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Vertical Jump Height Norms

The Vertical Jump test is a very common test for measuring explosive leg power. There are many variations and technique for conducting this test, for a summary see direct and indirect vertical jump measurement methods.

Average Vertical Jump Standards

The average vertical jump varies significantly by gender and training background. What is a good vertical jump depends on your athletic goals, but generally, the average vertical jump for a man ranges from 16-20 inches (41-50 cm), while women typically average 12-16 inches (31-40 cm). Understanding these benchmarks helps athletes assess their explosive power and set realistic training targets.

The expected results may be affected by these test variations - these norms should be used as just a guide, and are based on the vertical jump off two legs, no run-up, no pause, and with full arm movements. See also a selection of vertical jump athlete test results, and also details about converting jump height to power or work scores.

Vertical Jump Norm Table

The table below categorizes the vertical jump height in centimeters and inches for adult men and women. This ranking scale is based on my observations, and will give a general idea of what is a good score.

Elite Athletic Standards

Professional athletes demonstrate exceptional vertical leap performance across different sports. These standing vertical jump benchmarks showcase the explosive power required for elite competition and provide targets for serious athletes.

Factors Affecting Jump Performance

Your vertical jump height depends on several key factors: body weight, leg strength, plyometric training background, and proper takeoff technique. Athletes can improve their explosive power through targeted squat training, calf raises, and jump-specific plyometrics. Age also plays a role, with peak performance typically occurring between 20-25 years.

Improving Your Vertical Jump

Whats a good vertical jump improvement target? Most athletes can increase their average jump height by 2-6 inches through targeted training. Essential exercises include depth jumps (3-5 sets of 5 reps), box jumps (progressive height), and weighted squats (85-95% 1RM). Training frequency should be 2-3 sessions per week with 48-72 hours recovery between sessions.

The average vertical jump male can be significantly improved through plyometric periodization: Phase 1 (4 weeks) - basic jumps and landing mechanics, Phase 2 (4 weeks) - reactive jumps and bounding, Phase 3 (4 weeks) - sport-specific power development. A quality vertical jump tester or consistent measurement method is essential for tracking progress accurately.

Interpreting Your Vertical Jump Results

These vertical jump test normative data provide a practical framework for assessment. To measure vertical jump accurately, ensure consistent technique and multiple trials. Remember that jump height can be improved through targeted plyometric training, making this test valuable for tracking athletic development over time.

Any comments, suggestions, or corrections? Please let us know.

Old Comments

Commenting is closed on this page, though you can read some previous comments below which may answer some of your questions.

• Where did these numbers come from? Who were you observing? Erin (2013)
• do u know how to measure verticle jump? its the difference of your outstretched arm height to your jumping outstretched height (i just learnt that now cuz i knew i was doing it wrong XD) Aleksandra Erin (2020)
• my vertical is 28 inches and i measured my reach on tippy toes and my reach jumping i subtracted and got 28 inches.... is it normal if i'm 12 and have this? Clorox Bleach (2017)
  • maybe he means cm. Eek Oliver Perryman (2020)
  • if he mean it as in inch he is hinata from haikyuu XD. Amirul Hakimin eek (2020)
  • Don't measure your reach on your tippy toes, that is reducing you jump height measurement. Your actual score will be better. Rob Admin Clorox Bleach (2017)
• Herman bautz (2020)
  I'm 15 y/o and I can do 70 +/-, but think i can do even better if my day is perfect and i don't have my medicine intact. I feel pretty good about that.
• Herman bautz (2020)
  I'm 15 y/o and jump 70 cm +/-, but I think i can do even better then that if my day is at best and i don't take my medicine(I have ADHD). I feel pretty good about my jump height.
• Arkive (2020)
  I checked mine and I got average, 35.5cm (female)
• ChromeExtend (2020)
  13 years old, height - 166cm, standing reach - 201cm, weight 62kg (oops), vertical jump - 57cm. Is this normal
• Hen (2020)
  I have 51 centimeters, but i can only do it sometimes, most of the time I jump 47 or 45
• Jack (2020)
  Bruh im 11 and my fingertip reach hight ecceds 2 meters. Is this normal?
• Robbie (2020)
  I'm 5ft 6inches I'm 17 years old my vertical jump is 41inches
• Amirul Hakimin Robbie (2020)
  i'm 5ft 5inches 18 years old vertical is 22 inches btw robbie are you serious you have 41 inch jump or is it in cm cause if it in inch that would be so awesome
• JMIC (2017)
  i'm almost 12 5 foot 1.5 and have a 20 inch vert will i be able to dunk when im older
• Cameron Loh (2017)
  Are these accurate I can do 70 and I'm 14 without the hand reach 😮
• Meme (2016)
  I'm 173cm 51kg bw 26years old. I thought that my jump would average at best. Not doing any sport or strength training. just measure my vertical at 72cm.
• Tom (2015)
  This sounds right for the average adult population. This wouldn't be representative of any fitness or sporting groups
• Ble (2014)
  l followed this link from athletes fitness testing. l believe its okay as for athletes fitnes. Norms are just average approxmates, they cant be very accurate all the time because people have diffrent genes.
• Jack (2014)
  14, have been playing volley for ages, i today got a 81 cm or 32 inch jump!! so i don't think the table is accurate
• Osiris The Breaker Of Wills jack (2016)
  look here you play volleyball you have a distinct advantage over the general population and depending on your position you would generaly get above average so it is not that unexpeced.
• Jason jack (2016)
  you must be able to dunk easy
• Arliah jack (2016)
  I've played volleyball for 6 years and only got 37cm. I'm a libreo so maybe its just different for everyone
• Osiris The Breaker Of Wills Arliah (2016)
  yeah but i guess as a libero you dont jump much compared to the middle blockers or wing spikers so your results would be different
• Trey (2014)
  I'm 15 and have a 30 inch vertical, but I don't know if that chart is accurate for my age???
• Jason Trey (2016)
  You must be able to dunk really easy considering the average NBA vertical is 71cm
• RageNasian Jason (2016)
  Well considring he probably isnt 6'5 that still might be a challenge
• Meme Jason (2016)
  Lol I thought NBA player would be 100cm at average. What a surprise. Never thought that my 72cm vertical jump is that impressive. Maybe because i weight only 51kilos that its easier for me.
• Resurate meme (2016)
  I'm 14, 173cm and I jump 267cm is that good?
• Master frodo (2014)
  Ummmmmm as if you'd have a chart not showing the ages.
  • Rob Admin Master frodo (2014)
    The norm data is for adult males and females, like the 20-30 age group. Anyone younger or older would be expected to get lower scores.
• Marc (2014)
  I made a 68 cm jump on my school today, only had 2 tries and both jumps were poor. I beat the record of today and am quite happy when comparing to this adult chart. (For your information I just turned 16.) I left out the triple extension to some point, and the energy generated by my arms were lacking. My older brother still holds the vertical record on the school I'm currently at, can't wait to beat it. :D