# How important is your Vertical Jump in your Martial Arts?



## Lisa (Jul 6, 2006)

Does anyone practice improving their vertical jump to help with their jump kicks, etc?  How important do you think having a good vertical is?


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## Andrew Green (Jul 6, 2006)

not at all


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## Makalakumu (Jul 6, 2006)

Andrew Green said:
			
		

> not at all


 
Yeah, especially if you practice sub grappling...

IMHO, improving your vertical jump is just another way of increasing leg strength.  If you kick when you fight or you are using your legs to spring in any way, this is important.  

I think about some the tackling exercises I've done and the ones where I was close to my opponents, being able to turn my "vertical" "horizontal" really helped close the gap and shoot.


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## Andrew Green (Jul 6, 2006)

Still consider myself more of a striker then a grappler when it comes down to it


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## BlackCatBonz (Jul 6, 2006)

i think they are great for training explosive movement.


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## Andrew Green (Jul 6, 2006)

Yup, making it important in the same way as a benchpress.  Valuable  indirectly, but in itself being able to jump high isn't much use.


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## Nomad (Jul 7, 2006)

We have some katas and drills that require jumps, occasionally with direction changes.  Several of the younger folks (teen to twenties) practice these occasionally, working on the height of the jumps.  It looks more impressive in the katas, and undeniably helps with leg strength, explosiveness, etc.  A great motivator for height is to do the jump with someone swinging a bo at your legs... people can jump higher than they thought!  

Having recently had the ACL ligament on my left knee replaced, I don't do these anymore.  In katas and drills that require jumps (which I've been working myself back up to for the last few months), I definitely don't shoot for height at the moment.  Does it make me any "less" of a martial artist?  Nope... it just means that I know jumping isn't my thing, and rely on other (mostly more practical) stuff instead.


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## HKphooey (Jul 7, 2006)

Andrew Green said:
			
		

> Yup, making it important in the same way as a benchpress. Valuable indirectly, but in itself being able to jump high isn't much use.


 
Most of use practice techniques for a knife attack and are never attacked with knife in our lifetime.  I would bet many people have almost been hit by a car, but have jumped out of the way.  Having the ability to leap distances quickly is beneficial (granted that is more of a horizontal leap).  I would say that is pretty practical SD or preservation.  My work on my vertical rise was not for the martial arts, but for volleyball.  Having a good vertical jump usually means you have some solid calf muscles.   So it has help me with my stances.   

I will also add that a good vertical leap may get you over a fence in a sticky situation.  

So as you stated indirectly, but maybe for than you think.


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## Soldier (Jul 7, 2006)

If you think squat is important than vertical jump is important. 
Vertical jump is just plyometric squat.


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## Xue Sheng (Jul 7, 2006)

How important is a vertical jump to my MA training?

I practiced tai chi and Xingyi most recently and I would have to say not at all. 

I also practiced a bit of Sanda and at least in the beginning it is not important.


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## samurai69 (Jul 8, 2006)

BlackCatBonz said:
			
		

> i think they are great for training explosive movement.


 
I agree, I train with plyometrics, both vertical and depth.........more for leg strenght/explosive power.......as the only kick i consistently practice is the low round house


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## Shirt Ripper (Jul 8, 2006)

If you are looking to make it big as a movie martial artist (i.e. Tony Ja, Bruce Lee, etc.) it is absolutely vital.


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## BlackCatBonz (Jul 9, 2006)

samurai69 said:
			
		

> I agree, I train with plyometrics, both vertical and depth.........more for leg strenght/explosive power.......as the only kick i consistently practice is the low round house


 
I would say that is probably the kick that I practice the most as well.
Developing explosive power really helps to launch that sucker.


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## green meanie (Jul 9, 2006)

Lisa said:
			
		

> Does anyone practice improving their vertical jump to help with their jump kicks, etc?
> How important do you think having a good vertical is?


 
I like using it to build quad strength and explosiveness, which I feel is vitally important to have for shooting takedowns.
But that's about all we use it for. We do some kicking but none of the jumping variety.


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## stone_dragone (Jul 9, 2006)

I would agree that vertical jump is fairly important to martial arts training, regardless of art.  It is one indicator of total body fitness, similar to pull ups, standing broad jump, running the 40m sprint, etc...

Regardless of whether or not you do jump techniques, coordination of muscles required for maximum vert comes in handy for numerous things.

My two cents


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