The Instant Vertical Leap Formula

By Adam Linkenauger

The Story:In 2004, I walked into my first practice ever at Clemson University for track and field.

I was a high jumper, a pretty good one. Just 5 months prior I won the Penn Relays High School National Championship, and was named a Nike and Adidas All-American.

In my mind, I considered myself an expert on the subject of “jumping” and high jumping, but my self-opinion was dramatically challenged on this day.

Our first practice was a “show off” day. It was kinda like an inner-team competition. We’d compete against each other for bragging rights.

I was so pumped to show out, impress my coach, and prove to everyone that “the undersized country kid from Virginia” was the TRUTH.

So the high jump competition started.

I was BOOMING bars, and literally kicked the CRAP out of everyone who competed against me. I was owning them.

My coach came over to me after I cleared the bar easily at 6’10”. I assumed he was coming over to congratulate me. Brag on me a bit like everyone else had done.

Boy was I wrong.

My Coach, the late Jarrett Foster came over to me and said something I’ll never forget:

“Adam, we have work to do. You have so much to fix…”

I was shocked. I didn’t get it. I was the highest high school high jumper in the United States. I was his number 1 recruit. What the hell could I have to fix?

He eventually made me a list:

“My MCV.Take Off.Penultimate Step.Plant.Foot Contact.Launch Pad.Jump Angle.

Approach Lean.View Angle.Dorsiflexion.Paw Technique.Chest Degree.Core Contraction.Toe Up/Heel Up.Knee Drive.Arm Drive.Hip Height.Hip Lift.Hip Flexor.Core Stability.Rhythm.Step Plant.Pigeon Toe.”

My head was spinning. What the hell was he talking about? I was just running and jumping, lol.

Wow- this day changed my life. This knowledge skyrocketed my vertical, and I went on to become a 7x ACC High Jump Champion, ACC Freshman of the Year, ACC Champion Coach, and Powerade National Dunk Champion.

I’ve since restructured, and retaught this information in the package of Basketball Specific jump training, and have been sought out by high school elite players, NCAA prospects, Division 1 Players, and even NBA Guards since.

You clearly get it, you wouldn’t be reading this report right now if you didn’t see the absolute value in correcting your current jumping mechanics to gain extremely fast inches on your vertical as soon as possible. What this report is going to do for you…

You are going to learn the 7 KEY principles to gaining inches on your vertical leap the fastests. Literally the 7 areas of jump technique that if you concentrate on, you’ll see immediate results.

I’ll list each area, and then describe the what, why, and HOW. What the area is… Why it helps you jump higher, and HOW to correct your current form to get those added inches as fast as possible.

1. MCVYour first area of concentration in regards to jumping higher is your MCV. MCV stands for Maximum Controlled Velocity. This is the speed X Comfort of your approach. Your approach is simply the Jog/Run you take before you jump.

A jump is broken down into 4 key areas: The Approach, The Penultimate (Last Two Steps), The Take Off (Last Step), and In Air.

In order to jump your highest, you must reach the MAXIMUM speed that you can “jump off of” properly in a CONTROLLED setting during your approach phase.

This means if you approach to fast and can’t jump vertically, but forward, you are likely NOT hitting your MCV but are bringing too much speed.

If you feel comfortable when you jump, but aren’t reaching maximum height, you are too SLOW. You need to practice your MCV by speeding it up and finding that perfect middle point where your fastest speed meets complete control.

Control is ALWAYS more valuable that speed. If you can’t control your take off (jump vertical and not forward) you’ll NEVER reach full potential on your jump.

In order to find your MCV, you must simply take practice jumps, and get a FEEL for it.

Start slower than general from a 5-6+ step approach. The amount of steps is based on what

is most COMFORTABLE to you.

You’ll then take 10 jumps, speeding up a bit each time. You base the results of each jump on

1. Height of jump (How high you touch)2. How COMFORTABLE you felt.

You’ll need to determine which jump hits areas 1 and 2 listed above the best.

That my friend, will be your MCV.

