In netball the ball is won in the air and because of this maximising jump height should be a key training priority for every player.
Most players try to improve their jump height by increasing their strength and power in the upward phase of the exercises in their programme. In biomechanical terms this is called training the 'concentric' phase.
Whilst this type of training will certainly go a long way to improving jump height, especially for those new to strength training, the results become diminishing with time.
Once a plateau in jump height has been reached one of the most useful types of training can be to develop strength and power in the downward phase of the movement. This is called training the 'eccentric' phase. For example developing your ability to control heavy loads slowly downwards as well as improving how you decelerate the body downwards at high speeds.
This type of training is very potent for increasing jump height for 2 main reasons.
Firstly it will give an athlete whose performance is plateauing a solid boost in their strength and power. More strength and power = greater ability to jump high.
Secondly and most importantly, because each jump on the court is preceded by a downward eccentric movement first, athletes who are stronger and more skilled in this movement will be able to perform the subsequent jump much more explosively, achieving greater jump height!
I have had massive success with eccentric training particularly with more experienced athletes. But young athletes and those new to training should also make improving their eccentric strength a priority for reason directly above.
So there you have it, to improve your jump height going up, work on your eccentric strength on the way down.
Daniel Lavipour has over 15 years experience working in elite netball as a strength and conditioning coach for the Silver Ferns, Northern Mystics and London Pulse. This also includes working with 1000s of amateur and youth Netballers. He also completed his MPhil, researching jump landings in elite netballers. Read more about Daniel's experience in netball by clicking here.
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