- Developed by:
- Jacob Hiller
- Rating:
Summary:
The Jump Manual Is truly one of the most comprehensive programs for increasing your vertical jump.
It works on Nine different aspects directly responsible for determining your vertical leap height and teaches you everything you need to know in order to improve in each and every one of those.
If you’re looking to increase your vertical, Jump Manual is undoubtedly one of the best programs you could go for.
Whenever we talk about jumping in basketball (or any other sport for that matter) we must understand, first and foremost, that jumping is a crucial component for almost every athlete.
Jumping is one of those things that are quite hard to increase and it requires a specific type of training in order to gain an improvement in that area.
One particular program that is laser-focused on improving your vertical jump skills is The Jump Manual.
The Jump Manual is one of the most famous programs out there for increasing your vertical leap, it’s been around since 2007 and as you can see (if you’ve watched the video above) I have used this program myself and trained with it for quite some time.
In this review I’m going to share with you some of the things I’ve learned through process, my results with this program and what I think about it as a whole.
So let’s get down to business…
What Is The Jump Manual?
Jump Manual is a full systematic training program for increasing an athlete’s vertical leap, it offers basketball players the thing they need most, strong legs and a strong vertical. The uniqueness in this program is that it uses what’s called a ‘multi facet approach‘; basically this means assaulting the problem from all angles possible to create the maximum effect.
This program uses scientific techniques to improve your vertical jump and is supported by clinical studies which prove these methods are the most safe and effective in exercising your vertical jump.
Meet Jacob Hiller
The man who created this unique system is coach Jacob Hiller. Jacob is one of the most famous jump coaches in the world. During his coaching career he trained some of the best athletes on the planet including NBA players, professional dunk groups and Olympic Jumpers. He has received the recognition of huge agencies such as ESPN, Men’s Health and Sports Illustrated.
Jacob is also a former basketball player himself and what drove him to develop his unique system is the fact that he struggled with his jump as a player and he didn’t find a solution with conventional training. So after he retired from playing he went on a journey to find new practices and techniques to help maximize jumping ability.
The Importance of Proper Training
As you know, in order to jump higher it requires training, but how do you know if you’re training properly?
When you take on a program you must make sure that the program you’re choosing will target as many elements as possible and that your training schedule is balanced and makes sense. And since increasing your vertical is a difficult task you have to be sure you’re choosing a workout program that does it all.
By using top jump programs such as Vert Shock and The Jump Manual you’ll see that the training makes perfectly sense because it’s functional and it’s very specific to the activity you’re trying to promote, which in this case – jumping.
This program will teach you exactly how to exercise the right way with great video guides and workout plans. The price you spend on buying this program is just $67 which can be given back if you are not pleased with you’re results.
How Does It Work
Here’s a good video which describes what this program does best, the guy who’s speaking is Jacob Hiller so be sure to watch it.
Right after you buy the program you get instant access to the members area, you’ll be able to download the software to your computer as well as you’re phone (yes, there’s also an app) and also connect and speak with other people doing the same thing in the forum.
Also, the thing I enjoy most is you get One on One training with no less than Jacob Hiller himself, which is the man who created the manual and developed this breakthrough system. You’ll even get nice bonuses through this bargain like, Dave Hopla’s interview in which he reveals the secret to great shooting form, and even an interview with famous sports psychologist Patrick Cohn who shares excellent insights regarding the mindset of a basketball player.
More valuable thing though, is that the program guarantees results. If you don’t notice results you’ll get all of your money back, which is a big plus. If you’re worried about whether this system works as it says, there are many testimonials that already prove this program works. You may also get in touch with these athletes who gained between 10 to 25 inches through using this system.
The Software
The software that’s included with this program will work with any kind of computer. It contains all the materials you need to know and it’s very easy to use. The videos are especially useful in demonstrating just how the exercises and stretches need to be executed.
Specific Nutrition Plan
In order to get the maximum gains, you will have to eat right, so there is a nutrition plan for your body to build muscles. The coaching component of the course enables you to have your questions answered via email whenever you need.
Gym Alternatives
One more great aspect about this program is the fact that it shows alternative workouts if you don’t have access to a weight room. Jacob Hiller has made sure that his program will fit anyone and everyone so he took into account everything upfront.
Avoiding Injuries
In case you’re worried that the program might be dangerous to your legs then Jacob has taken this into account as well. There’s a section on injury avoidance where he explains about stretching and the best ways to recover after workouts.
The Results
As you can see in my video above (scroll to the 4th minute if you haven’t seen) I am dunking like crazy all over the place. You see me doing one hand dunks, two handed dunks, tomahawk and even an almost a 360 (which I’m sure I’ll eventually get).