NOTE: As you get stronger, faster, and older (high school athletes and younger), your MCV will INCREASE. It’s smart to “retest” yourself every 6-8 months to stay on top of your MCV speed. It’s the foundation of your jump.

With any good approach there are a few key areas to keep in mind:

1. ONLY accelerate, never decelerate or stay the same speed.

Each step you take during your approach needs to be faster than the one prior. Your last two steps need to be your fastest.

2. No Stuttering. No Leaning. Stay Tall.

Stutter Stepping is simply your mind telling your body:

“I’m not comfortable and we need to adjust”, if you stutter, start over. You’ll NEVER jump your highest on a stutter.

Your Head, Chest, abdomen, and Tailbone must remain in a constant straight line on your run up (approach) and take off. If your head and chest get in front of your lower body, you’ll jump forward. You are unable to control your MCV if your center of gravity isn’t in a neutral state!

The best way to fix this is to video yourself jumping. See if you notice any forward, backward, or sidewards leaning during your approach. Adjust accordingly.

2. DORSIFLEXIONOk- this is key. If you aren’t dorsiflexing on your approach and takeoff. You are missing out on some valuable inches.

As you can see in the figure above, Dorsiflexion is the act of pulling your toes up towards your shin. Instead of running and jumping off of your toes, you will run and jump off the LAUNCH PAD of your foot in a dorsiflexed position.

The Red Arrow in the figure above points towards the LAUNCH PAD. This is the “ball” of your foot.

In comparison, running and jumping off of your toes in a plantar-flexed position is equivalent to trying to punch someone with your fingertips.

It’s not STRONG, it’s not powerful, and it’s not going to leave an impact.

Bring your barefoot up across your opposite knee while your sitting down reading this…

I want you to dorsiflex your foot to the best of your ability by bringing your toes and trying to “touch your shin with them”

I then want you to feel how SOLID the “ball of your foot” is and imagine jumping, making cuts, and accelerating off of this part of your foot instead of your weak toes.

You’ll IMMEDIATELY see gains.

Dorsiflexion will take time. It’s done by a series of muscles in your calves, front shin, all the way down to your foot. These muscles will strengthen the more you dorsiflex, and you’ll begin dorsiflexing in sports subconsciously.

So do not get discouraged if it takes some time, after a few weeks, this movement will be incredibly natural, and you’ll notice insane improvements in all aspects of your game.

Another great benefit of dorsiflexion is the fact that by dorsiflexing when landing, your chances of rolling an ankle decreases dramatically. With a dorsiflexed ankle, you have a MUCH wider range of “Flat” landing area, AND your ankle is much more neutral and stable

in comparison to doing what most athletes do and come down with their toes reaching for the ground.

3. PENULTIMATEOnce dorsiflexion is mastered on a correct MCV, your next hurdle to tackle is called your “penultimate” step.

Your penultimate step is the last 3 steps of your jump leading into your take off from the ground. The key to the penultimate step is the SPEED of your last Step.

A penultimate, by definition is an elongated stride (3rd to second step from jumping) which allows for an EXPLOSIVE fast take off step.

For One Foot, a penultimate step is extremely evident. Long Jumpers and High Jumpers do this best as well as distance dunkers:

Here’s a video of me dunking from deep to show you my “penultimate”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rr8I-rfhNwk

NOTICE, an elongated 3rd step, leading into a Pa-POW last two steps.

Also notice between my 3rd and second step, how my second step is already rotating over as the 3rd stride is planting. This is the key to the penultimate step. A drill below will emphasize how to program this into your jumping below.

This allows minimum explosive and horizontal motion loss WHILE transferring this acquired horizontal speed VERTICALLY!

That’s the mission of vertical jumping man, take horizontal speed vertical by transferring an quickly and efficiently as possible! Simple as that.

For TWO FEET, we have the exact same concept.

The only difference is your last two steps happen more or less at the same time. There should be little (left before right or right before left) planting.

