Increase your Vertical Jump with the Vertec Jump Trainer

Jump Training Drills for the Vertec

Kyle Keese – Director of Strength and Conditioning 

Kyle Keese is the Director of Strength and Conditioning at Denton Guyer High School in Denton, Texas. Since beginning his career at Denton Guyer in 2007, he has been there for two consecutive Texas football state titles in 2012 and 2013. Keese preaches the importance of strength training and conditioning for optimal performance and resistance. In college, he earned a bachelor of science degree in exercise and sports studies and is also a level 1 certified sports performance coach for USA weightlifting. With his abundant knowledge, Keese creates specialized training programs to accommodate his athletes specific needs. In 2019, Keese was named Southwest Region Coach of the Year by the National High School Strength Coaches Association. Whether you are training for football, volleyball, basketball, or any other sport, Keese’s Vertec drills will help measure and increase your vertical jump!

Keese uses the Sports Imports Vertec for three different drills in the training room:

Drill 1- No Step Countermovement Vertical Jump

Purpose: to measure lower body power by using a double arm counter-movement without taking a step before take-off 

Position of Vertec:

• Place on the dominant hand side of the athlete.
• Positioned on a surface that isn’t slick or extremely hard (ie concrete)

Position of athlete

• Position to where the outreached arm near the Vertec will intersect naturally with the outer portions of the vanes.

Drill:

• Before take-off, the athlete should be standing tall.
• As the athlete prepares to jump, the athlete will quickly hinge at the hip, bend at the knee, and swing both arms back behind the hips.
• The athlete should take off and land in the near same position.
• When making contact with the vanes, it is important that the athlete doesn’t aggressively hit the vanes.

Drill 2- No Step Non-Countermovement Vertical Jump

Purpose: to measure lower body power without using a double arm counter movement and without taking a step before take off

Position of Vertec:

• Place on the dominant hand side of the athlete.
• Positioned on a surface that isn’t slick or extremely hard (ie concrete)

Position of Athlete:

• Position to where the outreached arm near the Vertec will intersect naturally with the outer portions of the vanes. 

Drill:

• Same athlete preparation as in ‘Drill One’
• When the athlete jumps, hips and knees will still extend but only one arm will forcefully come forward and up as the athlete reaches for the outer vanes.
• The athlete should take off and land in the near same position.
• When making contact with the vanes it is important that the athlete doesn’t aggressively hit the vanes.

Drill 3- Three Step Approach Vertical Jump

Purpose: to measure lower body power while using a 3 step running start before take off, which is commonly seen in sport.

Position of Vertec:

• Place on the dominant hand side of the athlete.
• Positioned on a surface that isn’t slick or extremely hard (ie concrete)

Position of Players:

• The athlete should be positioned to where the athlete can take a 3 step approach and be in a position to take off and reach the outer vanes much like the standing vertical jump.

Drill:

• The athlete’s first step would be with the foot opposite of the dominant hand. If the athlete is right handed then the athlete will start with a left foot approach.
• The athlete will use a double leg take off.
• As the athlete jumps, the hips and knees will extend and the arms will forcefully come forward and up as the athlete reaches for the outer vanes.
• The outreached arm near the Vertec will intersect naturally with the outer portions of the vanes.