For you to perform at your optimum capability, you need to have remarkable levels of speed and strength. Your capacity to jump higher is influenced by the following strength qualities:

LIMIT STRENGTH ? This is equivalent to the amount of force you apply despite any variable of time. Limit strength can also be equated tot the strength of your muscles when movement speed is not a deciding factor. Lifting maximum weights or performing a 1-rep max squat or bench press will test your limit strength capacity.

To develop limit strength, you need to focus on important muscles groups ? your glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps and lower back. These muscles are very crucial in your jumping and sprinting abilities. In other words, these are your ?run faster, jump higher? muscles. Hip extensors should also be paid attention to as these are the usual weak muscles in athletes.

REACTIVE STRENGTH ? Is apparent when your muscle and tendon complex is stretched before contracting. This is otherwise known as reversal strength, reflexive strength, plyometric strength, or rebound strength.

Reactive strength is obvious when you do a quick countermovement (bending down) prior to jumping. You can jump higher in this way, and you can pause and try jumping higher again. This occurs because countermovement quickly stretches the tendons throughout your lower extremities. This results in your tendons and muscles gathering more energy and creating a recoil just like an elastic band. This reactive and reflective response happens very quickly, in comparison to a response to a muscle strength which happens slowly. This strength helps you generate about 200-700% of force in the first .10 seconds.

EXPLOSIVE STRENGTH ? This pertains to your ability to develop maximum force in a small amount of time without using the plyometric stretch reflex. Leaping from a temporary stop position and sprinting out of the blocks both need raw explosive strength because you don't have the opportunity of winding up and using plyometric capacities like you would normally do if you took a big run-up before leaping, or a lead-in to a run.

Explosive strength counts on starting strength, which is the capacity to use as much force as you can in the first .03 seconds of the activity.

In order to acquire maximum force in as little time as possible, you must possess enough strength or force to draw from or tap into quickly. Because of this, limit strength serves as the fundamental for explosive strength. That's because an athlete who can only apply only about 100 pounds of force will not be able to jump that high despite the speedy ways he applies the force.

If you want to jump higher, keep in mind these three strength qualities: limit, reactive, and explosive. If you've managed to develop these capabilities, then you can surely add some inches to your vertical leap in no time.