Vertical Jump Test: Definition, Equipment, Setup, Measurement

The Vertical Jump Test measures lower-body explosive power by recording jump height, so it is a cornerstone for gauging an athlete's explosive lower-body power. Also known as the Sargent Jump Test, it was developed by Dr Dudley Allen Sargent. Equipment includes a wall, jump mat, force plate, or contact mat, as well as the Vertec device, which is simple-to-use and portable. Setup requires a firm, level floor and a warm-up with dynamic movements. The measurement is the difference between standing reach height and jump height, and the best of three attempts is recorded.

What is a vertical jump performance test?

A vertical jump performance test, which is the Vertical Jump Test, measures lower-body explosive power by recording jump height. The Vertical Jump Test is useful for assessing jump performance, monitoring training response and tracking readiness, but a key limitation of the Vertical Jump Test is that arm swing and measurement method strongly affect results.

The vertical jump performance test measures lower-body explosive power by recording jump height. Also known as the Sargent Jump Test, it is a very common test for measuring explosive leg power. It evaluates things like jump height, velocity, and power, and the performance goal is straightforward: to jump as high as possible. Absolute jump height measures vertical distance in inches or centimeters, offering direct insight into neuromuscular performance and explosivity.

What is a vertical jump height tester?

The Vertec is a vertical jump measurement device. The difference between their standing reach and the displaced vane gives accurate vertical jump measurement. It's a standard testing tool at strength and conditioning programs, and it's a standard testing tool at high school athletics nationwide, and it's a standard testing tool at college recruiting events, and it's a standard testing tool at NFL combines.

A vertical jump height tester is a device that measures an athlete's vertical jump height. It can be a mechanical device like The Vertec or The Top Hopper, or an electronic instrument such as force plates and jump mats. Mechanical vertical jump testers have vanes that the athlete displaces, and they directly get maximum vertical displacement of fingertips. Electronic vertical jump testers use time in the air or force and speed to compute jump height.

The Vertical Jump Test measures lower-body explosive power by recording jump height. Its purpose is to assess lower-body explosive power. The test provides data on lower body strength, neuromuscular function, asymmetry, and power. If you want to accurately measure vertical jump heights, then you must use a mechanical tester, because nothing is more accurate than a mechanical tester.

A mechanical vertical jump tester determines jump height as the distance between how high you can reach while standing and the highest lifted vane. Electronic vertical jump testers use physics formulas. For example, the time in the air way uses height equals gravity times time squared divided by eight. Another way uses jump height equals velocity squared divided by two times gravity. However, a mechanical tester measures actual displacement, not because of a calculation.

The TH500 Floor Stand Vertical Jump Measuring System is the standard for combines. It is the most accurate, repeatable, and reproducible measuring system on the market. The Top Hopper system is basically a vertical tape measurer. In 2024, the NBA Combine and the CFL Combine switched to The Top Hopper Vertical Jump System. Vertical jump testers lack documented repeatability and reproducibility, which is why the TH500 is the standard.

What are different methods to measure vertical jump?

The different methods to measure vertical jump are given in the table below.

measure	method	measurement
tape	wall	reach
chalk	wall	reach
slap sticks	vertek	vane
accelerometer	wearable	movement
force plate	floor	force
contact mat	floor	flight time
infrared	floor	flight time
optical	floor	flight time
laser	floor	flight time
camera	smartphone	flight time
linear encoder	wearable	displacement
accelerometer	wearable	jump height
force plate	floor	jump height
contact mat	floor	jump height

There are many ways to test and measure a vertical jump, from a simple piece of chalk to advanced diagnostic tools. The right method for you depends on your needs and budget.

One of the most cost-effective ways is the Sargent Jump Test, a method from Dr. Dudley Sargent's 1921 test. The athlete chalks the end of their fingertips, then stands side onto the wall, keeping both feet remaining on the ground. The athlete reaches up as high as possible with one hand and marks the wall with the tips of the fingers. From a static position, the athlete jumps as high as possible and marks the wall with the chalk on his fingers. The distance between those two chalk marks is the vertical jump height. For the standing jump, a box can keep the squat depth consistent, but this method only measures a standing vertical. You also use a piece of rolled-up tape on your longest finger or a high object like a basketball hoop if a suitable wall isn't available.

Possibly the most common method is a mechanical vane tester, like the iconic Vertec. This device is a vertical jump measurement apparatus with movable vanes set at half-inch increments. For the test, an athlete stands flat-footed and reaches up to set the lowest vane as their standing reach. The athlete then jumps and swats at the highest vane they are able to reach, which gives a clear and repeatable measurement. The Vertec is straightforward and the NFL still uses the commercially available one. The Top Hopper system is a more recent mechanical device re-engineered for maximum precision.

Jump mats work on a very clever principle as a highly sensitive stopwatch for your feet. A contact mat is a device that detects if a load is on or off its surface and uses a measure of flight time to estimate jump height. Think of brands like Just Jump, Probotics, or Ergojump. Similar to contact mats systems, optical and laser systems and infrared technologies systems bring a higher degree of accuracy. They use flight time and contact time with emitter-receiver pairs to calculate the jump. A light gate system uses bars with LED sensors and photodetectors placed parallel on the floor to make a beam grid. The system sees a connection when the athlete jumps, starts a timer, and calculates height with the formula: height equals one-eighth multiplied by gravity multiplied by time in the air squared.

