A vertical jump is highest off two feet. Use the power of both your legs to push off the ground, even if you’re taking a few steps before you hop.

Be careful that your knees don’t point inwards in a “knock-knee” position, with your toes pointed inward. Keep your knees as straight as possible, ideally positioned vertically over your toes. Have your arms at your sides. Keep your back very straight while you’re jumping. Practice in front of a mirror dropping into the imaginary chair and keeping your back straight to avoid injury.

Properly done, your feet should roll forward, from your heels to your toes as you jump off. You should feel pressure on your heels moving up your feet towards your toes as you come back to a standing position, normally, and in a jump you’ll do the same thing much more quickly. You must roll all the way to your toes when you are actually jumping. Keep your arms parallel to each other and move them just behind your rear. Swing your arms forward while straightening your whole body, as though you were uncoiling a spring.

Bend your knees slightly before you end to soften the impact on your knees. [2] X Expert Source Dean TheriotPersonal Trainer Expert Interview. 22 January 2021. Let your knees absorb the momentum, falling into a partial squat, not past 90 degrees, to absorb the shock. Straighten up from the squatting posture. By bending your joints when you land, you transfer the force of landing into your muscles and tendons, which are built to absorb and dissipate force like this. You can even briefly store and release this energy elastically by propelling you into another jump.

If you don’t have access to a long-jump pit, you need to practice doing hops and landing on your feet. This is a great way of building up your distance and getting better long jumps later. It won’t be time wasted working out.

Accelerate and continue powering to the take-off line. You need to be going as fast as possible when you reach the end of the running strip. It’s your momentum that should carry you into the jump, less than your strength.

The best jumpers have 3:2 strength ratio between their quadriceps and hamstrings, respectively. If you’re not flexible, you tend to develop an imbalance of strength that will limit your ability to jump. Stretch regularly so you can increase and maintain flexibility in your ankles, knees, and hips. [3] X Research source