Muscles Involved During a Vertical Jump

The movements involved in propelling the body upward during the positive phase of a vertical jump.

A. Lower body hip extension knee extension plantar flexion. B. Back / Spine Retroflexion C. Shoulders: anteflexion

Muscles driving the above movements, and estimated percentage of power source (Source on study below):

A.1 hip extension - Gluteus maximus : 45% - Gluteus medius : 8% - Semitendinosus : 4% - Semimembranosus : 13% - Biceps femoris (caput longum) : 4% - Adductor magnus : 16% A.2 knee extention - Rectus femoris : 16% - Musculi vasti : 83% A.3 Plantar flexion - Tibialis posterior : 2% - Flexor digitorum longus : 2% - Flexor hallucis longis : 5% - Gastrocnemius : 48% - Soleus : 39% - Plantaris : (no number added) - Peroneus longus : 2% - Peroneus brevis : 2% B. Back retroflexion - serratus posterior superior - serratus posterior inferior - splenius capitis and cervicis - erector spinae - spinalis - semispinalis - multifidus - rotares - intertransversii - interspinales C. Shoulders anteflexion: - deltoideus (front fibers: 41% - pectoralis major : 16.2 % - biceps (caput breve) : 12.7 % - supraspinatus : 4.4 % - coracobrachialis : 8.4 % - infraspinatus : 4.4 % - subscapularis : 3 %

Breakdown by posterior chains and anterior chain, or percentage of movement generated by muscles in the front or back of the body.

Hip Extension Posterior Chain ( Backside muscles – Calf, hamstring, glutes, spinal erectors, shoulders) : 84% Anterior Chain (Front side muscles Quads, shoulders) : 0% (adductor magnus : 14%) knee extension: PC : 0%, AC : 100% plantar flexion: PC : 100%, AC: 0% back retroflexion : PC : 100%, AC : 0% shoulders anteflexion : PC : 8.8%, AC : 91.2 %

OVERALL CONCLUSION AND NOTES Not all movement is created only by skeletal muscle contraction, so contributions from tendons can be deduced but are not directly listed. Jumping styles, forms, and movement efficiency may vary from individual to individual and based on the purpose and sport, however knowing the proper muscles to train to create the desired movement is extremely important. Without a proper base of strength, there can be no source for power to increase. While the largest percentage of power is created by the posterior chain, all muscle groups should be strengthened properly. Finally strong muscles alone does not guarantee the explosiveness of muscles which is a determination of jumping efficiency, and explosive strength capabilities.

For more information on increasing your vertical jump click below:

How to jump higher _________________ Source for percentages of muscles: (SRC: Van Lanz)

(SRC: Van Lanz)

aznballa

great artical jacob! u know so much about vertical its scary ^^
Matt

Yeah, I agree. I like the scientific approach. Jacob, do you have a degree in med or something?
elevator

hahaha, you guys are nuts, this article sucks. how does this help increase my vertical?!?!? dude, stop writing this science bullshit and tell me how to get some inches. thx
http://verticalleaptraining.blogspot.com Free Vertical Leap Training

I agree with elevator. This info does not have much practical use
cade

I graduated with my bachelors in Exercise Science and have a passion for jumping. They don’t teach this stuff in one class in college. Jacob has done a lot of research to discover this stuff. With a background of anatomy and biomechanics the knowledge in this website is very impressive!
http://sportspecificpartners.com joecairo

To those who say this article not much of a practical use… You really shot an air-ball.

Knowing the mechanics and the engineering of the muscles involved allow you to sport specific train to get maximal performance on a fairly consistent basis. It also enables you to reduce the chance for injury.

The more you know, the better choices you can make on what training is best for you, which is just about any program that you feel you can commit to.
http://www.jumpmanual.com Jacob

Right on Joe. Knowing the right muscles to work and the amount of involvement will keep a serious athlete on the right focus.
josephine

great job… it helps me a lot in my studies
Zac

would have been even better with an actual like to the source book you referred to.
http://www.jumpmanual.com/cb?cb=jacobwh Jacob

Zac if you have questions let me know… I can explain.
Zac

sorry for the typo. “link” to the source instead of “like” to the source, guess my auto spell check was mad at me yesterday. I didn’t have a question nessessarly, I’m writting a report on how the glutes and quads function during a jump for a anatomy final and i felt i could’ve sited your information in a more professional manner if it was sited out of your book rather than the web page. But I guess since your making porfit off the book you wouldnt post links to specific chapters. However, I’m amazed you took time to answer back and I do have one question I’ve been second guessing myself on for awhile. My paper is actually on the muscle activity involved in a “diving jump” not a vertical jump. i cited your information as percentages on vetical jumping but I stated (acording to my basic knowledge of the subject) that a horrizontal dive and a vertical jump are essentially the same muscle movement in all areas other than the direction of force from being straight down to a more angled direction. i’m sure some percentages would change but am i basically right about the two types of jumping being close to the same amount of muscle recruitment and movement?
Hernandes

Jacob,
Congrats on your post. Would you help me finding the source? “(SRC: Van Lanz)” has no meaning to me!
http://www.verticaljumpcenter.com VJC

Good knowledge about what happens in the organism during the training (How things happen) is very important!
Spenser – Ohio

This artical is great, anyone who disagrees doesn’t know anything about vertical leaping. First of all, you can train all you like and occasionally stretch, but your body will limit your vertical if you do not have the right body composure and mindset. I am 6′ 198lbs 6.8 percent body fat. I have had a decent vertical my whole life. I train my legs routinely for jumping, but all I can ever seem to do is grab the rim easily and almost dunk at times. I was sick of getting packed by the rim, so I tried this “Scientific B.S. you all say”. At first it felt a little wierd, because I have always came to a running start to jump. Eventually, after a week or so, I stretched my whole body inverse and all, drank some OJ and hit the gym. I jogged a warm-up lap around the court, did some backpedal/shuffle warm-ups, and tied my shoes. I stared at the rim and got it in my head that today I would dunk. After that, I backed up to the three point line and ran in exaggerated my last step and boom two hand dunk. Of course, I can squat over double my weight, but I’m no small guy. I have a lot of upper body muscle that weighs me down. It would be easy to not work on my steps and not stretch and just lose some upper body mass, but I don’t wanna look like a ***** haha. Anyway, this stuff gave me that extra 2-3 inches I needed. Ya, it’s not much BUT it’s something that everyone can gain and without killing themselves in the gym.
http://www.jumpmanual.com/cb?cb=jacobwh Jacob

@Spenser – Ohio:Thanks for this man! It definirely works!
Pingback: Miracle static stretches for a higher vertical leap. Part 1. | improve vertical jump flexibility | How to jump higher with vertical jump training tips by Jacob Hiller | Learn - Achieve - Teach
nwora

there’s no percentage breakdown for back retroflexion. what Im wondering is would the speed at which you could contract your abs and initiate the stretch reflex influence the power output for back retroflexion which I think would be the biggest key to moving your upper body in the air.

Would you train the gastrocnemius for explosivness or for reactivity primarily. How would you rate the importance of plantar flexion compared to knee and hip extension.
vertical leap

I wouldn’t add weight to this exercise, there is no need, you’re going to exert 100% force with every jump anyway. I’d strive to jump higher and higher rather then adding adding weight.
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