About this workout
A bigger vertical comes from two things: getting stronger in the weight room and teaching that strength to fire fast. This 8 week program trains both. Heavy strength days build the force, plyometric and jump days turn it into hops, and the two feed each other week after week. It is lower body focused on purpose, because that is where your jump lives. Add some upper body work on your own if you like, but do not skip a single jump session; that is the part that makes you fly.
Who This Program Is For
- You are a basketball player or jumper who wants a higher vertical.
- You can train four days a week and jump with real intent.
- You have access to a gym and a safe surface to jump and land on.
- You can already squat and hinge with good technique.
Who this is NOT for: beginners who have not built a strength base yet, and anyone with a current knee or ankle injury; plyometrics demand healthy joints. Build strength first on a full program, then chase the jump.
What You'll Need
- A gym with a barbell, rack, dumbbells and kettlebells.
- A sturdy box for jumps and a surface that absorbs landings.
- Fresh legs. Never do this program on top of a hard practice on the same session.
The Program
Four days built as two strength days and two power/plyometric days. A good split is Monday strength, Tuesday power, Thursday strength, Friday power. On power days, quality beats quantity: every jump is maximal, and you rest fully between sets. Stop a set the moment your jumps lose height.
| Day 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Max Strength | |||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
| Barbell Squat | 5 | 4 | 3 min |
| Romanian Deadlift | 4 | 6 | 2 min |
| Bulgarian Split Squat | 3 | 8 each leg | 90 sec |
| Standing Calf Raise | 4 | 8-10 | 60 sec |
| Plank | 3 | 45 sec | 45 sec |
| Day 2 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Power and Plyometrics | |||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
| Box Jump | 6 | 3 | 90 sec |
| Jump Squat | 5 | 3 | 2 min |
| Kettlebell Swing | 4 | 8 | 90 sec |
| Walking Lunge | 3 | 10 each leg | 75 sec |
| Hanging Leg Raise | 3 | 12-15 | 60 sec |
| Day 3 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | |||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
| Barbell Front Squat | 4 | 6 | 2 min |
| Leg Press | 4 | 10 | 90 sec |
| Glute Ham Raise | 3 | 8-10 | 90 sec |
| Standing Calf Raise | 4 | 10-12 | 60 sec |
| Russian Twist | 3 | 20 | 45 sec |
| Day 4 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Reactive Power | |||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
| Box Jump | 6 | 3 | 90 sec |
| Dumbbell Jumping Squat | 5 | 4 | 2 min |
| Step Up | 3 | 8 each leg | 75 sec |
| Kettlebell Swing | 4 | 10 | 90 sec |
| Farmers Walk | 3 | 40 yards | 90 sec |
How to Progress
Eight weeks that build strength, then convert it to spring.
Weeks 1 to 3. Build strength. Add weight to the squats and hinges each week, and focus on landing softly and exploding up on every jump.
Weeks 4 to 6. Keep strength climbing and increase jump intent, not jump volume. The goal is higher, faster jumps, not more of them.
Week 6 (light week). Cut volume by a third for a few days. Fresh legs jump higher, and this sets up your best jumps in the final block.
Weeks 7 to 8. Peak. Weights stay heavy but crisp, jumps are all-out and fully rested. Test your vertical at the start of week 1 and again after week 8; the inches show up here.
Warm-Up and Recovery Notes
Warm up carefully before jumping: easy cardio, dynamic leg swings, glute activation, and a few low submaximal jumps before the real sets. Cold, fatigued jumps are where ankles and knees get hurt.
Jump training is very taxing on the nervous system. Sleep is non-negotiable, and you should feel fresh on power days; if your jumps are flat, you need more rest, not more sets.
Nutrition and Supplementation
Power athletes still need protein to recover and enough food to fuel hard sessions. Aim for about one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight and eat at maintenance or a slight surplus.
Support: protein powder for recovery, creatine monohydrate at 5 grams a day, which is excellent for explosive, repeated efforts, and a pre-workout before heavy or power sessions if you need the focus.
FAQ
Will lifting heavy make me slow? No. Getting stronger, then training that strength to move fast, is exactly how you jump higher. Strength is the engine; the jump work is the tune.
Should I add upper body work? You can, on separate days or at the end of sessions. Just never let it cost you fresh legs on strength or power days.
How much can I add to my vertical? It varies, but committed athletes often add a few inches over a focused block like this. Consistency on the jump days is what decides it.
Questions and results
Ask a coach
Running this program? Tell us what week you are on and how the progression is going. A coach answers every question here.