By RealJock Staff

This exercise provided courtesy of Billy Polson, founder and co-owner of DIAKADI Body, which was voted best personal training gym in San Francisco by CitySearch in 2006.

Benefits
Height jumps help you develop the explosive power required for almost any sport. How high you go is up to you, but the sky’s the limit.

Muscles Worked
Legs

Starting Position
Stand on the floor next to a wall, such that the wall is flat with either your right or left side (see Photo 1).

Exercise

1. From the starting position, "load into" your jump by bending your knees into a squat position, keeping your weight evenly distributed between your heels and toes at the bottom of the load (see Photo 2).
2. From the bottom of the squat, immediately jump up into the air, quickly shoot up your arms, and try to touch the wall as high as you can (see Photo 3).
3. Land from the jump with knees slightly bent—landing with your knees locked may cause serious injury.
4. Repeat the jump 10 times on one side; then switch to the other side for 10 repetitions.

About Billy Polson: Billy Polson is the founder and co-owner of DIAKADI Body, which was voted the best personal training gym in San Francisco by CitySearch in 2006. A competitive swimmer and triathlete in his own right, Polson has over 15 years of experience working as a coach and trainer, and was recently named by Men's Journal Magazine (December 2005) as one of the Top 100 Trainers in America.