Jump training works
Across 26 controlled studies, plyometric training raised the countermovement jump (a quick dip and straight up) by 8.7% on average: about 2 to 6 cm, depending on the jump. Most people studied were aged 11 to 29.
Source 1
Training guide
How to jump higher: vertical jump training that works
Jump training works. Across 26 trials, plyometric training (jumps, hops and bounds) raised people's countermovement jump by about 9% on average, roughly 2 to 6 cm, and strength training raises jump height too, especially if you're new to lifting. Two sessions a week for 8 to 12 weeks is a sensible block, with fewer jumps than most programmes sell.
Technique adds a little at once: a hard arm swing and a quick dip are worth centimetres. The rest takes weeks, and claims of 10 inches in a month are several times what any trial found.
This guide covers what works and how much, a staged plan from landings to depth jumps, how to measure your jump with a phone or a wall, who should take care, and an 8-week vertical jump workout with a 3D demo of every move.
The short version
Strength training helps too
Olympic lifts such as the clean raised jump height about as much as jump training and more than ordinary lifting. In relatively weak men, heavy squats raised jump power as much as jump squats did over 10 weeks. Combining strength work with jumps was at least as good as either alone.
A moderate dose is enough
Two sessions a week is enough. In volleyball trials, programmes with about 42 jumps a session did as well as those with about 160, though that's a comparison across studies, not a head-to-head trial. Programmes over about 10 weeks did better.
Technique adds centimetres
A hard arm swing added 8.6 cm in one lab study, and a quick dip before take-off added 3.4 cm over jumping from a paused squat. Those help at once; strength and spring take weeks.
Measure it one way
A phone app that times your flight agrees closely with a lab force plate. A chalk mark on a wall reads higher, so pick one method and keep to it.
Land well and build up
Start with landings, then jumps, then low depth jumps. Jump training that taught landing cut landing forces by 22%, and programmes with strength and landing work cut knee ligament injuries.
What a vertical jump is, and what it depends on
The jumps people measure
Your vertical jump is how high you can lift your body off the ground. Tests measure it in different ways, which is why numbers differ between charts.
- Countermovement jump: a quick dip and straight up, usually with your hands on your hips. Most apps and studies use it.
- Jump with an arm swing: the same, swinging your arms back and then up.
- Squat jump: from a paused half squat, with no dip.
- Jump-and-reach: the gap between your standing reach and the highest point you touch on a wall or a Vertec (a stand of swinging vanes). It reads higher than timing your flight.
- Approach jump: after a run-up of a few steps, as in a volleyball spike or a dunk.
- Drop jump: stepping off a box and springing up at once, which trains and tests your rebound.
Take-off speed and the arms
How high you go depends on how fast you leave the ground. In 20 men, an arm swing added 8.6 cm, about three-quarters of it through a faster take-off and a quarter through a higher body position as the feet left the ground. In another lab study, the arm swing added more than the dip did.
The dip
A quick dip added 3.4 cm over a jump from a paused squat in 6 volleyball players, because the muscles build up force on the way down. Most people dip a little less deeply than is ideal, but it cost them only 0.1 to 1.2 cm.
Which joints do the work
In a maximal jump, the knee did about half the work, the hip about 28% and the ankle about 23%. That's why squats and hip hinges matter more than calf raises alone.
Source 19
Strength
Stronger half squats went with higher jumps in 17 international footballers, an association. In trials, heavy squats raised jump power in weaker men, and jump squats tended to do more in stronger men.
Typical heights
In 332 US adults aged 27 to 96 (average age 65), jump height averaged 0.20 m in women and 0.27 m in men, and in Canadian data boys overtook girls between 11 and 13. We found no general norms for younger adults that we could check, so compare yourself with your own last test.
What the evidence says
Jump training raises jump heightStrong evidence
Across 26 controlled studies, jump training raised the countermovement jump by 8.7%, the jump with an arm swing by 7.5%, and the squat jump and drop jump by 4.7% each: about 2 to 6 cm. Athletes and non-athletes gained similarly. Female athletes gained too, more with programmes over 10 weeks, and across 61 studies of people aged 8 to 73, the quick rebound off a drop improved, on moderate-certainty evidence.
