If you want to jump high, you need to improve your core strength (abdominals)

If you want to jump higher, run faster and be more powerful in your high jump, you must improve your core strength. Not only is it good for improving your high jump performance, but it will also minimise the chances of you getting an injury. Especially as you start to take on more explosive movements.

One of the things that you are likely to suffer from if your core isn’t strong enough is lower back pain. This will cause you to lean and you won’t be able to control your body’s movements correctly.

Additionally, your lower abs and hip flexors will come into play and if they aren’t strong enough to support the explosive power demands that your body needs for high jump, you are going to get injured and you will get more pain in your lower back.

Skip to section

How can you prevent this from happening?

You need to focus on strengthening your lower abs. And the abs need to have enough strength-endurance so you can do several jumps.

There are a few handy exercises that you can do to strengthen your lower abs.

Hanging leg raises

Hang from a horizontal bar and raise your legs out straight. You want to strengthen the hip flexors and your lower abs. Many people find this exercise challenging because they don’t have enough strength in their quadriceps. So doing some leg extensions on the machine can help to build that strength so you can do the exercise properly. Aim to do repetitions of 10 or more.

Hanging knee raises

Hang from a horizontal bar and lift your knees to your chest. Don’t swing. Focus the movement on your lower abs and your hip flexors. Aim to do repetitions of 10 or more.
Here’s a video that shows a good demonstration.

I’ve provided a video below that also shows you how to stop swinging when doing these exercises.

Lying leg raises

Lay on the floor and raise both legs while keeping them straight. Try to get them to 90 degrees. Do this exercise for repetitions of 10 or more. Do 3-5 sets.

Lying knee raises

Lay on the floor and raise your knees to your chest. Do this for repetitions of 10 for 3 to 5 sets.

Single leg raises

Lay on the floor and raise one leg straight to 90 degrees. Repeat 10 times and switch legs.

Here’s a video demonstration that you can use.

Planks

Get into the plank position and hold it for 30 seconds. As your core strength increases, increase this to 60, 90 or 120 seconds.
Here is a video that you can reference.

You can also do the following plyometric movement to help strengthen that area when doing explosive movements.

Kneeling tuck jump

After doing these exercises, your range of motion should improve. This will allow you to increase your stride pattern and your knee drive. Both of these will allow you to be more explosive in your jump and you should find that you jump higher as a result.

Try these exercises out and let us know about your improvements.

Thanks for reading.