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MOBILITY & FLEXIBILITYbeginner

Ankle Dorsiflexion Stretch

A key limiter of takeoff depth — every 1cm of ankle dorsiflexion means a deeper takeoff angle, longer force application and higher jumps. Face a wall, drive the knee forward to touch it while keeping the heel down. Target: toes >13cm from the wall.

Gastrocnemius, soleus, Achilles3-5 × 30s holds per side
Ankle Dorsiflexion Stretch 4-step technique breakdown: setup, execution, peak extension, and recovery for vertical jump training

Coaching cues

  • 1.Heel stays down the whole time
  • 2.Knee tracks toward the second toe — no valgus
  • 3.Do daily, 30s holds
  • 4.Target 13cm+ toe distance

Detailed training method

[Steps]1. Face a wall→2. Toes at a distance from it→3. Drive the knee forward to touch→4. Heel stays down the whole time→5. Hold 30s→6. Move the foot back to increase difficulty [Common Errors]✗ Heel lifts→most important! Keep it down ✗ Knee caves in→track the second toe ✗ Not daily→consistency required [Progressions]10cm→13cm→15cm→banded distraction + active dorsiflexion [Jump-Specific]Every 1cm of dorsiflexion means deeper takeoff and longer force application — directly affects jump height

Related exercises

Hip Flexor Stretch

Unlock hip-extension potential — limited hip extension is associated with reduced takeoff drive, and hip-flexor stretching can help restore it

Thoracic Spine Rotation

Unlock arm-swing potential — thoracic rotation directly affects swing amplitude and jump efficiency (the thoracic spine should contribute ~35-40° of rotation)

Couch Stretch

Targets a key jumping muscle — the couch stretch focuses on the rectus femoris (the biarticular muscle that flexes the hip and extends the knee in jumping); tightness significantly lowers drive efficiency

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