How many jumpsEmerging evidence
In 14 trials of volleyball players, programmes with fewer than 2,000 jumps in total, about 42 a session, did as well as bigger ones of about 160 a session. That's a comparison across studies, not a head-to-head trial, so it may not hold for everyone. Across 61 studies, about 1,080 jumps in total did about as well as more, and 100 jumps and landings twice a week for 8 weeks added about 3 to 4.5 cm in 24 soccer players.
How long and how oftenEmerging evidence
One meta-analysis found more than 10 weeks, more than 20 sessions and more than 50 jumps a session did best, and female athletes gained more after 10 weeks. In volleyball trials, though, 8 weeks or less and 2 sessions a week did as well as more. Three sessions a week tended to help the rebound most.
Mix your jumps, skip the added weightEmerging evidence
Mixing squat jumps, countermovement jumps and drop jumps beat using one kind, and jumping with added weight gave no extra benefit. Soft and firm surfaces gave similar gains, and depth jumps from a 30 cm box did as well as from boxes of up to 75 cm.
Weightlifting and strength trainingEmerging evidence
Weightlifting (cleans, snatches and their pulls) raised the countermovement jump by 7.5%, against 2.1% for ordinary lifting, and about matched jump training (8.8% against 8.1%). Most of these studies were small and in young men with some lifting experience.
Strength and jumps togetherEmerging evidence
Combining heavy lifts with jumps was at least as good as either alone, and ranked highest for the countermovement jump across 29 trials in soccer players. In female soccer players, jump training beat strength training for jumping, so keep the jumps in.
Strength first if you're new to liftingEmerging evidence
In 24 relatively weak men, 10 weeks of heavy squats raised jump power as much as jump squats did (both about 18%), and raised the squat far more (31% against 5%). Stronger men, who could squat about twice their body weight, tended to gain more from jump squats.
Power trainingStrong evidence
The American College of Sports Medicine's 2026 overview of 137 reviews found power improved most with moderate loads (30 to 70% of the most you can lift once), a low to moderate number of reps, Olympic-style lifting and lifting fast. It also notes that jump height isn't the same thing as muscle power.
Source 32
Who was studiedStrong evidence
Most jump-training studies lasted 7 weeks or less, only about one in four included women, and over a third had no control group. The trials in the main meta-analysis were small and none was blinded, so treat exact figures as rough.
How to train to jump higher
Our editorial plan, built on the jump-training meta-analyses (Markovic 2007; de Villarreal 2009; Ramirez-Campillo 2020), expert guidance on foot contacts and rest (Davies 2015), the plans' shared notes on effort, and the concurrent training meta-analysis (Schumann 2022).
- Train jumps twice a week, at least two days apart, for 8 to 12 weeks.
- Warm up for 5 to 10 minutes: easy movement, skips, small bounces and a few practice landings. Save long static stretches for later.
- Jump first, while you're fresh. Weeks 1 and 2: landings and small jumps. Weeks 3 to 5: box jumps, jumps and reaches, and broad jumps. From week 6: low depth jumps and one-leg hops.
- Count every landing: about 80 a session, including the warm-up, as a beginner, building towards 100.
- Rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets of jumps, and end a set when your landings get loud or your jumps get lower.
- Then lift: a squat or split squat, a hip hinge and calf raises, 2 or 3 sets each, stopping 2 to 3 reps short of failure.
- Keep hard runs and intervals at least 3 hours away, or on another day.
- Test your jump every 4 weeks, the same way each time.
Loading the 3D figure…
The movement on the figure: Box jump
How much, how often and how hard
Sessions and weeks
Two sessions a week, at least 48 hours apart, for 8 to 12 weeks. Expert guidance suggests 48 to 72 hours between hard jump sessions, though no trial has tested the best gap.
Foot contacts
Count each landing as one foot contact. Expert guidance suggests about 80 to 100 a session for beginners, 100 to 120 for intermediate athletes and 120 to 140 for advanced ones, and rehabilitation after knee surgery starts at about 50. Our editorial starting point: about 80 including the warm-up, building towards 100. A trial in soccer players used 100 twice a week.