BUT there should be SOME. It’s very difficult to jump off of a DIRECT 2 foot (same time) plant. So I teach the left-right or right-left plant take off because I find it much easier to do, and much more efficient for basketball players.

I myself am a left-right plant:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tdqLpCfG7c

Notice my right foot is following IMMEDIATELY after my left. This allows for little to no speed loss going from my MCV into leaving the ground. It needs to happen as fast as possible. The longer the transition between horizontal to vertical (the amortization phase) the lower your jump.

Your physical strength VS your MCV speed plays a role in how fast your Amortization phase can be. The ultimate goal is to have the fastest possible MCV with an explosive quick

penultimate step.

FAST MCV X Explosive, Quick Penultimate = Fastest Possible Amortization Phase

Here are a couple drills to begin working on your Penultimate Speed:

1 Foot Drill: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6JYU1xnRe0(notice the in air rotation)

2 foot Drill: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlUKuC_C140(Notice the speed between the left and right foot planting)

Your penultimate speed will come with time. In college this was the biggest difference maker. When you hit a solid penultimate, your jump will feel effortless, and you will literally SCARE yourself with how fast (and high) you get in the air!

Be prepared!

Don’t get down if this doesn’t come to you fast. It took me a long time practicing the above drills to consider myself a “master” at it. Just keep at it.. 3x a week, 6-10 reps each leg for each drill will make a massive difference.

The Final Keys to a great penultimate step:

1. MCV Comfort

2. HIGH HIPS (don’t ever allow your hips to drop on your approach)3. Acceleration4. Dorsiflexion5. Control Lean (Stay tall and neutral, chest should NOT lean forward)

Do those 5 things properly and your penultimate will have the best chance to be great.

4. TAKE OFFYour Take Off is your last 2 step of your jump. When your foot transitions from “Shock Absorber” to the “hammer”.This again is the Amortization phase!

What I mean is your take off has two goals!

1. To control your MCV and penultimate (The Horizontal Motion)2. Transfer the horizontal motion through direct ground impact to a VERTICAL direction! (The Vertical Motion)

The Take off must happen as fast as possible. That’s the key. The longer your take off time, the more horizontal speed you LOSE!

Some Take Off Keys:

1 Foot: NO loss of HIP HEIGHT. Stay tall and work in the last two steps as quickly as you can. The key to a one foot jump for height will ALWAYS rely in the penultimate step. If done properly, you’re flying...

Two Foot is a little more complicated though:

2 Foot: Minimal high height loss. You of course need to drop some to allow elasticity into the jump, BUT you want to find the POINT of max benefit.

- What I mean by this is there is a point of “depth” when you jump off of two feet that allows for max benefit.

If you drop too low at take off (like sitting in a chair) too much horizontal motion is lost due to the time needed to get “out” of that position and vertical. Your two foot MAX jump from a run needs to come from your horizontal MCV AND a fast, explosive contraction during your amortization phase.

DOWN and UP FAST and Explosive. You need to think as the Lowering effect of your two foot takeoff is not to “Gain Power” but to CONTROL the MCV you are bringing in.

Controlling the MCV is simply withstanding the “Ripple” effect when you plant your feet. You are bringing in a LOT of speed from YOUR MCV.

You need to control this “shock absorbing ripple effect” by imagining at take off you are running at a BRICK WALL. You must control and take ALL momentum VERTICAL, and not FORWARD.

You wouldn’t jump forward if there was a wall in front of you right??? Haha.

If you are jumping forward, you can assume your MCV is too fast for your take off, or your Take Off isn’t doing a proper job of controlling your MCV.

The faster you control the MCV and take the horizontal motion VERTICALLY, the higher you jump.

On the other end, if you don’t lower ENOUGH during your two foot takeoff, you will NOT have controlled the MCV, and you will “blow through” your take off jumping forward and low, instead of vertical and high.

If you don’t lower enough… you will run into our imaginary wall in our subconscious! So again, you must toy with your two foot takeoff. Look for the depth that allows the maximum amount of VERTICAL HEIGHT (you should last 2 feet or less from where you take off) whilekeeping the most MCV speed possible!

