Jumpin'

Got a CD of pictures in the mail from Manda today. Had a lot of shots of us trying to synchronize our jumps, which is mighty difficult with four people (Greg and Breanne also participated). I put up an album on facebook of some of my solo jumps.

I like to jump. I like the sensation of being off the ground. I've actually been reading up on how to improve your vertical leap. Believe it or not there is very little literature on the subject. When I was in high school I considered purchasing those special shoes that guaranteed to increase your vertical leap by 50% but they were too expensive. I'm cheap- I'm surprised I didn't try to make my own version of the shoes to save money.

This was the best website I could find on jumping so far, and it wasn't terribly impressive. It did have some recommendations for exercises to improve your jumping ability. It stated that most of your jump power comes from your quadriceps and your lower back. That makes sense.

I'm hoping that by the next Maine Olympics (2010?) Vertical Leap can be a recognized event.

If you type in "vertical leap" or "vertical jump" on youtube.com, the majority of the results are just junior high kids dunking on 6 ft hoops in their backyard. There are a few good ones though. Even without the jump, I love the background comotion in this video.

On a side not, I imagine jumping over a stick attached to some type of pool ladder is a great way for a father and son to bond.