Male and Female Athletes Need to Train Differently to Increase Their Vertical Jump
The vertical jump is one of the best ways to measure power amongst athletes. Power refers to the rate of speed that can be developed. Power is not to be confused with strength, which refers to how much weight or resistance is moved. Power refers to how quickly that weight or resistance can be moved or displaced. The vertical jump is a perfect example of a power exercise. Athletes must develop speed as quickly as possible from a squat position to produce an excellent vertical jump.
Much of athletics revolves around this type of power. Developing a high-speed rate enables athletes to run faster, jump higher, and change directions and speeds more quickly. Long story short, power is critical to an athlete’s success. And developing a good vertical jump is a great way to develop that power.
Vertical Jumping: Men vs. Women
An interesting study from Boise State was published in 2021. Researchers examined the jumping techniques between men and women. The study used twenty men and seventeen women. They found that the women tended to have a more ankle and knee dominant strategy, whereas the men tended to have a more hip dominant strategy. This is an expected find, as lots of research supports that females tend to use the lower legs more when it comes to running, jumping, and various plyometrics, and men tend to use the hips more. This is one of the believed reasons why females have higher rates of knee injuries in athletics. Ladies have a 4-6-fold increased incidence of ACL injuries compared to the boys. This is why a knee-dominant strategy is generally frowned upon in the sports medicine field, as the knee is a relatively weak and immobile joint that’s more vulnerable to injury than the hip.
Vertical Jumping for Women
This by no means is saying that all females have poor jumping strategies. But, for various reasons, most females tend to rely on the knee disproportionately to the hip. Yet, the hip joint contains bigger, stronger muscles much more inclined to yield power production than the knee and ankle.
So, in the broad sense, the best bang for your buck exercises to improve athleticism in females is hip-dominant exercises. Two main strategies are needed: strength and power. I explained earlier that strength shouldn’t be confused with power. However, more strength allows for more power. There’s no such thing as a weak yet powerful athlete.
Hip Strength Exercises for the Female Athlete
- Squats
- Deadlifts/RDLs
- Reverse and Lateral Lunges
- Hip Thrusts
Developing strength in these exercises allows for greater power production in the legs. From there, it’s necessary to improve power with power-building exercises. Some of the best exercises to improve power are:
- Vertical Jumping
- Short Sprints
- Lateral Bounding
- Depth Jumps
Vertical Jumping for Men
It is highly recommended that females train their hips to be strong and powerful. That will lead to the most significant gains in jumping power. Further, research shows it reduces the likelihood of knee and ankle injuries.
Likewise, it is wise for men to train their weaker links to improve their power production. In the case of men, the lower leg usually needs additional strength to be in proportion to their use of the hips. And just like the women, strength should be developed first, then power.
Some great strength exercise ideas are:
- Forward lunges in place
- Calf Raises
- Toe Raises
Lastly, power can be best developed by using the same power-building strategies as the ladies:
- Vertical Jumps
- Short Sprints
- Lateral Bounding
- Depth Jumps
There are tons of great demonstrations and variations of these exercises. Look them up. They can be done with barbells, kettlebells, dumbbells, or just bodyweight. Find what works best for you, and aim to excel at them.
Strategies for Men and Women
All this being said, everybody and every body, is different. Every athlete should have strong squat, lunging, and hinging patterns. Further, every athlete should aim to develop their vertical jump, sprinting speed, and landing mechanics. Don’t get too caught up in doing hip-only or ankle-only exercises. Find your weak links, and un-weaken them!
This yields not only strong athleticism but reduces the likelihood of injury during and even long after your athletic career is over. These strategies are helpful for people of all ages, contributing to total body health.
https://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/kinesiology_facpubs/188/
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Male and Female Athletes Need to Train Differently to Increase Their Vertical Jump
The vertical jump is one of the best ways to measure power amongst athletes. Power refers to the rate of speed that can be developed. Power is not to be confused with strength, which refers to how much weight or resistance is moved. Power refers to how quickly that weight or resistance can be moved or displaced. The vertical jump is a perfect example of a power exercise. Athletes must develop speed as quickly as possible from a squat position to produce an excellent vertical jump.
Much of athletics revolves around this type of power. Developing a high-speed rate enables athletes to run faster, jump higher, and change directions and speeds more quickly. Long story short, power is critical to an athlete’s success. And developing a good vertical jump is a great way to develop that power.
Vertical Jumping: Men vs. Women
An interesting study from Boise State was published in 2021. Researchers examined the jumping techniques between men and women. The study used twenty men and seventeen women. They found that the women tended to have a more ankle and knee dominant strategy, whereas the men tended to have a more hip dominant strategy. This is an expected find, as lots of research supports that females tend to use the lower legs more when it comes to running, jumping, and various plyometrics, and men tend to use the hips more. This is one of the believed reasons why females have higher rates of knee injuries in athletics. Ladies have a 4-6-fold increased incidence of ACL injuries compared to the boys. This is why a knee-dominant strategy is generally frowned upon in the sports medicine field, as the knee is a relatively weak and immobile joint that’s more vulnerable to injury than the hip.
Vertical Jumping for Women
This by no means is saying that all females have poor jumping strategies. But, for various reasons, most females tend to rely on the knee disproportionately to the hip. Yet, the hip joint contains bigger, stronger muscles much more inclined to yield power production than the knee and ankle.
So, in the broad sense, the best bang for your buck exercises to improve athleticism in females is hip-dominant exercises. Two main strategies are needed: strength and power. I explained earlier that strength shouldn’t be confused with power. However, more strength allows for more power. There’s no such thing as a weak yet powerful athlete.
Hip Strength Exercises for the Female Athlete
- Squats
- Deadlifts/RDLs
- Reverse and Lateral Lunges
- Hip Thrusts
Developing strength in these exercises allows for greater power production in the legs. From there, it’s necessary to improve power with power-building exercises. Some of the best exercises to improve power are:
- Vertical Jumping
- Short Sprints
- Lateral Bounding
- Depth Jumps
Vertical Jumping for Men
It is highly recommended that females train their hips to be strong and powerful. That will lead to the most significant gains in jumping power. Further, research shows it reduces the likelihood of knee and ankle injuries.
Likewise, it is wise for men to train their weaker links to improve their power production. In the case of men, the lower leg usually needs additional strength to be in proportion to their use of the hips. And just like the women, strength should be developed first, then power.
Some great strength exercise ideas are:
- Forward lunges in place
- Calf Raises
- Toe Raises
Lastly, power can be best developed by using the same power-building strategies as the ladies:
- Vertical Jumps
- Short Sprints
- Lateral Bounding
- Depth Jumps
There are tons of great demonstrations and variations of these exercises. Look them up. They can be done with barbells, kettlebells, dumbbells, or just bodyweight. Find what works best for you, and aim to excel at them.
Strategies for Men and Women
All this being said, everybody and every body, is different. Every athlete should have strong squat, lunging, and hinging patterns. Further, every athlete should aim to develop their vertical jump, sprinting speed, and landing mechanics. Don’t get too caught up in doing hip-only or ankle-only exercises. Find your weak links, and un-weaken them!
This yields not only strong athleticism but reduces the likelihood of injury during and even long after your athletic career is over. These strategies are helpful for people of all ages, contributing to total body health.
https://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/kinesiology_facpubs/188/