| For years I've used stair training to | | | | kettlebell swing which makes it excellent for |
| maximize my power which lead me to using them | | | | working with large groups. Our weight room |
| with the hundreds of athletes I've trained | | | | workouts have over 40 student athletes |
| including players from Major League Baseball | | | | working out at once and introducing the |
| and the Women's National Basketball | | | | kettlebell has been a blessing because I find |
| Association. And because of my work with | | | | it much easier to teach the movements than |
| professional athletes and my love for | | | | power cleans. And even easier than teaching |
| basketball I get many questions from people | | | | the hang clean. Does this mean I'm lazy? No, |
| all over the world on vertical jump training. | | | | I just happened to find a better tool for |
| And since I don't know it all (far from it) I | | | | teaching athletes explosive hip extension. |
| know it's in my best interest to learn from | | | | Will I abandon the power and hang clean? No. |
| other strength coaches, personal trainers, | | | | No I have even more exercises in my tool box |
| physical therapists, nutritionists, doctors | | | | which makes it easier not to be married to a |
| and so on. And I'm actually pretty lucky as I | | | | set a certain exercise. |
| can pick up the phone or email many of the | | | | |
| best trainers in the world and pick their | | | | So what's the lesson here? If you can add |
| brain on performance enhancement. | | | | kettlebells into your training programs you |
| | | | have an excellent vertical jump training tool |
| So in late 2006 I decided to get on the phone | | | | that is hard to beat. |
| and grill over 13 world class strength | | | | |
| coaches on their vertical training methods. | | | | 2. Another great thing about kettlebells |
| How can you go wrong when you have over 13 of | | | | reiterated by Steve Cotter is that there is a |
| the nation's best experts teach you first | | | | unique quality in the shape of kettlebells: |
| hand what they know on vertical jump | | | | The shape I believe and many other trainers |
| training? | | | | will agree is that they actually guide you |
| | | | into proper form. Because of the round shape |
| And the best thing for me was the learning | | | | any deviance from bad form and you |
| experience. I learned so much from these | | | | automatically feel it so you get right back |
| world class coaches and here is my chance to | | | | into the correct groove. This is key and |
| share what I learned. I must warn you though: | | | | something I've never really experienced with |
| There is a chance you can bang your head on | | | | barbells and dumbbells. Furthermore, a big |
| the rim by following these vertical jump | | | | premise of kettlebells is that training is |
| tips! | | | | practice and practice develops your skill. |
| | | | The more skilled you are the stronger you |
| The first group of guys I will speak of are | | | | will be and the higher you will jump. I mean |
| Jason C Brown, Steve Cotter and Brett Jones. | | | | do you ever really see guys that can jump or |
| Besides being gentlemen and world class | | | | are really fast not run or jump with |
| strength coaches they also share the unique | | | | excellent form? Not really. Fix someone's |
| distinction of being kettlebell training | | | | technique and form and that in itself will |
| experts. | | | | help them jump higher. |
| | | | |
| I must admit when I first learned about | | | | 3. Keep things simple. Read that again and |
| kettlebells years back I never really gave it | | | | again. All three guys alluded to this. We |
| much thought because I thought you could do | | | | know what works and have known for a long |
| kettlebell exercises with a dumbbell. As I | | | | time. Don't try to reinvent the wheel and |
| quickly learned, you can not do exercises | | | | just use what we already know. Basics like |
| that are specific to kettlebells with a | | | | the dead lift, squat and its variations |
| dumbbell. It's not the same. Try a kettlebell | | | | combined with explosive lifting, actually |
| swing with a dumbbell and they are very | | | | jumping, and of course excellent technique |
| different. Now this is not to say that | | | | will take you very far. |
| dumbbells are bad. This is just to say that | | | | |
| each piece of equipment has a specific use | | | | 4. Another big point to drive home from this |
| and each has its own advantages and | | | | panel was keeping the reps low (3-5) when |
| disadvantages. | | | | strength training. A great vertical requires |
| | | | excellent strength and that means to train |
| In speaking with the gentlemen a few things | | | | movements like the dead lift, squat and |
| ring through with kettlebell lifting that | | | | pull-ups with low reps to develop that |
| make them excellent tools for vertical jump | | | | strength. No need for higher reps as that can |
| training. | | | | lead to weight gain and possibly using bad |
| | | | form. Simple enough right. 5 sets of 5 reps |
| 1. It is very hard to find an exercise that | | | | on big bang exercises and you are good to go! |
| mimics the motion of vertical jumping better | | | | Don't forget to practice your jumping. I mean |
| than the kettlebell swing. Further more is | | | | would you ask someone wanting to improve |
| that you can perform the exercise | | | | their speed not to sprint? Get even more |
| explosively. Now this is not to say that | | | | free Vertical Jump Training Secrets from |
| power cleans or snatches are not great | | | | Steve, Jason and Brett along with over10 more |
| exercises that teach explosive hip extension | | | | Vertical Leap Experts! Visit Jump Experts |
| but they are more technical and harder to | | | | right now! |
| teach. This is simply not the case with the | | | | |