06:43
Faizan
Participants in sports that require a high vertical leap, such as basketball and track and field, have long coveted the athletic advantage necessary to improve their jumps. While an athlete's vertical leap depends largely on genetic factors, wearing the right type of shoes can help produce a significant improvement. Scientific advancements in the design of athletic shoes have made these advantages more widely available than ever.
Better Height
A 1999 article published by Clinical Biomechanics details a study in which scientists Clifford Larkins and Thomas Snabb researched the effects of sole angle on athlete's vertical leaps. This study questioned the traditional shoe design, in which the heel is elevated slightly above the balls of the feet, producing a positive foot inclination. Larkins and Snabb tested shoes with a negative foot inclination (in which the heel is lower than the balls of the feet). They discovered that athletes wearing shoes with 3.5 degrees of negative inclination improved their vertical leap by an average of 10 percent.
Stronger Legs
A product known as "Jumpsoles" are also very helpful for athletes looking to improve their vertical leap. Jumpsoles are specially designed platform attachments that can be connected to the bottom front of most athletic shoes to help athletes work out the muscles needed to increase vertical leap. Some designs come equipped with rounded plugs that attach to the center of each platform sole, creating a wobble effect that further increases leg muscle. While these shoes should not be worn during actual sporting events, wearing these shoes during workouts often leads to an increase of ten inches or more.
Better Support
Many athletes make the mistake of thinking that comfortable, well-worn running shoes will help them jump their highest. This is quite the opposite of the truth. The cushioning of a comfortable running shoe absorbs a great deal of the force that could be used to propel the body higher. Coach Joe Defranco, trainer for college and professional athletes, suggests that his athletes wear track waffles with a high degree of arch support to help their vertical leap. These lightweight but sturdy shoes provide the maximum support with the fewest hindrances.
Better Height
A 1999 article published by Clinical Biomechanics details a study in which scientists Clifford Larkins and Thomas Snabb researched the effects of sole angle on athlete's vertical leaps. This study questioned the traditional shoe design, in which the heel is elevated slightly above the balls of the feet, producing a positive foot inclination. Larkins and Snabb tested shoes with a negative foot inclination (in which the heel is lower than the balls of the feet). They discovered that athletes wearing shoes with 3.5 degrees of negative inclination improved their vertical leap by an average of 10 percent.
Stronger Legs
A product known as "Jumpsoles" are also very helpful for athletes looking to improve their vertical leap. Jumpsoles are specially designed platform attachments that can be connected to the bottom front of most athletic shoes to help athletes work out the muscles needed to increase vertical leap. Some designs come equipped with rounded plugs that attach to the center of each platform sole, creating a wobble effect that further increases leg muscle. While these shoes should not be worn during actual sporting events, wearing these shoes during workouts often leads to an increase of ten inches or more.
Better Support
Many athletes make the mistake of thinking that comfortable, well-worn running shoes will help them jump their highest. This is quite the opposite of the truth. The cushioning of a comfortable running shoe absorbs a great deal of the force that could be used to propel the body higher. Coach Joe Defranco, trainer for college and professional athletes, suggests that his athletes wear track waffles with a high degree of arch support to help their vertical leap. These lightweight but sturdy shoes provide the maximum support with the fewest hindrances.
Posted in: basketball
