The Ultimate High Jump Warm-Up Tip
Hey,
Hi {!name},
Do you want to know the secret to jumping your absolute highest at
your next meet? Do a good, long warmup. Get those legs working
even to the point that you are starting to sweat. Don't wear them
out, mind you, but get those muscles warm and loose so the second
you step up for your first jump...those legs are ready.
So what is the ultimate warmup tip you ask? Simply this...
DO ONE!
Yes, that's right...actually DO a warmup. This does not mean
taking 15 jumps before the meet starts, but rather doing some sort
of motion to get your legs really working and then trying to keep
them warm throughout the meet.
Next time you watch a meet on TV, you probably won't get to see
them warmup (not very exciting for most viewers) but every time
they take a jump, about 75% of them will head to the bench and put
some sweat pants on to keep their legs warm.
Warm legs can increase your jump 2-4" or even more. Next time you
play basketball, try to touch the rim before you start playing and
see how high you get. After 15 minutes of playing, try again.
You'll be shocked at the difference.
So what is the best thing to do for a warmup? I would recommend
something like the following:
1) Light jog to get the legs moving again, around 2 laps
2) A little bit of light stretching
3) A fast, high-tempo warmup like short sprints or light
plyometrics, 3-5 minutes
4) A little more stretching
5) More high tempo movements, 3-5 minutes
Remember, don't wear yourself out, you just want to get those
muscles warmed up and raring to go. With warm legs, you'll be
shocked at the difference from when you didn't warm up.
Gregg
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Shoes are something I get asked about a lot. While you can absolutely jump in traditional spikes to some point, the harder you plant the bigger risk you have of injury due to the forces placed on the heel that sprint spikes aren't designed for (I once tore the heel out of my shoe before upgrading to high jump spikes). You can still find strap-on J-Heel spikes now and again, but these are my recommend shoes for the 2025 season.
These have great reviews, are reasonably priced, and I love having a velcro strap for a little bit of extra squeeze over my arch.
Price: $63-93
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I've always loved Asics shoes. My first pair was Asics and they always fit my feet well without feeling too stiff like other brands.
Price: $170-180
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While Nike's were never my favorite, I have jumping friends who love Nike high jump shoes and right now these are the best they've got.
Price: $110-$150 (usually)
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