Sets and rest
Sets of 3 to 10 jumps, with 60 to 90 seconds between sets for most jumps and up to 2 minutes for depth jumps (our editorial starting point). Adults over 50 trained with up to 3 sets of 10 and 60 seconds' rest, and in one study, resting twice as long as each set lasted kept the jumping quality up.
How hard
Every jump is a full effort with a quiet landing. Unlike lifting, you don't count reps in reserve: stop a set when your landings get loud, your contacts get slower or your jumps get lower (our editorial rule, as in the site's plyometric workouts).
Strength work alongside
Two strength sessions a week, as in our plans: a squat or split squat, a hip hinge and calf raises, stopping 2 to 3 reps short of failure. After a few months of regular lifting, add one power move, such as a light jump squat or a hang power clean with coaching (our editorial suggestion).
Warm-up, cardio and timing
Warm up by moving: holding a stretch for a minute or more per muscle cut performance by about 4.6%, and under a minute by about 1%. A few practice jumps or a heavy set first gave a small extra boost, mainly in stronger people. Keep hard cardio at least 3 hours away from your jumps: doing both in one session blunted explosive gains.
Stage 1: landings and small jumps
Weeks 1 and 2: snapdowns 3 × 6 with 2-second holds, box drop landings 3 × 5 from 20 to 30 cm, ankle bounces 2 × 20, jump squats 3 × 5 and skips 2 × 20 m (doses from each move's page and our workouts).
Stages 2 and 3: jumps, then depth jumps
Weeks 3 to 5: pogo hops, box jumps (step down), jumps and reaches, broad jumps and lateral bounds. From week 6: depth jumps from about 30 cm, one-leg hops and sticks, hurdle hops and split jumps. 3 to 5 jumps a set, and about 80 to 100 landings a session in all.
3D demoPogo hopsIntermediate · No equipment
3D demoBox jumpIntermediate · A bench or box
3D demoRocket jump (jump and reach)Intermediate · No equipment
3D demoStanding broad jump with stuck landingIntermediate · No equipment
3D demoLateral bound (skater jump)Beginner · No equipment
3D demoDepth jumpAdvanced · A step
3D demoSingle-leg hop and stickIntermediate · No equipment
3D demoHurdle hopsIntermediate · Other / check instructions
3D demoSplit squat jumpAdvanced · No equipmentStrength and power
Two sessions a week: 3 sets of 4 to 8 on squats and deadlifts, 6 to 10 on split squats and Romanian deadlifts, and 10 to 15 calf raises, stopping 2 to 3 reps short of failure. The weighted jump squat (about a third of your best squat or less) and the hang power clean come later, ideally with coaching.
3D demoDumbbell goblet squatIntermediate · A dumbbell
3D demoBarbell back squatAdvanced · A barbell
3D demoTrap bar (hex bar) deadliftIntermediate · Other / check instructions
3D demoDumbbell Romanian deadliftIntermediate · A dumbbell
3D demoRear-foot-elevated split squat (Bulgarian split squat)Intermediate · A bench or box
3D demoSingle-leg calf raise from a stepIntermediate · A step + A wall
3D demoWeighted jump squatAdvanced · A barbell
3D demoHang power cleanAdvanced · A barbellTechnique: how to jump higher on the day
Built on lab studies of the arm swing (Lees 2004; Vaverka 2016, where it added 38% in elite volleyball players) and the dip (Bobbert 1996; Mandic 2016). The landing cues are those of the site's landing drills.
- Stand with your feet about hip-width apart and your arms by your sides.
- Dip quickly to about a quarter squat, swinging your arms back. Don't pause at the bottom.
- Drive up hard through your hips, knees and ankles as your arms swing forwards and up.
- Reach as high as you can at the top, staying tall.
- Land quietly on the balls of your feet, then your heels, with your hips back and your knees over your toes rather than caving in.
- With a run-up, take 2 or 3 quick steps and plant both feet slightly ahead of you as your arms swing back (our editorial cue: no trial we found measured what a run-up adds).
