The field is open right now for women to take advantage of new opportunities, including reaching their potential when it comes to jumping higher in a sport such as basketball. Vertical jump programs are the best way available for women as well as men to increase their vertical jump in a safe, structured, and guided environment.

You may have wondered about those female bodybuilders you see on TV. Those women aren't obeying natural principles; they're likely using steroids, which have legal and psychological ramifications, and consequently aren't recommended in this article. However, while in the past big muscles were associated with being "masculine" now they are, even for women, valued for overall fitness and strength. Consequently, weight training is becoming more and more widely accepted for all athletes as a means to increase muscle strength.

Despite common misconceptions, a vertical jump training program based on correct principles will unquestionably work for women as well as men, because biologically women and men's muscles have equal ability to produce force. The main difference between men and women, however, is in the amount of muscle mass. Want official numbers? It comes out to be about 40% for the average man's body, and only 24% for the average woman's. Women, on the other hand, naturally have more body fat.

Consequently, men have a greater propensity for developing strength through a higher amount of muscle fibers. Nevertheless, women have the ability to train the way men do, proportional to the amount of weight they are able to handle. Ways to measure this are incorporated into most vertical jump programs.

While men have greater amounts of muscle mass, experts agree that women have a greater ability and propensity to achieve muscle gains than ever thought possible, and training programs don't need to be gender-based; they'll work for both sexes. While equal amounts of muscle mass aren't possible due to hormonal differences, gains can definitely be made by applying the same principles.

In the end, it doesn't come down to the differences simply between men and women. Rather, it comes down to individuality. Every athlete is different, and if possible, working with a professional who can guide you to achieve your vertical jump goals will be the best way to gain inches.