KNOWLEDGE BASE
Training Articles
In-depth guides built from the sport-science literature behind the BounceLab knowledge base.
TRAINING PROGRESS
How Long Until You See Results From Jump Training?
A realistic vertical jump improvement timeline: what changes at 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks, and why starting level, training quality and recovery decide the pace.
6 min read
TRAINING METHODS
How Many Jump Training Sessions Per Week Do You Actually Need?
Training frequency by experience level, safe plyometric contact volume, and the warning signs that tell you to cut back.
6 min read
TRAINING PROGRESS
How to Break a Jump Training Plateau
A plateau means the body has adapted to the current stimulus. Diagnose the weak link, change the variables, deload and fix recovery.
7 min read
PLYOMETRICS
Depth Jump Technique: The Complete Guide
Box height, step-off vs jump-off, contact time, rebound direction and the common errors that turn depth jumps from a power tool into a injury risk.
8 min read
TRAINING METHODS
How Deep Should You Squat to Jump Higher?
Full, half and quarter squats each have a role in jump training. Here is how to periodize squat depth instead of choosing one forever.
7 min read
TRAINING METHODS
How to Split Strength and Plyometric Training
Combined strength and plyometric training beats either alone. Here are the phase ratios, same-day ordering rules and common mistakes.
7 min read
PLYOMETRICS
What Is Plyometrics? A Safe Starting Guide
The stretch-shortening cycle explained, fast vs slow SSC, the NSCA entry criteria and low-intensity progressions for beginners.
6 min read
PLYOMETRICS
How to Count and Control Plyometric Contacts
Foot contacts are the real volume unit for plyometrics. Learn weekly volume by level, session math and the monitoring rules that keep jumps fast.
5 min read
PLYOMETRICS
The Right Warm-Up Before Plyometrics
Cold muscles doing high-intensity stretch-shortening work get injured. Here is the 15–20 minute warm-up protocol used before plyometric sessions.
5 min read
REHAB & INJURY PREVENTION
Patellar Tendinopathy (Jumper's Knee): Prevention & Rehab
The #1 injury in jump training, explained: why the tendon overloads, evidence-based prevention and the four rehab phases from isometrics to return.
8 min read
REHAB & INJURY PREVENTION
Shin Splints: What to Do and How to Prevent Them
Medial tibial stress syndrome: acute management, the strength and surface fixes that prevent it, and the red flag that means see a doctor.
6 min read
REHAB & INJURY PREVENTION
Returning to Training After an Ankle Sprain
Grades, timeframes and the functional return criteria that matter more than the calendar — plus the staged path back to jumping.
7 min read
RECOVERY
Sleep and Vertical Jump: The Lever You're Ignoring
Sleep below 7 hours cuts strength 10–15%. Here is the evidence and a practical protocol for sleep that actually improves jumping.
6 min read
ASSESSMENT
CMJ vs Squat Jump: The Simplest Jump Bottleneck Test
The difference between your countermovement jump and squat jump reveals whether strength or elastic use is your limiting factor.
6 min read
TECHNIQUE
Arm Swing in the Vertical Jump: How Much Does It Matter?
The arm swing contributes 10–15% of jump height. Here is how it works mechanically and how to time it correctly.
6 min read
TECHNIQUE
How Deep Should the Countermovement Be in a CMJ?
Deeper is not better. Research points to a natural, fluid dip around 90–100° of knee flexion — and speed matters more than depth.
5 min read
TRAINING PROGRESS
Why Am I Not Improving at Jumping? The 5 Real Causes
Trained for months with no jump gains? The five most common causes — and which one is probably yours.
7 min read
TRAINING PROGRESS
Is Jump Height Limited by Genetics?
Genetics set a ceiling — but training explains 60–80% of jump-performance variance. Here is what is actually locked in and what is not.
6 min read
TRAINING PROGRESS
How Fast Do You Lose Your Jump? The Detraining Timeline
One week off barely costs anything. Eight weeks off costs a lot — but muscle memory brings it back faster than you think.
5 min read
TRAINING METHODS
Can Bodyweight Training Improve Your Jump?
Yes for absolute beginners — then it hits a ceiling. Here is where bodyweight work fits and when you must add load.
5 min read
TRAINING METHODS
Rest Intervals for Jump Training: The Complete Guide
Rest length changes what a set actually trains. Here are the exact intervals for strength, power, hypertrophy and rehab work.
5 min read
PLYOMETRICS
Can You Do Plyometrics Every Day? (No — Here's Why)
The nervous system needs 48–72 hours to recover from high-intensity stretch-shortening work. Here is how to schedule it correctly.
5 min read
INJURY PREVENTION
Good Pain vs Bad Pain: How to Tell the Difference in Training
Muscle soreness is normal; joint pain and movement-changing pain are not. Here is the classification used in sports medicine.
