How to Jump Higher in Soccer in 5 Steps

Learn how to jump higher in soccer and other sports.

Jumping higher in soccer can give you a competitive edge on the field. It can help you win headers, clear the ball more effectively, and even score goals. Improving your jumping ability requires a combination of lower body strength, power, and proper technique. By incorporating exercises that target these areas, such as squats and plyometrics, and practicing good technique, you can improve your jumping ability and take your game to the next level.

How to jump higher in 5 key points

Here are some tips for improving your jumping ability in soccer:

1. Work on your lower body strength – Strong legs and glutes are essential for jumping high. Focus on exercises that target these muscles, such as squats, lunges, and leg presses.
2. Increase your power – Plyometric exercises, such as jump squats and box jumps, can help improve your explosive strength and jumping ability.
3. Improve your technique – Proper jumping technique is important for maximizing your height. Make sure to bend your knees and use your arms to generate momentum when jumping.
4. Use visualization and mental rehearsal – Visualizing yourself successfully jumping and executing the movement can help improve your performance.
5. Get enough rest and recovery – Allowing your body to rest and recover is essential for maximizing your jumping ability. Make sure to get enough sleep and eat a balanced diet to support your training.

All of these factors are included in my strength training program for soccer.

How to jump higher in soccer by training strength

Training lower body strength is essential for improving your vertical jump in soccer. The muscles in your legs and glutes generate the force needed to propel your body upwards when jumping. To train these muscles, focus on exercises that target them, such as squats, lunges, leg presses, and calf raises.

It’s important to gradually increase the weight and difficulty of these exercises over time to continue challenging the muscles and stimulating strength gains. In addition to traditional strength training exercises, plyometric exercises, such as jump squats and box jumps, can improve lower body strength and power. It’s important to allow adequate rest and recovery between workouts to ensure that your muscles have time to repair and rebuild.

Training for leg strength also improves sprinting times in soccer.

A study by Styles et al. aimed to determine whether a simple in-season strength training program would improve maximal squat strength and short sprint performance in professional soccer players. The researchers found that the strength training intervention resulted in significant improvements in both absolute and relative strength and small but significant improvements in sprint performance over 5, 10, and 20 meters. These findings suggest that developing maximal strength can improve short sprint performance and that these improvements can be achieved during the competitive season.

How to jump higher in soccer with plyometrics

Plyometric exercises are a type of high-intensity, explosive movement that can be effective for improving jumping ability in soccer. These exercises train the muscles to generate maximum force quickly, which is essential for jumping and other explosive movements. Examples of plyometric exercises that benefit soccer players include drop jumps and depth jumps.

It’s important to start with lower-intensity exercises and gradually increase the difficulty as you become more comfortable and proficient. Use proper technique when performing plyometric exercises to avoid injury and maximize effectiveness. In addition to improving jumping ability, plyometric training can also help improve overall speed and agility, which can be valuable for soccer players.

A study by Chelly et al. aimed to determine whether an 8-week plyometric training program would enhance measures of competitive potential in junior soccer players. The researchers found that the plyometric training significantly improved peak power output, jump height and velocity, sprint velocities, and thigh muscle volume. These findings suggest that plyometric training can improve athletic performance in junior soccer players and should be included as part of an annual soccer training program.

Improving technique for jumping higher

Improving your jumping technique can help you jump higher and more efficiently. Proper technique involves using your arms and legs to generate momentum and propel your body upwards. When jumping, bend your knees and use your arms to generate force. As you reach the peak of your jump, extend your hips, knees, and ankles to maximize your height.

Additionally, it’s important to land properly to avoid injury. When landing, bend your knees and absorb the impact with your legs rather than letting your feet and ankles take the full force of the landing. Practicing good technique can take time and requires focus and repetition, but it can pay off in improved jumping ability. Visualization and mental rehearsal can also improve your technique and boost your confidence when jumping.

How to jump higher in soccer with visualization

When talking about how to jump higher in soccer, very few Coaches also refer to the importance of visualization and mental rehearsal.

Visualization and mental rehearsal are techniques that can be used to improve jumping technique and overall performance. These techniques involve using your imagination to visualize yourself successfully executing a jump or other movement.

By visualizing the movement in your mind, you can better understand the proper technique and timing, which can help improve your performance in real life. In addition to visualizing the movement, it can also be helpful to mentally rehearse the jump by going through the steps in your mind and feeling the muscles engage. This can help build confidence and prepare your body and mind for the movement. Visualization and mental rehearsal should be combined with physical practice to achieve the best results.

A study by Hynes & Turner examined the effects of positive visualization on strength training athletes. The researchers found that participants who positively visualized their lifts had a significant increase in weight moved compared to a control group. This suggests that athletes can improve their performance by incorporating positive visualization into their training. The findings have implications for neurophysiology, as they demonstrate a connection between visualization and changes in neural circuitry and muscle development. Further research on the mind-body connection and its potential to promote health and wellness may be valuable.

The role of rest and recovery

Every player wants to know how to jump higher in soccer by choosing the right exercises, but almost none know about the importance of rest and recovery.

Rest and recovery play a crucial role in maximizing training adaptations and ensuring that your body can handle the demands of your training program. When you exercise, your muscles are subjected to stress and microtrauma, which can cause fatigue and inflammation. The muscles to repair and rebuild require adequate rest and recovery.

This means getting enough sleep, allowing for sufficient rest between workouts, and eating a healthy, balanced diet. Proper nutrition is especially important, as it provides the building blocks the body needs to repair and rebuild muscle tissue.

Without adequate rest and recovery, your body will not be able to adapt to the demands of your training program, and you may even risk injury or overtraining. Therefore, it’s important to prioritize rest and recovery to maximize the benefits of training to increase the vertical jump for soccer.

Conclusions on how to jump higher in soccer

In conclusion, you just learned how to jump higher in soccer. It requires a combination of lower body strength, power, proper technique, and adequate rest and recovery. Training the muscles in the legs and glutes, using plyometric exercises, practicing good jumping techniques, and allowing rest and recovery are all important for improving jumping ability. Visualization and mental rehearsal can also improve technique and boost confidence. By incorporating these elements into your training program, you can improve your jumping ability and take your soccer performance to the next level.

References

• Chelly MS, Ghenem MA, Abid K, Hermassi S, Tabka Z, Shephard RJ. Effects of in-season short-term plyometric training program on leg power, jump- and sprint performance of soccer players. J Strength Cond Res. 2010 Oct;24(10):2670-6. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181e2728f. PMID: 20844458.
• Hynes, Jane. “Positive Visualization and Its Effects on Strength Training .docx.” (2018).
• Styles, William J.; Matthews, Martyn J.; Comfort, Paul. Effects of Strength Training on Squat and Sprint Performance in Soccer Players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research: June 2016 – Volume 30 – Issue 6 – p 1534-1539 doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000001243