Drive down any neighborhood street and count the number of homes that have a basketball hoop affixed over the garage door. Some have a portable one sitting out on the lawn. Basketball is great exercise and lots of fun, a sport that technically requires 12 but only two can play and enjoy. It is a native American sport–invented by a Canadian professor working at a college in Massachusetts. Americans have embraced it and brought it to the entire world where it is gaining in popularity. You can play this game by yourself–just you and the hoop. If you want to get a basketball hoop so you can play a few hoops with your friends or kids, following are some ideas on the different formats hoops come in and their advantages.

Some homeowners don’t want to permanently affix a hoop to their house, or are renting and can’t. Portable basketball hoops are a popular choice because they do not have to be affixed to the house and can be moved around wherever needed. These hoops have a pole in a base which is weighed down by filling it with water or sand. They have wheels so they can be easily positioned at the right spot, including across the street if the kids want to play at the neighbor’s house, or moved from the front to the back yard. The heights are sometimes adjustable, so that the littler kids can have fun, too. The pole is not always 100 percent vertical, so rebounding may not seem the same as the hoop affixed to a house or installed in a gym. Since there is no support for the backboard, no one can do a slam dunk or they may tip the portable hoop over.

Some opt to install the basketball hoop set permanently, using concrete to support the pole. The pole can be bolted to a cement base or planted in a hole and cemented in permanently. Since there is no large base to fill with sand or cement, these look more aesthetically pleasing and take up less space. Professional installation may be wise to ensure the concrete mixture and the pole depth and upright position are perfect–a slight lean could ruin any use of the hoop once attached. A sturdy pole and heavy duty backboard for the hoop mean that regular play including slam dunks are possible, and rebounding will be the same as when played on a hoop at a gym. Parents with a serious basketball athlete in the family may want this solid installation, which, however, cannot be moved around or lowered for smaller children to use.

Many homes have the basketball hoop affixed to the side of their house. Over the garage door is the most popular spot, so players can take advantage of the cement driveway surface to mimic a basketball court. These are popular because there is not pole or pole in a bulky base, yet the basket has a solid, sturdy backstop for practicing rebounds. The best choices include a backboard with the hoop. Professional installation might be a good choice to ensure the backboard is secured properly and won’t come off, damaging the wall with it. Since no pole or base is needed, a quality hoop and backboard is more affordable.

To read more go to Basketball Hoop Review.

The timing could not have been anymore perfect the day I learned how to increase my vertical jump. The day was unlike any other as I dribbled the ball onto the court and looked up and gazed at the rim.

I wanted to dunk so bad ever since I could recall and that day was the day I learned how to train for that dream. The exercises that propelled me to smash the ball through the hoop not only once but twice in my entire college basketball career are plyometrics.

These incredibly fulfilling daily workouts lifted my vertical jumping ability as well as my point production and my love of the game. From the point I did my first jump up to the time I slammed the ball in for two points against Louisville I have always kept that feeling of elation elevation in my heart.

Now you too can feel what I felt the first time I raised the roof with a two-handed double-clutch dunk and it all starts with plyometrics. In order to do that dunk live, I first had to learn how to increase my vertical jump with plyometrics.

The question I got asked so many times after my game at Louisville was “Can I learn how to increase my vertical jump like you?’ My answer back then was the same as it is today, certainly.

To start the quest for scoring more points, blocking more shots, and generally being the best basketball player that you can be, you are going to have to do some reading. That’s the easy part as we have done all the research and the time tested equivalent of 25 years of real playing for you so all that is left is to read then do.

Plyometrics was first used by the Soviets and their Eastern Bloc comrades mostly during the early 1970’s at the Olympic Games. If you are old enough or have studied up on the dominance of those eastern teams you will realize that it was not steroids that caused them to bring home so much gold it was plyometrics.

The Soviets really learned the answer to the age-old question of how to increase my vertical and they learned it well.

The Dominance of the Eastern Bloc Nations Through Plyometrics

Plyometrics is an exercise program created by the U.S.S.R. and their sports coaches during the years following the Cold War. It seems that they made the breakthrough during a weight-lifting research testing in Moscow and then transferred that knowledge to all their sports teams.