Loading the 3D figure…
The movement on the figure: Jump squat
How to measure your vertical jump
Our editorial method, from the protocols of the app validation studies (Balsalobre-Fernández 2015; Yingling 2018).
- Warm up fully first, with a few practice jumps.
- With a phone app: film a jump as the app's instructions describe. It times your flight and works out your height.
- Without an app: chalk your fingertips, stand side-on to a wall and mark your highest standing reach. Then jump and touch as high as you can. Your score is the gap between the two marks.
- Do 3 jumps, 1 to 2 minutes apart, and keep your best.
- Use the same method, shoes, surface and time of day each time, and the same arm rule: hands on hips or a full arm swing.
- For an app, land with straight legs rather than tucking your knees: flight-time methods assume you land as you took off.
- Retest every 4 weeks.
Loading the 3D figure…
The movement on the figure: Rocket jump (jump and reach)
How accurate is your measurement?
Phone appsStrong evidence
Against a lab force plate, the My Jump app was within about 1 cm in 20 men, and across 21 studies it gave the same heights as lab methods, with very high repeatability.
A wall and an app disagreeEmerging evidence
In 135 adults, jump-and-reach heights on a Vertec were higher than app heights, and the authors say the two shouldn't be used interchangeably. Pick one method and keep it.
Source 13
What counts as a real changeEmerging evidence
Your jump varies by about 2 to 5% from one test to the next. On a 40 cm jump, that's 1 to 2 cm (our arithmetic), so treat smaller changes as noise.
What to expect, week by week
Straight away
Technique helps at once: a stronger arm swing and a quicker dip can add centimetres the first time you try them.
After 4 to 8 weeks
In young people, the smallest programme that worked lasted 4 weeks and 8 sessions, and in stronger men the gains were large by 5 weeks.
After 10 weeks or more
Programmes over 10 weeks did better. Across trials of 4 to 24 weeks, the average gain was about 5 to 9%, roughly 2 to 6 cm: on a 40 cm jump, about 3.5 cm (our arithmetic).
Promises of 10 inches
Claims of 25 cm (10 inches) or more in a few weeks are several times what the trials found. Makers of platform jump shoes claim 12.7 to 25.4 cm.
Women, older adults and young people
Women and menEmerging evidence
Men jump higher on average, a gap that opens around puberty. Women gained from jump training as men did, though one meta-analysis found men's power gains a little larger.
Adults over 50Emerging evidence
Leg power fell faster with age than strength in people aged 65 to 89: about 3.5% a year against 1 to 2%. Jumping raised leg power in adults over 50, more in those without obesity. Across 12 randomised studies in older adults, no study reported more injuries; there were 4 falls in supervised sessions and 1 likely training injury. Our osteoporosis guide covers jumping for bone.
Children and teenagers: strength training is safeStrong evidence
Supervised strength training is safe for children and teenagers: no growth-plate injury has been reported in prospective studies with professional guidance, and there's no evidence it harms growth in height. Landings in competitive sport can reach 5 to 7 times body weight, more than a coached session.
Children and teenagers: jump trainingEmerging evidence
Jump training improved strength, sprinting, broad jumps and the rebound in young people before and after the growth spurt, though the countermovement jump itself didn't change significantly and the certainty was low. In adolescents, fewer than 900 jumps in total did best. The youth development model makes strength a priority at every stage, and says children respond especially well to jump and sprint training before puberty.
If you're new to liftingEmerging evidence
Heavy squats raised jump power in relatively weak men as much as jump squats did, so building strength is time well spent. Stronger men tended to gain more from power work.
Landings, tendons and bones
Learn to landStrong evidence
Jump training that taught soft landings cut peak landing forces by 22% and the sideways load on the knee by about half. Prevention programmes with strength, landing and balance work lowered the odds of an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injury by about 40%, and of a non-contact one by about two-thirds; programmes focused on strengthening and hip and trunk control did best.
TendonsMixed evidence
Whether lots of jumping causes jumper's knee (pain in the tendon below the kneecap) is uncertain: the evidence on jump volume is limited or conflicting, while body weight and a higher jump were linked with it, and men had twice the odds. For the Achilles tendon, weaker calves were one of a few risk factors, on limited evidence. Build up gradually and count your jumps.
