What is Vertical jump?

What is Vertical jump?

A vertical jump is the maximum height a person can propel their body straight upward from a standing start, typically measured as the difference between standing reach and the highest point touched or jumped, used across sports as a standard test of lower-body power and explosiveness. Coaches test it because it isolates one specific ability: how much force your legs can put into the ground in a fraction of a second. Testing usually happens two ways. In a jump-and-reach test, you stand flat-footed next to a wall or a Vertec pole, mark your standing reach, then jump and touch the highest point you can; the gap between the two numbers is your vertical jump. In a flight-time test, a jump mat, force plate, or phone camera times how long you are airborne and calculates height from that time. Most protocols use a countermovement jump with a full arm swing, since that mirrors how athletes actually jump on the court or field. The number itself is not a strength score. Two lifters with the same back squat can post very different vertical jumps, because jumping demands that force be produced fast, not just produced. That is why the test sits at the center of combine testing in basketball, volleyball, football, and track, and why strength coaches retest it every few weeks to confirm power training is working.

How it works

A vertical jump works through the impulse-momentum relationship: the more net force you apply into the ground, and the longer you apply it, the faster you leave the ground, and takeoff velocity is what determines how high you fly. From a standing position, you flex the ankles, knees, and hips, then reverse that motion by driving all three joints into extension at once, a sequence called triple extension. The glutes and quadriceps generate most of the concentric force, the calves add a final push through the ankle, and the arms swing upward to add momentum and increase ground reaction force at takeoff, typically adding somewhere between 10 and 30 percent to jump height depending on the study and jump type. In a countermovement jump, you dip down first before driving up, and that quick downward phase pre-stretches the quadriceps and glutes, letting them store and return elastic energy through the stretch-shortening cycle, the same mechanism behind a rebounding drop jump. That prestretch is why a countermovement jump is reliably higher than a squat jump performed from a static, paused position, since the squat jump strips out the elastic contribution and isolates raw concentric force. Once your feet leave the floor, the outcome is fixed: height is purely a function of vertical takeoff velocity acting against gravity, so every bit of technique, strength, and elastic energy has to be banked before your feet lose contact with the ground.

The formula

Jump height (cm) = 9.81 x flight time^2 / 8 x 100

This is the flight-time (impulse-momentum) formula every jump mat, force plate, and phone app uses to calculate height from airborne time; a 0.50-second flight time works out to roughly 30 cm (12 in). For power output rather than height, the Sayers equation estimates peak power (W) = 60.7 x jump height (cm) + 45.3 x body mass (kg) - 2055.

How to apply it

• Build a strength base first: A vertical jump is capped by how much force your legs can produce, so heavy squats and deadlifts in the 1 to 5 rep range raise the ceiling. Most jump-training programs assume a back squat of at least 1.25 to 1.5 times body weight before layering on power work.
• Train rate of force development: Move light-to-moderate loads as fast as possible: jump squats, kettlebell swings, and medicine-ball throws teach your nervous system to express strength quickly rather than slowly. Keep loads light, roughly 0-30% of your squat max, and jump every rep with maximal intent.
• Add depth jumps and plyometrics: Step off a low box (20-45 cm) and rebound immediately into a maximal jump, working ground-contact time down while jump height stays up. Progress box height slowly, cap sessions at 4-8 sets of 3-5 reps, and rest fully between sets since quality drops fast under fatigue.
• Fix countermovement depth and arm swing: Too shallow a dip loses the stretch-shortening benefit; too deep bleeds elastic energy before you can use it. Most athletes jump highest with a knee angle around 90 to 110 degrees, paired with a full, fast arm swing driven from the shoulders, not just the wrists.
• Retest on a fixed schedule: Measure your CMJ every 4 to 6 weeks with the same method and warm-up so the number stays comparable over time. Coaches also use daily jump testing as a fatigue and readiness marker, since a drop of 5 to 10% below baseline often signals you need more recovery.
• Manage recovery between sessions: Jump height is one of the most fatigue-sensitive numbers in training, and stacking plyometrics on top of heavy squat days without recovery blunts the adaptation. Space high-intensity jump work at least 48 hours from your heaviest lower-body strength sessions.

Types

Worked example

A standard Vertec jump-and-reach test, plus an estimate of the power behind the number. This is the exact math a combine or gym testing session runs.

The 24-inch result sits above the untrained average (16-20 in) and just below college level (24-30 in). Retesting with the same reach mark, warm-up, and jump type is what makes week-to-week comparisons meaningful.

Vertical jump vs. standing broad jump

Both are power tests and both correlate with sprint speed, but pick the one that matches your sport's demand: vertical jump for jumping sports like basketball and volleyball, broad jump for acceleration-heavy sports like football and track.

By goal

• Team-sport athletes (basketball, volleyball): Retest your CMJ monthly and keep your back squat above roughly 1.5 times body weight, since jump height plateaus once strength lags. Layer in 1 to 2 short depth-jump sessions a week and track single-leg jumps too, since most sport movements load one leg at a time.
• General strength and conditioning: Two short plyometric sessions a week, stacked on top of your normal squat and deadlift work, is enough to raise jump height for most lifters. Treat the vertical jump as one more number to log, not the main goal, unless you compete in a jumping sport.
• Return-to-play and rehab (for example, after ACL reconstruction): Clinicians commonly want your single-leg vertical jump on the surgical leg within about 90% of the healthy leg, a limb symmetry index, before clearing you for jumping or cutting sports. Progress from double-leg to single-leg jumps only once landing mechanics look clean and pain-free.