What does all this mean to you and your vertical jumping program? It means that now you can too win the gold and dominate the court with an improved basketball skill set and that all starts with a fine vertical leap.

The plyometric exercise that the Soviet’s liked to use the most was the ‘Thigh and Side’ exercise for the basketball team. Now this exercise has been transformed and is currently part of a workout system that is very popular in the sports teams across the world yet the true original is the best one.

Thigh and Side Plyometric Exercise

The exercise concentrates most of the energy created from the most powerful muscle in the body, the thigh, and transfers that energy down into the leg for an explosive and very fast leaping action.

Think of it as training a spring to be really wound up as tight as it can go then released. This is how you will feel after a few weeks of doing this time-honored plyometric exercise.

• Start off by Squatting Down into a Catchers Position and Hold this for one 60 Second Count
• At 60 Spring up and Land in a Semi-Bent Position then Ease Back Down to the Catchers Stance
• Repeat 10 Times for 15 Sets

Jacob Hiller has created one of the best and most comprehensive of all the vertical guides out there today with his ‘The Jump Manual’ program. This is simply one of the most intense and ground-breaking vertical jump training programs in industry.

The industry that has seen an explosion in numbers for both its basketball playing leapsters and the guru’s that are hawking their wares in the past few years. The effort that has been placed into ‘The Jump Manual’ by Jacob Hiller has been nothing short of miraculous and has been the talk of the vertical jumping world since its inception.

If dunking the basketball is tops on the list of things you desire to accomplish this year then the Jump Manual is the only resource you will require.

The best techniques to jump higher are always the ones that are the hardest to accomplish. This is the way that the realm of vertical jumping can best be seen and it is not meant to scare anyone off yet it is meant to explain the essence of jumping high.

The vertical exercises and the nutritional aspects are just part of this benefit that will be yours if only you step up to the plate and deliver.

Plyometrics are the core exercises that will radically alter your vertical leaping and start you up the ladder in the game of basketball. The game of basketball does not require that one be the highest jumper on the court to be successful and it does not require the best athlete to score the most points.

Basketball is a game of both athletic ability and skill and it is within this dichotomy that the best techniques to jump higher are found.

One of the Favored Techniques to Jump Higher and Score More Points

In the game of basketball the techniques to jump higher are highly prized and sought after by the players of the game. The reasons for this are many and include scoring, rebounding, blocking shots, playing longer, playing better defense, and just being more of a force on the court than ever before.

By jumping higher the player has the ability to shoot better by being elevated over the defenders reach. The rebounding can become almost second-nature when the player is head and shoulders above most of the opposing players.

Offense improves by the ability to pass better and launch half-court passes with better accuracy and aim. The defensive play will improve by leaps and bounds since the shots can now be blocked or altered as never before.

The entire game can be dominated by the player that used to play well but now plays dynamically. The biggest shift from an average player to a great player does not come automatically to the new found vertical jumping champion yet it does make all the mechanics of the game that much more devastatingly effective.

The best techniques to jump higher are the ones that are plyometrically enhanced. Do you wish to score more points and grab a dozen more rebounds in the game of basketball?

Then take a look at these two wonderfully plyometric exercises that will strengthen the legs and thighs.

Side Hopping and Ankle Hopping are Two Great Techniques to Jump Higher

Ankle Hop

• Start with Both Feet Flat on the Ground with Legs Locked and Hands at the Side
• Jump Upwards Keeping the Legs Locked and Use Only the Calf Muscles
• Make Certain That as You ‘Hop’ Forward Only the Ankles are Used for Momentum
• Hop Continuously in One Spot
• Extend the Ankles to the Maximum Distance Every Step

This plyometric exercise is the perfect example of what it is to work hard and be disciplined in your effort. The ‘Ankle Hop’ is a great exercise that not only strengthens the ankles and calves but is one of the best techniques to jump higher for basketball players.

There is another exercise that fits nicely with the ankle exercise listed above and that is called ‘Side Hopping.’

Side Hopping

• While Standing Flat Footed Jump as High and Hard to the Left as You Can
• Repeat this Movement Left to Right for 25 Repetitions
• Do Ten Sets

You now have two of the most basic yet most explosive techniques to jump higher and play ball better.

