What Is a Vertical Jump?
A vertical jump represents the maximum height an individual can reach from a stationary position or approach jump, subtracting their flat-footed standing reach. It is a critical measurement of lower-body explosive power, acceleration, and athletic performance. It is used extensively in combine settings for sports like basketball (NBA), volleyball, and American football (NFL) to assess a player's raw physical ceiling.
How the Vertical Jump is Calculated
The calculation is a simple reach-differential formula. You subtract your flat-footed reach from your jump touch reach. The math is represented as:
\[\text{Vertical Jump} = \text{Jump Touch Reach} - \text{Standing Reach}\]
For example, if your standing reach is 7 feet 6 inches (90 inches) and you can touch 9 feet 6 inches (114 inches) at the peak of your jump, your vertical leap is exactly 24 inches (61 cm).
How to Measure Your Vertical Jump
To get accurate measurements for our calculator, you can use one of several verified methods:
1. The Wall and Chalk Method
This is the most common and budget-friendly testing method:
- Stand flat-footed next to a smooth wall. Dip your fingers in chalk.
- Reach straight up with the arm closest to the wall and touch the wall. The chalk mark represents your Standing Reach.
- Apply more chalk to your fingertips. Crouch, explode upward, and touch the wall at the absolute peak of your jump.
- Measure the vertical distance between the two chalk marks. This gives you your Vertical Jump Height.
2. The Vertec Device
A Vertec is a commercial apparatus consisting of plastic vanes mounted on a vertical pole. The athlete stands underneath and reaches up to displace the vanes. They then jump and swipe the vanes at their peak. It is considered the gold standard for reach-differential measurements due to its precision and ease of resetting.
Vertical Jump Athlete Tiers
How does your vertical leap compare to other athletes? Our classification system splits jump heights into general performance tiers:
| Vertical Jump (Inches) | Vertical Jump (cm) | Athletic Tier | Typical Performance Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 16″ | Under 40 cm | Below Average | Sedentary or casual recreational standard. |
| 16″ – 20″ | 40 – 51 cm | Average | Standard fit adult or recreational basketball player. |
| 20″ – 24″ | 51 – 61 cm | Good | Competitive high school level. |
| 24″ – 28″ | 61 – 71 cm | Very Good | Varsity sports competitors and amateur club players. |
| 28″ – 34″ | 71 – 86 cm | Excellent | Average NBA combine standard (~28 inches) and college hoopers. |
| 34″ – 40″ | 86 – 102 cm | Elite | Division 1 NCAA athletes and professional basketball players. |
| 40″+ | 102+ cm | World-Class | All-time great slam dunk champions and Olympic high-jumpers. |
Standing Jump vs. Running Jump
When measuring your vertical leap, you will notice a substantial difference between a standing vertical and a running vertical (also called a max vertical):
A **standing vertical** is performed from a static stance. It tests raw triple-extension speed (hips, knees, ankles) and concentric force development without momentum.
A **running vertical** allows you to take steps or run. It lets you transfer horizontal kinetic energy into vertical acceleration, utilizing the stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) in your muscles. Most trained basketball players gain an extra 3 to 6 inches (8 to 15 cm) on their vertical leap with a running start.
Frequently Asked Questions
Your vertical jump is independent of your height, but taller players generally have a higher standing reach, which means they do not need as high a vertical jump to perform tasks like dunking. In terms of raw jumping ability, 16 to 20 inches is average for an adult male, while anything above 24 inches is considered good, and 30 inches or more is elite.
Yes, a running start allows you to build horizontal momentum, which you convert into vertical lift during your penultimate step and block phase. It also triggers a stronger stretch-shortening cycle in your tendons, allowing you to jump 3 to 6 inches higher than a static standing jump.