5 min read
INJURY PREVENTION
Achilles Tendinopathy and Rupture: Prevention Guide
The strongest tendon in the body is also heavily loaded by jumping. Here is the prevention checklist and the rupture warning signs that are an emergency.
7 min read
BODY FACTORS
How Much Do Height, Weight and Skeleton Matter for Jumping?
Training level explains 60–80% of jump performance. Height matters far less than relative strength and body composition.
6 min read
BODY FACTORS
Does Age Affect Jump Training?
The training priorities change across decades — neural plasticity for youth, recovery management for masters — but it is never too late to start.
6 min read
BODY FACTORS
Do Flat Feet Hurt Your Jump? Shoe Choices Explained
A flattened arch weakens the spring effect — but it is not decisive. Foot training, shoe choice and calf flexibility all matter more.
6 min read
BODY FACTORS
What Bodyweight Is Best for Jumping? (And Should You Cut?)
The answer is relative strength, not a scale number. Here is the math that decides whether you should lose fat or build strength first.
6 min read
NUTRITION & RECOVERY
What Should You Eat for Jump Training?
Protein, carbs, fat, timing and hydration for a 70 kg jump athlete — plus the two things to strictly avoid.
6 min read
NUTRITION & RECOVERY
Do You Need Protein Powder and Supplements for Jump Training?
Food comes first, always. When diet is covered, creatine and caffeine have real evidence — BCAAs and most other powders do not.
6 min read
NUTRITION & RECOVERY
How to Speed Up Recovery from DOMS
Muscle soreness peaks at 24–72 hours and is a normal training response. What works, what does nothing, and how to tell it from injury.
5 min read
TESTING & ASSESSMENT
The Force-Velocity Profile: What It Is and Whether You Need It
The F-V profile tells you whether strength or speed is your bottleneck — and when you are not ready for it yet.
7 min read
TESTING & ASSESSMENT
How to Track Jump Progress Scientifically
One standard test, fixed conditions, weekly frequency and the smallest worthwhile change — the protocol that turns jump data into decisions.
6 min read
TESTING & ASSESSMENT
Which Training Gives the Most Jump Per Hour?
The ROI ranking: foundational strength first, then power conversion, depth jumps, technique — and supplements last.
6 min read
COMMON MYTHS
Should Knees Never Pass the Toes? A Myth Explained
Banning forward knee travel is over-generalized, non-specific and can even increase lumbar shear. Here is what to actually watch.
5 min read
COMMON MYTHS
Does Jump Training Stunt Growth or Make You Shorter?
No scientific evidence shows strength or plyometric training stunts height. The international consensus says youth training is safe and beneficial.
5 min read
COMMON MYTHS
Will Jump Training Make Your Calves and Thighs Bulky?
Jump training's parameters favor neural adaptation and power, not size. Here is why the bulk fear is mostly unfounded.
5 min read
COMMON MYTHS
Is Jump Height Genetic? (Can It Be Trained?)
Genetics explain roughly 40–60% of jump variance — which means 40–60% is training. And untrained athletes can nearly double their jump.
5 min read
TECHNIQUE
Approach Jump Technique: The Three Cues That Matter
Penultimate step, block step and takeoff — the three phases that turn horizontal speed into vertical height.
6 min read
TECHNIQUE
Single-Leg vs Double-Leg Jumps: Which Should You Train?
Two-leg jumps build symmetric force; one-leg jumps build horizontal-to-vertical conversion. Most athletes need both.
6 min read
PERIODIZATION
How to Design a Full Jump-Training Macrocycle
The 12–16 week structure: base adaptation, max strength, power conversion, then peak and test. With RPE and volume targets for each phase.
8 min read
PERIODIZATION
How to Do a Deload Week (Without Losing Progress)
The three ways to deload, how often, and why performance often peaks the week after a deload — not during the hardest training.
6 min read
PERIODIZATION
How to Maintain Your Jump During the Season
In-season training is about the minimum effective dose: keep intensity, cut volume, monitor weekly and never chase PRs.
6 min read
PERIODIZATION
How to Know Whether to Add Weight or Volume
Progressive overload is the engine — but one variable at a time. Here is the double progression rule for strength and the contact rule for plyometrics.
6 min read
PSYCHOLOGY
Nervous on Test Day? How to Perform Under Pressure
Test anxiety is physiological over-activation — and it responds to simulation, routines, breath control and reframing.
6 min read
PSYCHOLOGY
Overcoming the Fear of Jumping After Injury
Kinesiophobia fades through graded exposure, cognitive reframing and success experiences — not through waiting.
6 min read
PSYCHOLOGY
How to Stay Motivated and Consistent Long-Term
Motivation fluctuates even for elite athletes. Identity, process tracking and minimum commitments are what survive the bad weeks.
6 min read