‘The Jump Manual’ is a creation by Jacob Hiller for the overall benefit of those wishing to extend their vertical jump. The program is packed full of excellent exercises and plyometric exercises that were hand-picked by the man himself.

The research that Hiller has placed into this manual is mind boggling as the years of testing, the long hours in the gym, the miles of running, playing basketball, all culminating in ‘The Jump Manual’. You will learn how to improve your vertical jumping ability and improve it fast.

When focusing on the goal of improving ones vertical and to increase jumping ability the exercises that will be required are the primary tool. This does not mean that there are no other ways to assist liftoff yet it is only to say that the muscles in the body need to be trained to explode on request.

This is only done by working the legs, the arms, the shoulders, all the bodies’ muscles with rigorous exercises and extreme focus. If anyone tries to tell you that they have a product that requires little effort to do and will guarantee you to be slamming like Mike in two-weeks, run from them.

They are fibbing and you do not have the time for the untruth. The only way to effectively increase jumping ability is through hard work and discipline.

The method that is utilized the most to increase jumping ability in the basketball players of the world is the advanced plyometric exercises. Are you craving the feel of your hand on the iron rim as the ball is slammed through with such force it causes the entire basket to rattle?

Then let this guide be your pathway marker to elevated vertical jumping ability. The exercise that is presented here is one of the best for improving your vertical jumping abilities and will have you springing into action relatively quickly.

Standing Broad Jumps

This first plyometric exercise is geared towards maximizing the body’s potential for upward mobility. The legs are the springboards for increase jumping ability performance and this broad jump exercise will have you first feeling the burn then feeling the iron.

• Start off on a Basketball Court (not in play of course) and Squat Down as Far as You Can
• With One Explosive Leap Burst Forth as Far as You Can and Land Squarely on Both Feet
• Keep this Rhythm Going All the Way to the End of the Court Then Turn Around
• Twice a Day for Three Months and Then Test Your Leaping Ability

After exercising with the Standing Broad Jump you will feel as if your legs are going to explode, it hurts that much. I recall the first week of doing these at the University of Memphis and that week was referred to as ‘Hell Week’.

You will hopefully be spared the pain of that week yet it did start me on the way to feeling the cold iron of a basketball rim I had dreamed of touching for so many years before. This reality can be yours as well if you want it that much and are willing to put forth the effort that is required of you.

To increase jumping ability to the extent that it requires to dunk a basketball is really impressive indeed. Plyometrics will assist the most of all the exercises out there since it concentrates so much energy into such a small area then explodes that energy into an upward relentless vertical jump.

The basic construction of a leaping and dunking machine begins from the ground up and then ends in the most important part of the jump, the mind. In order to increase jumping ability in athletes the coaches and the strength conditioners of the teams zero in on the muscles most responsible for that upward flight.

The legs are the most important appendages in relation to an impressive vertical jumping scenario and the legs are the ones that will receive the most attention.

Throughout these pages on this site you will be oriented with various methods and exercises that will benefit youre vertical jumping ability if only you desire that hard enough.

The man behind the success of so many athletes across the world is Jacob Hiller. The author of the now famous “The Jump Manual” has been a leader in the field of vertical jumping training for over three years.

All the knowledge and the research Jacob Hiller acquired came from years of back-breaking studies and long hours in the gymnasiums of the United States.

Now that information and the best methods for improving the vertical jump are easily accessible on the Internet. It matters not what country you are in since the power of the online phenomenon is everywhere.

Have you ever found yourself asking the all-important question ‘Why can’t I dunk the ball when I am trying so hard?’ This is one of the questions that usually are answered with a variety of excuses such as; too short, no vertical leap, or best yet, not worthy.

The first two are viable excuses that used to hold some water yet the final excuse is the one that needs to be addressed first before any vertical jumping program can be initiated.

We all understand that being 5’4” and with little or no leaping ability to speak of will make it rather difficult to dunk the ball except on a 6’ rim on the kiddies playground. For those ‘want to be ballers’ there is always, golf, yet for those basketball players that are on the proverbial cusp, there is hope.

That hope is in the form of plyometric exercises and the discipline that is required for jumping workouts.

