Physics Of Vertical Jump

Vertical jumping is important to many people and a great way to get more athletic. One’s body type/weight may determine how high their vertical jump is. “Your body weight plays a major role in the height of your vertical jump”(Eitel). Kids, teens, and adults can improve their vertical jump by exercising. Doing exercises can also help burn off extra weight on the body. If one does the right exercises, they can improve their vertical highly.
Firstly, vertical is something upright or perpendicular(Neilson 2835). To jump, one will “move or throw itself into or through the air”(Gove 1225). A vertical jump is to throw oneself into the air in an upright motion. When training for a higher vertical jump, one should make sure that the training fits their body type. It should not be too overpowering (Tim). If someones training is too intense, the can seriously injure themselves. …show more content…
The main muscle used in the vertical is the quadricep femoris. The quad has four main parts; rectus femoris, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, and the hip bone(Llamas 16-17). The quad helps to straighten the leg at the knee(Conway). The quad is the most powerful muscle used in a vertical jump. The vertical also uses hamstrings, hip flexors, and calves. Certain exercises can make these muscles stronger for one’s vertical.
Next, a vertical jump can also be determined by the fibers in the body. To have a higher vertical, one’s muscles need more fast twitch fibers. “They are better at generating short bursts of strength or speed than slow twitch fibers”(Quinn). Fast twitch fibers helps vertical jumping the most because for a vertical, one will need to burst into the air quickly with a lot of force. Slow twitch fibers give more energy for extended workouts such as running a marathon(Quinn). For a vertical, slow twitch fibers are not as important as the fast twitch