How To Jump Higher - My Story

Hi.  Joe here.  If you are reading this it is my guess that you are struggling with your vertical jump, probably in a sport such as basketball (as was my case) or volleyball.  Let me start off by being perfectly honest with you.  I am not tall.  At all.  I'm 5'7" and didn't have much of a vertical jump.  I was told time and time again that I was too short to play basketball; that the other players would easily out jump me for rebounds, to shoot over me, or to block my shot.  I knew there was no magical pill that I could take which would suddenly make me 6'6" and tower over the competition, so I thought I was sunk - the naysayers were right.  I was wrong!

On a whim I decided to do a quick google search for "how to jump higher," looking for some possible exercises and training programs which might help me improve my vertical.  I was desperate. I love the game of basketball and I was determined to make my high school varsity team and prove everyone wrong.  I knew there were smaller basketball players, and not just players - stars!  The rest of my mechanics (shooting, dribbling, defense) were pretty sound, but at 5'7" I really wasn't much of a threat to anyone, and the coaches of my high school team knew that.

Beginning in May of 2007, I decided that I was going to improve my vertical.  Somehow, someway I was going to jump higher than anyone else. It became my obsession.  I bought weights for my sneakers and wore them everywhere, especially when practicing in my driveway.  I did some generic jumping exercises I found online.  I worked and worked and worked.  Every morning at 7 AM I was out in the driveway, desperate to improve my jump.  After months of this my vertical had improved, but by less than an inch.  At 5'7" that was NOT going to cut it.

And that is when everything changed....

I continued my online searching, knowing that there had to be something out there that could help me!  Eventually I found it, but there was one problem.  It cost $129 dollars!  I didn't have a job (I was only 15!) and didn't think my dad would go for 129 bucks...and I was right.  For days I begged him - I knew this was the answer for me and offered him everything I could think of if he'd just buy it for me.  He refused.  Again, I thought I was sunk!

Then on my birthday - June 30,2007 my life changed forever.  By this point I had given up on getting the instruction and coaching I'd found online and had pretty much forgotten about it.  Well, I got the greatest surprise from my father when, after blowing out the candles on my 16th birthday cake he revealed to me that my birthday present was the training!  I was THRILLED!!!

I immediately went to work on the program, using the nutrition plan, videos and workout schedule provided.  After a week, I was practicing and working out less than before and my vertical was EXPLODING!!!  After two weeks I had gained 7 inches on my vertical and was close to touching the rim!

I continued with the exercises and workout routine and by September....I COULD DUNK!  Not every time, mind you - dunking is very tough!  But one in about every ten times I tried, I could do it.  It was unbelievable.  When I went out for the team in mid September, the coaches were floored. They begged me to tell them how I did it, and how I did it so fast - and I wouldn't do it! I worked hard to gain that vertical (and spent money!) and I wasn't going to give away the secrets for them to tell the whole team.  If everyone had an insane vertical, I'd be right back where I was in the first place!

Selfishly, I kept the secret to myself, telling the coaches that I just practiced basketball and jumped alot all summer and had these amazing results.  Haha, honestly I don't think they bought it, but it didn't matter.  Not only did I make the team, but I was a starter.  I won nearly every jump ball I took and became almost a playground legend with my vertical.

I've just recently started college and I'm now more interested in pursuing academic achievements rather than basketball, so I've decided to finally let everyone know exactly what I did to obtain my ridiculous vertical, but only online - only to those who are in the same position I was in, desperately searching for an answer!

That's my story.  I didn't become an NBA star, but I never really wanted to.  I just wanted to make the team and prove everyone wrong.  And I did it!