Bones and shins
Repeated jumping can cause a stress fracture: pain in one spot on a bone that gets worse with jumping or running and eases with rest. Shin splints are more likely if you jump on hard surfaces or start again after a break.
Few injuries in trials, but poorly recordedEmerging evidence
In 14 volleyball trials, no study reported soreness, pain or injury that made people drop out, and trials in older adults reported few problems. But many studies didn't record side effects carefully, so read 'safe' as 'safe when built up gradually'.
Workouts to follow
Our vertical jump workout takes you from landings to depth jumps over 8 weeks, with strength work after. The plyometric workout is the advanced next step; the basketball and netball sessions are sport versions, and the springy starter and the runners' session are gentler ways in.
Vertical jump workout: landings, jumps and strength
A staged jump session for 8 weeks: landings and small jumps, then box and broad jumps, then depth jumps, each followed by squats, hinges and calf work.
40 minIntermediate16 movesA step, A bench or boxPlyometric workout
An advanced jump training session: pogo hops, box jumps, split squat jumps, broad jumps and depth jumps.
30 minAdvanced8 movesA bench or box, A stepBasketball strength and jump workout
A 45-minute basketball gym session: landings, box jumps, skater bounds and hop-and-sticks, then squats, hinges, split squats, Nordics, calf raises and planks.
45 minIntermediate13 movesA bench or box, A dumbbell
Netball strength and landing workout
A 35-minute netball session: drop landings, hop-and-sticks, lateral bounds and jumps, then goblet squats, split squats, single-leg hinges, Nordics and hip work.
35 minIntermediate15 movesA wall, A step
Plyometrics for runners
A 20-minute hop and bound session for runners: ankle bounces to pogo hops, one-leg hops and bounding, building foot contacts slowly over 10 weeks.
20 minIntermediate8 movesCardio machine
Springy starter: calf strength and gentle bounces
A beginner's springy session: calf strength first, then heel drops, calf springs and gentle bounces, building towards skipping and pogo hops.
20 minBeginner11 movesA wall, A stepPlans that build strength and spring
The beginner strength programme builds the squat and deadlift that jumping relies on. The runners' plan includes hop blocks, and the plan for men over 40 has a power day.
3 days a week
Beginner strength program: a 5x5-style barbell plan
A 12-week beginner barbell program: squat every session, alternate bench and row with press and deadlift, and add weight each time until it stalls.
3 training days50 minBeginner2 days a weekStrength training plan for runners
A 12-week strength plan for runners: two sessions a week of heavy lifts, single-leg work, calf raises and hops, fitted around your runs.
2 training days45 minBeginner3 days a weekWorkout plan for men over 40
A 3-day strength plan for men over 40 with power and bone work, two cardio days and mobility, built on research on ageing muscle.
3 training days45 minBeginnerWhen to stop and get help
Call 999 now (911 in the US)
Stop and call 999 for:
- Chest pain or discomfort that doesn't go away (it can feel like squeezing or pressure), pain that spreads to your arms, neck, jaw, stomach or back, or chest pain with sweating, feeling sick, light-headedness or breathlessness.
- Someone who faints while exercising.
- A pounding, fluttering or irregular heartbeat that doesn't go away, or comes with chest pain, breathlessness or feeling faint.
- Severe difficulty breathing: gasping, choking or not able to get words out.
After a fall or a bad landing
Call 999 or go to A&E if you heard a crack, the joint or limb has changed shape or points at an odd angle, it's numb or tingling, or the skin looks blue or grey or feels cold. Contact NHS 111 (in the US, urgent care) if it's very painful or you can't put weight on it or walk more than a few steps.
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Get help the same day (NHS 111; in the US, urgent care)
- A sudden snap or pop at the back of the ankle, or you can't stand on tiptoe: a possible Achilles tendon rupture.
- A knee that's very painful, won't take your weight, is badly swollen or has changed shape, or locks or gives way.
See a GP
- Pain in one spot on a bone that's worse with jumping or running and hurts when you press it: stop jumping, as it can be a stress fracture.