5. KNEE DRIVEThis section retains to one foot jumping.

During your final point of take off when your jumping foot is planting you need to begin sweepingyour opposite leg through your take off for MAXIMUM height.

Meaning your opposite knee should be trying to reach as high as possible, as explosively as possible.

This sweeping motion comes from the opposite leg being behind the take off foot at immediate contact, and then following through and in front of the takeoff leg before the takeoff foot leaves the ground.Your jump will be as explosive as your opposite knee drive is. And we want our jumps as EXPLOSIVE as POSSIBLE.

Hence, the more powerful you drive your knee, the more powerful the jump, and ultimately the higher the take off!

So drive the knee as high as you can! Be Explosive! Take it VERTICAL not forward!

Think, “KNEE to CHIN”.

Secondly, if you notice during the “sweep phase” of your jump, that your non takeoff foot is squeaking or rubbing on the ground (dragging), then you are DROPPING your hips at take

off. This is costing you inches of vertical.

By dropping your hips, you are lengthening your penultimate, which you want as short as possible! (you wouldn’t drop your hips if you weren’t reaching on the plant of your penultimate step)

This will cause your knee to have an excess BEND in it, which leads to a forward jump and not vertical. Not to mention the actual dragging of your opposing foot obviously slows your take off as well.

6. Chest AngleTrue of one foot and two foot jumpers, you must maintain a NEUTRAL chest that is directly above your hips.

If your chest gets ahead of your hips during your one foot or two foot jump. You will always jump forward, sacrificing vertical height.

Your chest needs to maintain a straight, neutral position with NO lean. Your head should be pointing and looking at the target you are jumping at.

For One Foot Jumping, an often mistake is the chest actually being BEHIND the hips going into take off. This is your mind “hitting the brakes” so to speak, attempting to position your body in a less “aggressive” position.

Make sure to keep your upper body and chest directly above the hips at ALL TIMES when jumping, from MCV approach to leaving the ground and landing, the chest should never cause lean.

7. ARM DRIVEEasiest way to add vertical leap instantly to an athletes jump has nothing to do with the legs, feet, core… the typical “jumping suspects”.

It’s in the arms.

Much like how we use your opposing knee as a lever for one foot jumping

TWO FEET:

Your arms work exactly the same way for one and two foot jumping.

During the penultimate step (3rd step into your two foot plant) for two foot jumping, the arms should swing backwards to create a lever for more arm explosiveness…

As you plant your last two steps, the arms should swing through DURING the amortization phase like a pendulum. In a smooth, EXPLOSIVE way.

Your arms will then punch VERTICALLY as your body leaves the ground. I like to think at take off for two feet that my legs aren’t taking my vertical, but my arms are. When I think about it this way I always emphasize arm swing and explosiveness.

ONE FOOT:

Same concept as two feet, but this occurs during your LAST two steps (final penultimate

steps)So if you jump off of your left foot like me, your arms would explode back on the right, come forward during the transition to the left (jump foot), and vertically as your jump off the ground.

Arms need to be as explosive as possible. If you use your opposite knee drive, with explosive arm drive, you will be SHOCKED at the results. Simple as that!

8. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHERI’m not going to sit here and say that throwing together the perfect jumping mechanics is easy. It’s not. It takes time, and a ton of practice.

BUT I will say this:By just concentrating on certain aspects of your jumping mechanics you will notice the most incredible, and easiest vertical jump gains imaginable. It’s not rare at all to begin implementing the 6 Key Areas Above and seeing Incredible Results.

Double Digit Vertical Increase Results!!

My biggest recommendation is mastering each area in order above. Your jump will only be as good as your approach and MCV. So start there. Over time, move down the list and begin implementing changes!

Things like Knee Drive/Arm Drive/Chest Lean, are pretty simple to implement, you may start them now, but MCV, Penultimate, Amortization quickening WILL take time, practice and effort.

The thing is… The areas above are honestly just scratching the surface of what true jump technique training can do for your vertical leap.

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