Definition of Vertical Jumping Workouts

Jump reach minus the standing reach is the definition of a vertical jump. This is the reason why basketball players are constantly striving to improve their verticals through a plethora of vertical jumping workouts.

Now the realm of the high-flying leapsters that was once sacred territory reserved for the super-stars is now being invaded by regular ‘scrubs’ with dunking on their minds.

What’s this? A 5’9” bench-warmer is coming to the hole and bringing it hard? Yes and the reason that this smallish guard will dunk the ball and dunk it on anyone who is unfortunate enough to be in the post is plyometrics.

You see the kid has been researching the Internet and has come across the magic of vertical jumping workouts that involve plyometrics. By definition the vertical jumping workouts seem to be easy enough to comprehend yet how hard are they to endure? They are relatively basic workouts with a twist.

Plyometric Vertical Jumping Workouts for Basketball Players

When it comes to leaping out of the gym the basketball player desires to do this more than any other athlete in any sport. The reasoning behind this phenomenon is that the reward is two-points and all the glory that comes with the dunk.

How does the baller get from point A to point B and ends up slamming the ball like a rocket-man? Through discipline, hard work, and plyometrics.

What exactly is plyometrics?

It is the exercise regimen that concentrates the muscle fibers and loads them up then explodes into a vertical jump and does this over and over. The end results from a set of strict plyometric vertical jumping workouts is soaring. Explosive rebounding, power-packed instant offense, menacing board-clearing rebounds, and effortless slams are coming.

That’s the basic results from a plyometric set of vertical jumping workouts for the basketball player.

The Best Two Plyometric Jumping Workouts in College Basketball

Let’s take a look at some really great plyometric vertical jumping workouts to get you slamming the ball like a big center.

The first one we will break down is one of the favorites of some of the greatest US Division One NCAA Basketball teams. This exercise is the one that is a standard for all players who want to play in this highly competitive league.

It involves the leg muscles and the fast-twitch muscle training format. It is referred to by many different names yet the process is basically the same for all, jump onto a short box then jump down and jump again this time on a slightly higher set box.

The process is very good for improving the basketball player’s vertical jumping ability and very quickly.

Weighted Tiger Box Jumps

• Position Two Sturdy Wood Boxes 20’/32” as Close as Possible to Each Other
• Pick up a Pair of 15 Pound Weights and Grip Both Very Tightly
• Position Your Body Directly in Front of the 20” Wooden Box
• Once up Step Down and Then Slid Over and Jump Onto the 32” Wooden Box
• Step Down and Immediately Jump Back Onto the 20’ Wooden Box
• Repeat this Process Three Times with 10 Jumps

With consistent and disciplined training I have personally witnessed an increase of 11” and above for my teammates and three of which began to dunk for the first time in their careers six months after beginning this great set of plyometric jumping workouts.

Jacob Hiller is one of the best vertical jumping masters in the game of basketball. From a very humble beginning to a leadership mentoring role in the basketball world, Hiller has raised the bar for jumping vertically out of the gym.

‘The Jump Manual’ was created for the athletes that required a higher vertical leap for many sports yet basketball is the one true passion for Jacob Hiller and he has not disappointed at all.

In order to find ways to jump higher it is necessary to do some research. In order to really dominate the game and clean the glass so to speak one must be able to jump higher than the other guy and do it quicker and with more repetition.

That’s the core of any plyometric exercise routine, the ability to almost instantly explode with leaping power. Any exercise that involves plyometrics will involve the training of the muscles in a loaded position and then an exploded position.

That is the whole theory behind plyometrics loading and exploding.

The Big Two

One of the best plyometric exercises has to do with a surprising area in vertical jumping and that is the upper body. A great upper-body plyometrics exercise will increase the top half and help with grabbing rebounds and also the vertical leaping ability.

As any good athlete whose in training should know, a head to toe approach in plyometric exercising is the only way to go. One of the best ways to make you jump higher is this fantastic set of two plyometric exercises and the first one has to do with what they call leap ups.

Leap ups are rhythmic squat jumps that are easy to do and here’s how you do them. One word of advice and that is partners is required for the rebounding segment yet if no teammate is available grab some air.