- Pain at the back of the heel, ankle or calf that isn't better after 2 weeks of looking after it yourself.
- Pain and swelling below the kneecap in a teenager (Osgood-Schlatter disease), or knee pain that isn't better within a few weeks.
- Shin pain that's getting worse or isn't improving.
Take a break from jumping if
Pain below the kneecap is worse the next morning: our jumper's knee guide keeps tendon pain at 3 out of 10 or less. If you leak urine when you land, that's common and treatable: build up pelvic floor exercises and lower-impact work first. With osteoporosis and fractures, get physiotherapy advice before impact work.
Myths
"Jump shoes add inches"Mixed evidence
In a randomised trial, the Strength Shoe gave no gains in strength or performance. Platform shoes added 7.2 cm more than ordinary shoes in 56 basketball players, but all 7 dropouts, including 3 injuries, were in the platform group. Ordinary jump training adds about 2 to 6 cm.
"Do hundreds of jumps a day"Emerging evidence
In volleyball trials, about 42 jumps a session did as well as about 160 (a comparison across studies, not a head-to-head trial), and across 61 studies, more total jumps added little. High volumes on hard surfaces raise the risk of shin splints, and repeated jumping can cause stress fractures.
"Calf raises are the secret"Emerging evidence
The ankle does about a quarter of the work in a jump and the knee about half, and we found no trial of calf raises alone. Keep them in your strength work, alongside squats and hinges.
Source 19
"You must squat 1.5 times your body weight before you jump"Mixed evidence
That figure is one author's suggestion, quoted in a clinical commentary whose authors say guidelines for starting jump training haven't been clearly described. Older adults and young people trained safely on programmes that start with landings and small jumps. Start there instead.
"Jumping stunts children's growth"Strong evidence
No growth-plate injury has been reported in prospective studies of supervised youth strength training, and there's no evidence it harms growth. Jumps are part of the youth development model.
"Ankle weights or a weight vest make you jump higher"Emerging evidence
Jumping with added weight gave no extra benefit, and loaded jumps did no better than unloaded ones. We found no trial of ankle weights.
"Add 10 inches in a month"Strong evidence
Trial averages are about 5 to 9%, roughly 2 to 6 cm, over 4 to 24 weeks of training.
Source 1
"Stretch before you jump"Strong evidence
Holding stretches for a minute or more per muscle cut performance by about 4.6%. Warm up by moving instead.
Source 38
Read next
Questions people ask
How can I jump higher?
Combine jump training with strength training, twice a week for at least 8 to 10 weeks, and use a hard arm swing and a quick dip when you jump. Jump training adds about 5 to 9% on average, roughly 2 to 6 cm, and squats raise it too, especially if you're new to lifting.
Can I jump higher in a week?
Only a little, through technique: a strong arm swing and a quick dip help at once. Fitness gains take weeks: changes were measurable after about 4 to 8 weeks of training, and programmes over 10 weeks did better.
How do I jump higher at home without equipment?
Start with landings, then jump squats, pogo hops, broad jumps and one-leg hops, with split squats and one-leg calf raises on a step for strength. A sturdy step or box adds box jumps and, later, low depth jumps. Our vertical jump workout needs only a box and a pair of dumbbells.
Do squats increase your vertical jump?
Yes, especially if you're not already strong: in relatively weak men, 10 weeks of heavy squats raised jump power as much as jump squats did, and built far more strength. Combining squats with jumps was at least as good as either alone.
Does jumping rope increase your vertical?
It trains springy ankles and is a gentle way into jumping, but we found no trial of skipping rope for jump height. Bigger gains come from harder jumps, such as box and depth jumps, and from strength training.
Do calf raises help you jump higher?
A little. The ankle does about a quarter of the work in a jump and the knee about half, so squats, hinges and jumps matter more. Keep calf raises as part of your strength work.
How many jumps should I do a session?
About 80 as a beginner, counting the landings in your warm-up, building towards 100, twice a week; that's expert guidance rather than a tested number. In volleyball trials, programmes with about 42 jumps a session did as well as those with about 160, though that compares different studies rather than testing both head to head.
How often should I do jump training?