Wearable sensors are like strapping a personal data tracker to an athlete. Modern wearable devices like accelerometers and GymAware measure movement directly. The Output sensor replaces multiple pieces of jump testing equipment with a single wearable sensor. GymAware measures jump height directly, like a tape measure, and captures metrics like jump velocity, dip distance, and mechanical work. Finally, we have force plates, which are the gold standard. If a Vertec is a manual transmission, a force plate is a full-blown diagnostic MRI for your jump. A single force plate can calculate an array of measurements that are both direct and accurate, reading vertical push-off force 500 times per second to tell you not just how high you jumped, but how you jumped. As convenient as these electronic versions are, smartphone apps on tablets and smartphones also enable coaches to access a practical field test. Validated apps and high-speed cameras get jump height guesses with variation of 0.5 to 2.7 cm (0.20 to 1.06 in) relative to force floor readings.

What is the best vertical jump equipment?

Optical and laser systems bring a higher degree of accuracy to the table. Picture a set of laser tripwires positioned just above the ground. This system uses light beams to precisely measure flight time as they are broken by the athlete. Timing devices with lasers don't need touch. That contactless measurement gives precise jump height.

OptoJump is light sensors and has trusted validation for jump tests. Gadgets that use sensors use time in the air for jump height guessing. Sensors that you wear use force from the ground for jump height math. Sensors don't need touch. Devices with sensors give self-logging and output, and keep information over time.

How to set up a vertical jump tester?

To set up a vertical jump tester follow the steps given below.

• Ensure the vertical jump tester is on a flat surface and calibrated correctly.
• Align the pedestal perpendicular to the floor.
• Loosen the height-adjust lock screw, raise the pedestal until the desired bottom vane height is indicated.
• Re-tighten the lock-screw by hand.
• Place the red T-screw in the threaded bracket and tighten securely.
• Install the second red T-screw in the threaded bracket at the top of the red pedestal tube but do not tighten at this time.
• Remove the completed Head Frame from its carton.
• Insert it facing forward as far as it will go into the silver tube.
• Secure using the provided T-screw.
• Use the align toggles to make sure your device is shooting straight up at the vanes.

To set up a vertical jump tester, first ensure the base is on a flat surface. The floor must be firm and level, and a surface like hardwood or smooth cement is okay. The upright pedestal needs to be vertical to the floor. A spirit level or bubble meter shows this vertical perpendicularity. The lower pedestal tube has a SPORTS IMPORTS label, and this label faces forward, away from the base. The vanes are high-impact and rigid. Check the vanes, they must have no bends or lost parts.

The tester is adjustable, that's why you can change the height. To set the starting height, you use the athlete's standing reach. The athlete is flatfooted and directly underneath the vanes. The athlete gets up with a strong hand, but the feet stay on the floor and the athlete doesn't stand onto toes. The bottom vane fits how far the athlete can reach up with their fingers. This top of the fingers sets the standing reach baseline. To adjust the pole, loosen the height-adjust lock screw. Raise the pedestal so the desired bottom vane height aligns with this standing reach baseline. The pedestal is a little stiff at first. If necessary, rest your foot on a base leg when raising the pedestal. Once the height is correct, re-tighten the lock-screw by hand.

After height adjustment, you must ensure the readings will be accurate. The pedestal has three lock screws: the base-pedestal, the height-adjust, and the pedestal-head screw. Tighten these securely. The pedestal tubes must be correctly oriented to each other, with the lock-screw at the top of the upper tube pointed backward. The head frame is inserted into the top of the upper pedestal tube and secured. The unit is properly aligned when the base holds the pedestal perpendicular to the floor. The level is checked after moving the gear. The distance between vanes is about half an inch.

How do I measure my vertical jump?

Put some chalk or a small piece of rolled up tape on the tip of your longest finger. Mark Your Standing Reach: Stand next to the wall and reach up with the hand closest to it, making a mark at the highest point you can touch while keeping your feet flat on the ground. This mark is your standing reach height. Then prepare to jump: move slightly away from the wall to allow space for your jump. Perform the Jump: jump as high as you can, touching the wall at the peak of your jump with your fingertips. Measure the difference: measure the distance between your standing reach mark and your jump mark. This difference is your vertical jump height. vertical jump height is jump reach height minus standing reach height. Make sure you land correctly and on both feet so you don't get hurt. Repeat the jump as many times as required to get the best jump.

A pressure mat is best way for vertical jump measurement. If measuring vertical jump accurately is important to you or your training program, then only a Top Hopper system should be used. For video analysis, most smartphones today can record video at high frame rates, like 240 frames per second. Load a video of your jump, forward to the take-off and mark it by clicking "Take-off". Forward to the landing and mark it by pushing the button "Landing". Press calculate! Count the frames: go through the video and count the total number of frames you were completely in the air. Calculate flight time: divide your airborne frame count by the camera's frame rate. Calculate jump height: with your flight time (t), you just plug it into a simple physics equation: Jump Height = (9.81 t ) / 8. You can check if you selected the take-off and landing correctly by clicking the peak of the jump in the displayed chart. The analysis overestimates your vertical jump if you land with bent knees or if you are hanging on the rim. The analysis underestimates your vertical jump if you take off and land on your toes.

A standing jump, like the classic Countermovement Jump (CMJ), really zeroes in on the explosive power an athlete can generate from their lower body, starting from a static position. To isolate the lower body's contribution, tests are often done with hands on the hips (akimbo). It assesses vertical jump height for various populations including children (ages 10-17), adults (ages 18-29), and world class athletes. So when your aim is to increase lower-body explosiveness, measuring vertical jump is an interesting way to see if your training program has the desired effect. You can also use a Vertical Jump Measurement Tool For Kids. You will find fitness assessment calculators and other useful tools.