• Assume the Catcher-Position and Breathe out then Breathe in
• As you Breathe out Launch your Body Upwards
• Use the arms as Balancers and Momentum Builders and Swing Upwards with the Body
• At the Top of your Leap Up Grab the Ball that the Partner has Thrown Above your Head
• The Timing of the Leap Up and ‘Grab a Bound’ Movement will Benefit the Muscles and the Rebounding Action when it Comes Time for the Real Game

The leap up is a great way to build up the muscles in the legs and it also has an extra added benefit of teaching one how to best grab a rebound in flight. This is only the beginning of a plyometric orientated workout and will be the most utilized exercise of the big three.

This exercise works wonders on the rebounding stats as I went from 2.5 boards a game as an incoming freshman to 6 in a period of three months. This was a high school to college movement so the competition improved dramatically.

This is one of the best ways to make you jump higher of all the exercises in the world.

We spoke about the upper-body and how it is important in the business of the ways to jump higher. Now we will demonstrate that exercise and detail the expected results for this plyometric wonder.

This exercise involves only you and a long wide open court. It is referred to as the Shoulder Push and you will see why momentarily.

• Stand Straight Up and Then Bend your Head to your Chest
• Breathe in and out Three Times and on the Last out Leap up Into the Air as High as you Can
• While Jumping use the Left Arm to Complete a Full Circle Before you Hit the Ground
• Repeat this Movement with the Right Arm and Once More Before the Ground a Circle
• Repeat 25 Times in Sets of 20

By the time you have finished this exercise you will feel the burning in the shoulders, chest, legs, arms and that is good. This is an exercise used by the National Champion North Carolina Tarheel’s Basketball Team and it works.

Just ask the Tarheel’s opponents. So there you have it my soon to be ‘cleaning the boards and scoring wildly machine friend’ keys to the castle for ways to jump higher .

Jacob Hiller is the author of ‘The Jump Manual’ and is the reason that so many basketball players are now basketball stars. With his core principles for increasing the vertical jumping ability thousands of young, middle-aged, elderly even, athletes have increased not only their leaps but the entire style of play.

The research and the time that has been placed into every single exercise and note listed in ‘The Jump Manual’ goes into you and then, you are jumping higher, feeling and being stronger than ever before!

In the world of vertical jumping there exist certain key exercises that can help if the goal is to learn how to jump higher fast. Many of the exercises that are taught these days concentrate on the low extremities which make perfect sense when trying to jump and dunk a basketball.

One of the most basic theories behind jumping higher is that one needs to build up the muscles in the legs. Even though this is correct there is much more to it than just working the legs out to improve the vertical jump.

There are many exercises and many different ways to make you jump higher and all have some beneficial value to them, although not all of them.

Listed below is one great exercise that will certainly help basketball players learn how to jump higher fast.

Exercises to Create Thunderous Dunks

If you ever find yourself asking the question, what does it take for me to bring down the house with a thunderous dunk? Then the answer to that should be discipline and exercise.

These are two of the most important factors in improving a vertical jump or vertical leap and cannot be done any other way other than hard work and diligence.

When the goal is to improve the vertical leap by six or more inches there is no such thing as an easy path. One of the most fascinating and new improvements to the science of vertical jump training is in the realm of plyometrics.

Up, Up, and Away with Plyometric Exercises

Plyometrics is a type of exercise training designed to produce fast, powerful movements and is very beneficial to the basketball player who wishes to dunk the ball.

Plyometrics is used to increase the speed or force of muscular contractions, often with the goal of increasing the vertical jumping ability as well.

By learning at least a couple of the many plyometric exercises that are available right here you will see the results of the effort faster than ever imagined.

There is no wonder exercise that will guarantee to have you smashing backboards with thunderous applause yet there is a proven system that will enhance the leaping ability.

Let’s take a look at one of the most popular plyometric exercises available today for those wishing to dunk like a champion. The primary goal here is to find the essential keys for a basketball player to learn how to jump higher fast.

Using Plyometric Exercises to Elevate One’s Leaping Ability

Here is a very simple and equipment free plyometric exercise that can be done anywhere there is a stair! We have broken the exercise down into easy to understand and complete steps, no pun intended.