Twice a week, with at least two days between sessions. Experts suggest 48 to 72 hours between hard jump sessions, and in volleyball trials two sessions a week did as well as more.
How do I measure my vertical jump?
Use a phone app that times your flight, which agrees closely with lab force plates, or a chalk mark on a wall for jump-and-reach. The two give different numbers, so stick to one method and keep the best of 3 jumps. Changes of less than 1 to 2 cm may just be day-to-day noise.
What is a good vertical jump?
It depends on how you measure it, your age and your sex. In 332 US adults aged 27 to 96 (average age 65), the average was 0.27 m for men and 0.20 m for women. The fairest comparison is with your own last test.
Is jump training safe for children?
Yes, when it's supervised and built up from landings. There's no evidence that supervised strength training harms growth, and jumps are part of the youth development model. Landings in sport can put more load on growing bones than a coached session does.
Should I stretch before jumping?
Warm up by moving instead. Holding a stretch for a minute or more per muscle cut performance by about 4.6%; short holds followed by moving warm-up drills made little difference.
Sources
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- Behm 2016 · Acute effects of muscle stretching on performance, range of motion and injury (systematic review, Appl Physiol Nutr Metab)
- Seitz 2016 · The boost from a primer exercise before jumps, sprints and throws: 47 studies (meta-analysis, Sports Med)
- Schumann 2022 · Concurrent aerobic and strength training: muscle size and function, 43 studies (meta-analysis, Sports Med)
- Vaverka 2016 · The arm swing and the countermovement jump in 18 elite volleyball players (lab study, J Hum Kinet)
- Markovic 2004 · Reliability of squat and countermovement jump tests in 93 students (reliability study, J Strength Cond Res)
- Sattler 2012 · Vertical jump tests in 95 volleyball players (reliability study, J Strength Cond Res)
- Ramirez-Campillo 2023 · Jump training in young people before and after the growth spurt: 11 studies (meta-analysis, Sports Med Open)
- Voisin 2019 · Raised forefoot platforms during 8 weeks of jump training in 56 basketball players (randomised trial, Int J Exerc Sci)
- Skelton 1994 · Strength and leg power in 100 people aged 65 to 89 (cross-sectional study, Age Ageing)
- Vetrovsky 2019 · Efficacy and safety of plyometric training in older adults: 12 randomised studies (systematic review, Sports Med)
- Faigenbaum 2010 · Resistance training among young athletes: safety, efficacy and injury prevention (review, BJSM)
- Lloyd 2012 · The youth physical development model (review, Strength Cond J)
- Lloyd 2016 · NSCA position statement on long-term athletic development (J Strength Cond Res)
- Chen 2023 · Ground contacts and training time in plyometric training for adolescents: 38 studies (meta-analysis, Sci Rep)
- Sugimoto 2015 · Which parts of ACL prevention programmes work in young female athletes (meta-analysis, BJSM)
- Sprague 2018 · Modifiable risk factors for jumper's knee: 31 studies (meta-analysis, BJSM)
- de Vries 2015 · Risk factors for jumper's knee in 385 volleyball and basketball players (cohort study, Scand J Med Sci Sports)
- van der Vlist 2019 · Clinical risk factors for Achilles tendinopathy: 10 cohorts (systematic review, BJSM)
- Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust · Caring for a stress fracture (patient leaflet)
- NHS · Shin splints
- NHS · Chest pain
- NHS · Fainting
- NHS · Heart palpitations
- NHS · Shortness of breath
- MedlinePlus · Heart palpitations (US National Library of Medicine)
- NHS · Sprains and strains
- NHS · Heel pain
- NHS · Tendonitis
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons · Achilles tendon rupture (OrthoInfo)
- NHS · Knee pain
- University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust · Osgood Schlatters disease (patient leaflet)
- Cook 1993 · The Strength Shoe in college track athletes (randomised trial, Am J Sports Med)
Exercise education, not a personal prescription, and clinical review of these guides is pending. Check with a GP before starting hard training if you have a heart condition, chest pain, dizziness or breathlessness when active, and stop for sharp or increasing pain. Health disclaimer.