Common misconceptions

• "A bigger vertical jump automatically means you sprint faster." Vertical jump and sprint speed share some underlying qualities like leg power and correlate moderately, but jumping applies force mostly vertically while sprinting applies it mostly horizontally. Some athletes jump high but accelerate slowly, and vice versa; they are related but distinct skills.
• "Only basketball and volleyball players need to test their vertical jump." The test is used across sports, general strength and conditioning, and clinical rehab as a broad marker of lower-body power and readiness. Return-to-sport programs after ACL surgery, for example, use single-leg vertical jump scores to help decide when an athlete is cleared.
• "A running approach jump and a standing vertical jump are the same test." An approach jump adds a short run-up that converts horizontal momentum into extra height, so it typically scores several inches higher than a standing jump from the same person. Combines like the NBA's report the two numbers separately for exactly this reason.
• "You need a force-plate lab to get a valid number." A wall-and-chalk Sargent jump test gives a usable estimate, and validated tools like the Vertec pole, jump mats, and phone apps such as My Jump have been shown reliable against lab equipment, typically agreeing within a couple of centimeters.

Related terms

Vertical jump FAQ

What is a good vertical jump?

A good vertical jump depends on your sport and level: 16 to 20 inches (40-50 cm) is average for an untrained man, 20 to 24 inches is solid for a recreational athlete, and anything above 28 inches (71 cm), roughly the NBA combine average, counts as elite lower-body power.

How is a vertical jump measured?

You measure it either by touch (mark your standing reach on a wall or Vertec pole, jump and touch the highest point, then subtract the two numbers) or by flight time (a jump mat, force plate, or phone app times how long you are airborne and calculates height from that).

What is the average vertical jump for a man?

The average vertical jump for an untrained adult man is about 16 to 20 inches (40-50 cm). Recreational athletes typically reach 20 to 24 inches, college-level athletes 24 to 30 inches, and NBA combine prospects average 28 to 29 inches on the standing test.

What is the difference between a standing and a running vertical jump?

A standing vertical jump starts from a dead stop with no steps, while a running, or approach, vertical jump adds a short run-up that converts horizontal momentum into extra height. Approach jumps typically score several inches higher, which is why testing batteries report both numbers separately.

How can I increase my vertical jump?

Build leg strength with heavy squats and deadlifts, then convert that strength to speed with jump squats, depth jumps, and other plyometrics. Fix your technique, a full arm swing and an optimal countermovement depth, and retest every 4 to 6 weeks to confirm the training is working.

Does a higher vertical jump mean you sprint faster?

Not directly. Vertical jump and sprint speed share some of the same qualities, like leg power and rate of force development, and correlate moderately, but jumping applies force mostly vertically while sprinting applies it mostly horizontally, so some strong jumpers are only average sprinters.

What is the NBA record for vertical jump?

Keon Johnson set the NBA Draft Combine record with a 48-inch maximum vertical jump in 2021, alongside a 41.5-inch standing vertical. Only a small share, roughly 7%, of the more than 1,700 players tested at the combine over 25 years have cleared 40 inches.

Is vertical jump ability genetic?

Genetics set part of your ceiling through factors like fast-twitch muscle fiber percentage and tendon stiffness, but jump height also responds directly to training. Strength work, plyometrics, and technique coaching reliably add several inches to most people's vertical jump regardless of their starting genetics.

How often should I retest my vertical jump?

Most strength and conditioning programs retest the vertical jump every 4 to 6 weeks using the same protocol, warm-up, and time of day so results stay comparable. Some teams also test it daily as a fatigue marker, since a drop of 5 to 10% below baseline often flags accumulated fatigue.

What muscles are most responsible for a vertical jump?

The gluteus maximus and quadriceps generate most of the force during the jump's concentric drive, the calves (gastrocnemius and soleus) add a final push through the ankle, and the core and erector spinae transmit that force through a stable trunk into the jump.

References

1. A Review of Countermovement and Squat Jump Testing Methods in the Context of Public Health Examination in Adolescence: Reliability and Feasibility of Current Testing Procedures. Front Physiol, 2019. PMC6853898
2. Sayers SP, et al. Cross-validation of three jump power equations. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 1999. PubMed 10211854
3. Position-Specific Differences in Countermovement Vertical Jump Force-Time Metrics in Professional Male Basketball Players. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2023. PMC10398786
4. The Validity of the Push Band 2.0 on the Reactive Strength Index Assessment in Drop Jump. Sensors (Basel), 2022. PMC9269219
5. Lees A, Vanrenterghem J, De Clercq D. The effect of arm swing on lower extremities in vertical jumping. J Biomech, 2004. PubMed 16168998
6. The Reliability of Vertical Jump Tests between the Vertec and My Jump Phone Application. PeerJ, 2018. PMC5912202
7. Increased Force and Elastic Energy Storage Are Not the Mechanisms That Improve Jump Performance with Accentuated Eccentric Loading during a Constrained Vertical Jump. PLOS ONE, 2024. PMC11302863