Basically there are 3 main ways to jump and dunk which are:
- Running – This is your running vertical and it’s basically means using the momentum you have from running to propel yourself up. It’s generally the easiest vertical leap and people tend to jump the highest this way.
- One Step – This is your one step vertical and quite simply it means that you take just one step before you jump. You see that in games a lot in situations where there’s already a player in the paint near the basket waiting for the pass and when he gets the ball all he should do is take one step towards the rim and jump. This form of jumping is moderately hard.
- Flat-footed – This is the hardest type of vertical jump and it basically means jumping from a standstill position, hence the name “standing vertical reach”. This one is really hard because you have no momentum whatsoever and you’re relying solely on the power of your legs to explode up vertically. Having this one makes you simply unstoppable under the rim and it’s also great for rebounding and blocking shots as in most of these cases you’re jumping from a standstill position. If you can dunk this way then you’re a great jumper.
As you can see in my video I’m able to do all of the three and I’m not limited to just one way of jumping. You can see I’m mixing it up as well, sometimes jumping with just one leg sometimes with two so I’m pretty versatile with jumping capabilities, don’t you think?!
Overall I’m quite satisfied with my results with the program. I won’t lie to you it took me more than 5 months to get it and it was hard work but it was well worth it ’cause now I can jump almost 40 inches high (37.5 to be exact) and overall I increased about 13 inches on my jump with this program so the investment paid off big time and money well spent.
In Conclusion
So whether you’re a professional basketball player or you just like to play at the neighborhood with your buddies, this program will help you increase your jumping height.
Jump Manual is not just a course to increase your vertical leap, it is much more than that. By using this program you will become insanely athletic and your overall performance will increase. You’ll be way on top of your competition and you’ll dominate the court with the new abilities you’re going to have.
As a basketball player, I can’t stress enough how this program has helped me with my game and I’m sure it will help you too. I’ve seen tons of people think they can increase their vertical own their own and sadly they have no idea what they’re doing. On other hand, all the people which I’ve seen train with this program, each and everyone of them with no exception got better.
So seriously guys stop wasting time and energy on ineffective techniques that don’t work, get yourself a copy of this program and try it for yourself.
Hey Matthew cool dunks man! I’m 5’10 and 17 years old. I’m looking to try this program soon but I’m playing/practicing basketball 4-5 times a week and I also weight lift about 2-3 a week in the gym (mostly body-weight exercises). Can I do this program with the rest of the things I’m already doing? I’m currently jumping about 23 inches high and I can almost touch the rim (about 2 inch away)… how long do you think it will take for me to dunk with the program?
Thanks for the compliments Grant, and sorry for the late reply.
With the schedule that you’ve given here it looks like you already have your week pretty much wrapped up, therefore you’ll have a tough time stacking the jump manual on top of everything you do. It doesn’t mean you can’t do it, but it might not be the best idea as you might not be able to recover in time for your workouts.
If I were you I’d cut down my current workouts to bare minimum to leave some space for the jump manual.
With that being said you’re 17 years old, and your metabolism and recovery is at its peak, so you can also go ahead and sign up for the jump manual to see how you handle it, and if you feel like your body is fatigued and you’re not making any progress then start gradually dialing down on the other stuff you’re doing. This approach will take you longer but that way you can test your body and see how much training it can take so you can adjust accordingly.
That’s my 2 cents, hope that helped you.
Nice job man, are you still doing the program? If yes, have you gained any more inches since then? what is your vertical now?
I’m thinking about trying the program but my legs are messed up, I’m 28 yet I feel like I’m actually 58 because I sprained my ankles so many times in the past and fractured it at some occasions.
I’m a very athletic player and because of that I already posses a nice vertical naturally. At 6 feet I can grab the rim with one hand when I have a good running start.
I’ve just recovered from a recent injury and I wanna try and improve my vertical with this program, should I do any pre conditioning before I go for it or is it safe to use right off the bat for people like me?
Thanks Brandon.
I’ve stopped doing the program once I reached my goal of 40 inch vertical, I actually had a 42 inch vertical at my peak, since then it has gone down a bit and now I’m around 38 inches.
I’m not an expert at injuries but I think the jump manual is safe because you start really slow with it, however you need to be fully healthy to do it. Is your ankle recovered? If you’re not sure then you should consult with your doctor before you do the program, because at some point the intensity level rises and if your legs haven’t fully recovered from your injury then it might put you in jeopardy. The thing is, the jump manual is good for preventing injuries and managing your weak spots but it’s not a recovery program, do keep that in mind when you take this program.