1. Stand in Front of a Set of Stairs in the Squat Position
2. Jump Up with Both Feet Bringing Your Knees to Your Chest to the First Riser (step)
3. Repeat This Movement for Ten Sets of 5 Jumps
4. Rest Every Other Day

The goal here is to train your body into the rim slamming and earth shaking basketball star that is inside you beckoning to get out.

With the guidance and technique that we have listed here in this review it will be sooner rather than later that you will be grabbing the rim and then eventually dunking the basketball if you stick to it.

There is now no excuse for you not gaining at least two to three inches on your vertical leap if you practice proper mental health, nutritional health and complete the exercises in the time frame recommended.

Remember that your muscles need recovery time just as much as they need exercise burn time and rest is the only way to increase a vertical leap over the long run.

There is a wonderful guide that will definitely assist you in learning how to jump higher fast. The Jump Manual by Jacob Hiller is that guide and it is a comprehensive and relevant manual that will have you leaping out of the gym in no time flat.

The difference is that this vertical jumping guide has been created by one of the masters of vertical jumping out of the gym, Jacob Hiller. What Jacob does is to destroy all the misconceptions and inaccuracies of vertical jump training that have been utilized in the past and strips all that down to a bare boned essential work out guide that will benefit the up and coming high jumping basketball star!

The Jump Manual is an absolute necessity for the beginning athlete who wants to get off the bench and get into the game once and for all and be a star.

How will learning to jump higher to dunk the basketball assist you in youre game? It will immediately provide you with the confidence that is needed, mentally, to dominate youre opponents on the court.

The game of basketball is a physically demanding sport which takes skill, athletic ability, and mental prowess. The mental aspect of the game is covered in detail in a later article so this piece will concentrate on the essential exercises that will lift your game to the highest level!

The Exercise That Will Help You Jump Higher and Dunk

When you ask yourself “What can I do in order to jump higher and dunk?” The answer is what you are doing right now! The very first step in achieving that stratospheric goal is to read the exercises that are presented right here!

We have researched the very best and most proven and authentic vertical jump training exercises from the leading experts in the field and have condensed them for you.

Are you ready to hang from the rim and look down upon the very same guys that used to smile at you as you rode the pine in the big games? Then prepare yourself to be amazed as you learn how to jump higher to dunk.

One of the most influential areas of the body in terms of being able to jump higher and dunk is the legs. No other body region will be as important as the explosion that must be created from these rocket launchers!

Please take a look at the first exercise that will help you develop the strength required to bring down the house with a Wicked Windmill or Chocolate Thunder From Down Under dunk!

Explosion Squats: Designed to Increase the Amount of Fast Twitch Muscle Fibers

This leg extension exercise is formatted for optimum muscle growth and also has the extra added benefit for the training and recruitment of the slow twitch muscle fibers.

Remember that the core essential item in an explosive vertical jump is to gather, through recruitment, the greatest number of fast-twitch muscle fibers and then lift off!

These leg exercises do just that as they are designed to make your legs recruit other muscles that are normally not utilized and then train them to be instantly recalled in the event of a vertical leap.

• This exercise is best completed on a leg press machine
• Set the weight at a lower setting for the first week (this is totally up to you)
• The goal of the first week is to acclimate your legs and back to the workout
• Place enough weight so that you can do no more than 8 reps at a time
• Complete 3 sets a day of 8 repetitions for the first week
• Increase the weight and or reps each week as you feel comfortable with

The goal is to train your body and your mind into a vertical jump training machine and then release that explosion all over the basketball court! The first week of training will be the hardest as your legs burn with every set and when you return home you will really feel the workout!

Understand that increasing your vertical jumping ability is hard work and nothing will be easy yet the results will increase the vertical leaping ability, it has to.

The Jump Manual by Jacob Hiller is a comprehensive and well-researched guide to learning how to jump higher to dunk. The amount of relevant information that is contained within the manual is astounding.

What makes this vertical jumping guide different and unique is the ability of Jacob Hiller to create an environment of learning before action. He dispels the myths that have encapsulated the sports world in regards to how the body creates the explosive power that is vertical jumping.

The Jump Manual is perfect for the beginning athlete who desires more out of their game and is willing to put forth the effort that will be necessary.