve never really experienced with barbells and dumbbells. Furthermore, a big premise of kettlebells is that training is practice and practice develops your skill. The more skilled you are the stronger you will be and the higher you will jump. I mean do you ever really see guys that can jump or are really fast not run or jump with excellent form? Not really. Fix someone’s technique and form and that in itself will help them jump higher.

3. Keep things simple. Read that again and again. All three guys alluded to this. We know what works and have known for a long time. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel and just use what we already know. Basics like the dead lift, squat and its variations combined with explosive lifting, actually jumping, and of course excellent technique will take you very far.

4. Another big point to drive home from this panel was keeping the reps low (3-5) when strength training. A great vertical requires excellent strength and that means to train movements like the dead lift, squat and pull-ups with low reps to develop that strength. No need for higher reps as that can lead to weight gain and possibly using bad form. Simple enough right. 5 sets of 5 reps on big bang exercises and you are good to go! Don’t forget to practice your jumping. I mean would you ask someone wanting to improve their speed not to sprint? Get even more free Vertical Jump Training Secrets from Steve, Jason and Brett along with over10 more Vertical Leap Experts! Visit Jump Experts right now!

Virgil Aponte brings over 12 years of experience as a Personal Trainer, High School PE Teacher and Strength & Conditioning Coach. He has trained hundreds of people including elite professional athletes of the Women’s National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball. He earned his Master’s Degree in Physical Education from Brooklyn College and is an American College of Sports Medicine Health & Fitness Instructor. Based in Brooklyn New York he is considered by many fitness industry experts as the authority on stair exercise training and is the author and creator of the Ultimate Stair Exercises for Athletes. Learn Stair Training Secrets to help your athletes Maximize their Strength, Power & Conditioning with just stairs.

The reason why this type of training is so effective is because it forces the body to work in opposition to the vertical plane of gravity. This opposition assists in cutting back the amount of work and time you have to impose on your body in order to achieve results. Whereas you are not met with the same resistance training on the horizontal plane and you would have to put in more energy and time to increase your power output capacity.

To increase your vertical jump, there are plyometric exercises that you can do that will help you build the needed power and strength. Plyometric exercises use explosive movements to develop muscular power and acts on both the musculotendinous and neurological levels to increase an athlete’s performance. These exercises will increase the speed or force of your muscular contractions, which increases the height of a jump or speed of a punch or throw.

Jumps: Squat jumps are a great way to strengthen your thighs and to give you that extra push so you can improve your vertical leap. They start out as a bodyweight squat and transition into a jump upward. Long jumps help to maximize the length of each jump. You can do single repetition long jumps, resting between repetitions but landing quickly and immediately to do another jump. This method focuses more on speed and agility than pure power.

Below the Knee: Your calf muscles are critical in giving you the power you need to reach those new heights. There are many calf muscle exercises that can be easily done at home without weights that include jump roping, toe raises, and rapid stair climbing.

One Leg Hops: This exercise may seem strange at first but its effectiveness will become obvious after some practice. First, stand on one leg, and push off from the standing leg, jumping forward and landing on the same leg. Use the opposite leg as a balance and for forward motion. With each jump, aim to jump higher. One leg hops will increase muscle strength and flexibility in your legs.

When these types of exercises are done correctly and consistently you will see results. However, these exercises, though effective, are just a few of the tools needed to build power in your jump. You also need to strengthen your upper body along with your legs. So if you want to reach your vertical jump goal you may want to invest in a vertical jump program that will increase your vertical strength through a combination of weights, plyometrics, pool training and isometrics to take you to the next level.

If you would like more information on how to increase your vertical jump and reach your goal height, Derek Bijnaam has discovered a powerful training program. He revels it here at http://increasevertjump.blogspot.com/