I would assume you’re at the final stages of recovery or have recovered fully as you’re saying you can already jump and grab the rim, so I think you’re ready to use the program, but you might need to tweak the program so the frequency of the training is lessened a bit so your ankles have more time to recover from each workout. It’s best to consult with Jacob Hiller on these things if you can afford the personal email support package.
Just bought the program and skimmed through quickly on all the stuff that’s in there and it’s amazing how detailed this program is.. anyway I didn’t see anything about one leg or two leg priority. Is there anyway to work more on my two legged explosion rather than one leg?
Hey Trevor, it’s very detailed indeed. The jump manual itself is meant to increase your one legged and two legged jumps equally, but if you want to focus more on your two legged jumps just shift the intensity more towards those exercises that target both feet. Say you’re doing 4 sets of squats or rim jumps, instead of splitting it 50/50 (2 with 2 and 2 with 1) just do 3 sets with 2 legs and 1 set with 1 leg, or maybe say in the 50/50 split and just go harder on the two legged sets and easier with the one legged sets, that can work too. I wouldn’t alter it too much though as you might steer too far away from the original program and end up with imbalanced jump outputs.
Will this program fit for me if I do lots of cardio? I run about 3 miles 3 times a week. Are you training every day with it? I noticed you say it also has alternatives to gym but are these alternatives any good and have the same effect?
Hey Darryl,
1) I think it might work only if you run once or twice a week, but 3 times is already stretching it, and instead of getting ready for the next workout you’ll be pounding on those legs and interrupt your recovery. You might get by if it’s a really easy jog, but otherwise, I would suggest dropping the cardio entirely, or if you must, only do it once (you could go for a walk though, walking is great for recovering).
2) Yes, there are gym alternatives and I was very impressed with how sophisticated they are to be honest, although they’re not the most comfortable solutions because they’re basically improvisation. If you’re spoiled like me then you’ll probably prefer a gym. That’s not to say these alternatives don’t work, they do, but I just prefer pumping the iron in the weight room than improvising stuff in my garage.
Hey there, nice hops. that moment on 4:03 on the video where you’re almost touching your head to the rim is just sick man! but I noticed in your dunks you jumped a little lower, any reason for the difference?
also I’d like to know if I should lose weight before starting the program, I’m 6’3″ too but I’m not the skinniest guy and weigh 215lb, is this good?
You’ve got sharp observation man. It’s true, without the ball I was jumping a bit higher, this is because jumping with a ball restricts the body to a certain degree, namely the arms swing, and you can’t utilize the hand motion to full extent when holding it.
…and it’s definitely recommended to lose weight for any sort of vert training you’re about to do, but you’re not obese – so it’s quite safe for you to begin training and try to slim down simultaneously.
It this any good for someone who’s already got a high vertical? I’m 6’2″ and I’m already dunking when coming off the run with good momentum but I don’t get any open lanes in games. I want to be able to do a two step dunk from within the paint and dunk on the defense, can it be achieved with this system?
If you’re asking me if jump training is necessary for tall players then the answer is obvious, everyone from short players to tall players should be training their vertical leap without exceptions! Obviously short players would need to work more on their vertical than tall players to compensate for their low height, but that doesn’t mean the 7 footers are dismissed doing it.
The program itself targets all situations of jumping, whether it’s off the run, 2 step or no step at all.
Hi Matt.
I’m 15, my height is currently 5’9″ and I expect to get taller this year… but I’m already able to touch the rim with my finger tips. do think I’ll be able to dunk by the end of summer if I took this program?
Most of the chances you will because off-season is actually the best time in the year time to do this program and most people I talk to end up getting 7-10 inches from it after they finish the 12 weeks. 8 inches is definitely going to cut it in your case.
Hey Matthew, I’ve had some serious problems with my knees in the past. I suffer from patellar tendonitis, and whenever I venture on a new program I usually get stuck somewhere down the road due to pain starting to kick in.
In this regard, I understand that the jump manual is the most “injury friendly” out there, but in terms of what’s possible, do you think it’s possible for a guy like me to reach anywhere near a 40 inch vertical?
I want to try the manual, but I know that in order to dunk I’ll need to get close to that 40″ due to my height (I’m 5’10”), do you see me doing this with my problem?
That’s a good question Sebastian and I’m really glad you bring that up because I had a friend who actually suffered from jumper’s knee and it went really bad for him (especially after doing air alert), he could barely run and couldn’t jump for at least 3 months afterwards.
After that I simply convinced him to try again using the jump manual and over the course of 4 months, slowly but steadily, he trained his way up to a 34 inch vertical (9 inches overall increase), and there was hardly any pain for him during the process because the program makes sure there’s always a balance between the amount of stress you put on your legs and your lower body strength. That’s why I always say that with the right plan and the right training it can be done.
