Watterson Vertical Jump Protocol

Steve Watterson is the Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League. Years ago, Steve selected twelve professional football players to complete a vertical jump study using the Shuttle MVP. He chose 12 additional team players to serve as a control group. They would use regular strength training methods.

At the beginning of the study, each athlete recorded five measured jumps and calculated their starting vertical by averaging their best four. This same measurement process was used at the end of the study.

The players using the MVP protocol completed a total of 15 workouts – 3 workouts a week – lasting just 34 days. At the end of that 34-day period, the athletes who used the regular strength training methods had an average increase in their vertical jump of 1.08 inches. The MVP players averaged a 3.5 inch increase in their vertical jump. Four of the MVP players had improved their vertical over five inches – and these were professional athletes!

The following is the vertical jump protocol they used on the MVP…

Warm-up (before each day’s protocol)

Description: Run in place on the MVP at a moderate pace.

Movement: Feet light and quick on the kickplate, knees high to chest, moderate running pace. Feet should be parallel and shoulder width apart. The motion of the legs and feet should be smooth and controlled.

Rep: Two Bands for 20 seconds

Rest: 40 seconds

Sets: Five times (one set of Duration and Rest totals one minute – five times equals five minutes of Protocol Warm-up)

Stretch (before each day’s protocol)

Description: Eight minutes of different stretching protocols on the MVP using three bands:

• Deep Calf Stretch
• Piriformis Stretch
• Soleus Stretch
• Hamstring Stretch
• Miscellaneous

Vertical Jump: Monday

1. Five minute Warm-up

2. Eight minute Stretch

Protocol:

Bilateral jumping - thirty seconds – one band resistance

Rest one minute

Bilateral jumping - thirty seconds – two bands resistance

Rest one minute

Bilateral jumping - thirty seconds – three bands resistance

Rest one minute

Bilateral jumping - thirty seconds – four bands resistance

Rest one minute

Bilateral jumping - sixty seconds – two bands resistance

Rest one minute

Vertical Jump: Wednesday

1. Five minute Warm-up

2. Eight minute Stretch

Protocol:

Unilateral jumping – first leg - thirty seconds – one band resistance

Unilateral jumping – second leg – thirty seconds – one band resistance

Rest one minute

Unilateral jumping – first leg - thirty seconds – one band resistance

Unilateral jumping – second leg – thirty seconds – one band resistance

Rest one minute

Unilateral jumping – first leg - thirty seconds – two bands resistance

Unilateral jumping – second leg – thirty seconds – two bands resistance

Rest one minute

Unilateral jumping – first leg - thirty seconds – two bands resistance

Unilateral jumping – second leg – thirty seconds – two bands resistance

Rest one minute

Vertical Jump: FRIDAY

1. Five minute Warm-up

2. Eight minute Stretch

Protocol:

Bilateral jumping – ten single jumps – four bands resistance

Rest thirty seconds

Bilateral jumping – ten single jumps – three bands resistance

Rest thirty seconds

Bilateral jumping – ten single jumps – three bands resistance

Rest thirty seconds

Bilateral jumping – ten single jumps – two bands resistance

Rest thirty seconds

Bilateral jumping – ten single jumps – two bands resistance

Rest thirty seconds

Bilateral jumping – ten single jumps – one band resistance

Rest thirty seconds

Bilateral jumping – twenty single jumps – one band resistance

Rest thirty seconds

MVP Vertical Jump Study

PLAYER: PRETEST, POST TEST, and Vertical Jump Increase

Bold* indicates those athletes that used the MVP workout