Hang Time - Can It Be Improved?

Coming down the court, a player jumps and the laws of physics take over. These laws state that every action has an equal and opposed reaction. What this means in layman's terms is that the player pushes against the floor and the floor exerts a force back. This action/reaction makes the player to leave the floor. The more force the player uses when pushing against the floor, the more force the floor exerts back - resulting in the player going higher into the air.

If a player is running through the jumping process, his/her center of mass follows a parabolic path, which in essence looks similar to a rounded off mountain top. A persons "center of mass" is located near their midsection. This means that, if the person were to stay in exactly the same position for the duration of the complete jumping act, his/her midsection (and consequently, whole body) would follow this path. However as a player jumps while running, the center of mass is lifted - and manipulated.

By raising his knees, he's raising his center of mass relative to his head. He does that on his way up. On the way down, of course, he lowers his legs back down and that, in turn causes the center of mass to come back down. This in effect raises his head in relation to the center of mass. The head does not follow the parabolic path. The head stays at one height.

So what you get is for a part of the period in the air, the head stays at the same height, but ,during the whole time the center of mass goes up and down.

In essence, the player's head is the key to why we believe in hang time.

When we look at each other, we don't customarily look at the person's "center of mass". We usually concentrate on a person's head (or at least the upper part of the entire body) . What happens at that moment is a bit of an "illusion", but it really is happening. The head stays in the same place for an unnaturally extended time because the person changes his center of mass.

Well, if "hang time" is not real, how is it that one person can stay in the air longer than another person? The only option left is that he can JUMP HIGHER! If you can't improve your hang time then, you have to learn to jump higher!

Some Main Exercises To Help You Jump Higher
There are many exercises available to help you improve your vertical jump. Which ones should you start with? Here are some suggestions that will provide you a good foundation.

Do Less To Jump Higher
The vertical leap is an explosive act caused by the sudden contraction of fast twitch muscle fibers. Because of this, vertical leap training ought to be "anaerobic." All too often athletes train in a way that that is mostly "aerobic".

The Top 5 Things To Look For In A Vertical Jump Program
If you are looking for a way to improve your basketball skills and wish to jump higher, vertical jump programs can give you the boost you need. Which jump programs actually deliver on what they promise though? There are quite a few different products available, and several of them make claims that sound outstanding.

The Factors You Ought To Know Before You Make A Decision To Purchase Your Own Inflatable Hot Tub
First, you need to know that the purchase of an inflatable hot tub will be worth more to you than you'll ever know and if used properly will allow for health benefits to your family than you might imagine.

Tricks For Just How You Can Become The Girl Who Will Be The Bikini Contest Winner
Winning a bikini contest whether by audience response or by voting by judges is always a pleasure and a lot of hard work. Regardless of the choices you make, to be the bikini contest winner, you have to have inner confidence and the winning attitude.

The Reasons You Have To Pick Your Mens Hiking Shoes Carefully
Hiking shoes will give you the confidence that you need as you hike and will greatly lessen the possibility of an accident.

Secrets For Discovering, Selecting, Getting Into, And Winning Hot Bikini Contests
Bikini contests can be exciting, and they give you a chance to strut your stuff in front of a lot of people. To help you have a much better chance of winning the prize, here are some tips to keep in mind.

More Articles

Blogroll

Home | Sitemap | Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Service

Copyright © 2006 - All Rights Reserved.