Sports

How does pro NBA player Spud Webb get his jump? Looking at the pros of vertical training

To improve your form, after stretching, remove any mental blocks you may have. There is a connection between what your mind does and your body, and you want to eliminate that by imagining your goals as clearly as possible in your mind, so that you do not in any way inhibit what your mechanics are going to do.

I recommend you watch NBA player Spud Webb, paying attention to how he gets into his jump. You’ll notice how Spud Webb’s last stride before he explodes is exaggerated and roughly two to three times longer than his normal stride. Why do you do that? Because that extra length lowers your entire body, and when your entire body is lowered, you’re ready for every muscle to contract and send you up.

If you are training for any track and field event, be it long jump or high jump, they will teach you to exaggerate your final step so that it lowers all your body weight and prepares you to explode. If you’re standing in the air, the least you can do is flex your quads a little, flex your calves, and just do a little with your lower back. But you won’t be able to get as close to blasting as when you’re ready and in place.

Now, notice the point just before the full explosion, where your arm is, where the ball is. It’s almost between his legs, because if his hands were already close to his chest, he can’t explode using his upper body. So your entire body, including your legs, arms, and upper body, is ready to explode upward.

You want to exaggerate this as much as you can, even pointing your toes towards your knees so your legs are ready to fully explode and your joints and muscles take advantage of all the elasticity they have. Look at Spud Webb to see where everything is exploding up: his hands are up; his legs are spreading; and he’s sending everything he has to heaven. A lot can be said about observing the pros and how they jump.

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