Now obviously 40″ is a bit higher goal, but the same training rules and principles apply, if you’ll give your body enough time to recover it will adapt and change in the direction your pushing to, so it may take longer than what the program says, but eventually you will get those gains.
I know a lot of people who reached 40 inches with this program, and some of them actually suffered from one condition or another before starting up, so don’t let that stop you from trying.
What’s up Matt, nice vertical you got there, have you made any progress since then?
I just got the jump manual and I’m on week 2, so far it’s not as hard as I expected it to be. I’m pretty pre-conditioned already and I’m in good shape. Right now I can get my fingers above the rim when I feel explosive, but some days I jump 1-2 inches less than the usual, do you know why this is happening?
Not much has changed really, I’m mainly doing maintenance now ’cause I’m actually pretty satisfied with my vertical at this point.
No matter what training program you’ll do your progress is never going to be linear, some days you’re gonna be ‘super hot’ and some days are just gonna be ‘tepid’, it’s just the way the body works and it’s completely normal, not every workout is meant for breaking personal records. You need to look at your overall progress in order to evaluate how things are going, if the trend is going up then you know you’re heading in the right direction.
I train 4-5 times a week doing light weight training and playing basketball. Can I fit the jump manual program into my schedule? I’m currently off season now and I can lower my basketball/gym days to 2-3 days a week. I also do cardio like 3-4 miles once a week. I want to be able to increase my jump 10 inches by the end of September, do you think I can do that with the jump manual?
Anyone in here interested in swapping the jump manual with air alert? I got air alert (version 3) and I’m willing to give my copy to someone who can give me access to the jump manual.
lol, why would anyone want to do that?
Only a fool or someone who were blinded by the 4th of july fireworks 😉
What’s the minimum height one should be to do the jump manual? Does someone who is 170 cm can use it?
And one last question, I heard we need to do 100 meter sprints with it, what if I don’t have anywhere to sprint where I live, can I still make use of the manual?
There’s no minimum height requirement for this program, you could be even 5’0 and do it.
If you’re asking what’s the minimum height required for dunking then I guess the cut-off point would be 5’5, I haven’t heard of anyone under that height dunking on a regulation height rim.
Anyway being taller is only going to put you at a better position to dunk, but by no means it says that short players can’t dunk, just look at Spud Webb (5’7) or Brandon Todd (5’5) for proof and inspiration.
You could but it’s gonna be far less effective that way, the sprints are one of the most important elements in developing speed and explosive strength, without them you’ll make far less progress. For this reason I really recommend that you’ll find some place where you can do them safely. If you live in a city then there should be plenty of places where you can do it.
I’m in the 6th weeks of doing the jump manual and I just dunked on a 10 feet rim!!! this is amazing. I’m 17 and my height is 190 cm. I think overall I added 5 inches to my jump so far.
Before this, I was only able to grab the rim with one hand, but now I can dunk when I have momentum and I jump from a run. I will keep doing this jump manual and hope to get a dunk with 2 hands soon. Thank you for helping me choose this program.
That is awesome man, you’re welcome.
Hey Matthew, I’ve done the program for 4 weeks now and I’ve gained 6 inches so far. I’m doing the workouts properly and daily. I’m 17 5’8 and 125lbs. I started at 23 inches and now I’m at 29 inches. I’m trying to get in shape for basketball, but I’m not sure I’ll get to 40 inches by the end of the year. I just want to standout in one sport. Do you know what else I can do at this point?
Hey nice post man. I’m considering doing the jumpmanual or vertshock I haven’t decided yet which one would u recommend? I’m 5’10” and 2-3 inches from touching rim I’m pretty athletic do you think I will be able to dunk by the end of the program?
I am 5’11 and 175lbs (fat not muscle). I am thinking of buying this program, but i just want to know whether it would work for someone with my weight. I am 2 inches away from touching the rim. will this program work for someone who is overweight like me?
The #1 killer of your vertical jump is too much fat. Ever seen a fat guy dunking? No. Because fat is just dead weight, it slows you down and robs you of energy.
You can still the do program and increase your vertical, but it’s probably going to take longer than 3 months to get you there because, obviously, you have a major setback.
My advice to you is that you start with the program and lose the weight as you go. Even though the jump manual is not a weight-loss program per se, quite often when people start working with it, they lose weight, it’s a byproduct of the training and everything ’cause they have to watch their diet and their whole metabolism changes.
So it’s going to take longer, but you’re still killing two birds with one stone here (kinda).
Worst case scenario is that you finish the program and you still have a few extra pounds left to shed, so you do a dedicated weight-loss program for a short period and that closes the deal.