What the test measures
A vertical jump test measures explosive lower-body power, the ability to generate force rapidly against the ground. Because jumping happens in a fraction of a second, it reflects not only how strong your legs are but how quickly they can apply that strength. This is why the jump is valued across many sports as a simple window into athleticism.
The most common version is the countermovement jump, where you dip down and immediately spring up. Research describes it as a validated, reliable way to assess lower-body power, useful for both performance testing and tracking recovery. Different Health includes force-plate power testing in its assessment, which captures this kind of jump as part of a broader picture of strength and power rather than as a standalone number.
Average vertical jump norms
Norms help you place a result in context, though they vary by age, sex, and training history. The ranges below come from published sports-testing norms and should be treated as a general guide rather than a strict standard.
| Group | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| General population (average) | ~16–20 in (41–50 cm) | ~12–16 in (31–40 cm) |
| Recreational athletes | ~20–24 in (50–60 cm) | ~16–20 in (40–50 cm) |
| Elite athletes | 28+ in (71+ cm) | 24+ in (61+ cm) |
General vertical jump reference ranges (standing two-leg jump, arm swing allowed). Source: sports-testing norms (Topend Sports and aggregated testing data). Use as a guide; results vary by age and training.
For reference, an analysis drawing on U.S. national survey data put the average standing vertical jump for men aged roughly 20 to 49 at about 17.7 inches (45 cm), which sits within the general-population range above. Jumping ability tends to peak in the late teens and twenties and decline gradually with age, though consistent strength and power training slows that decline considerably.
Beyond height: force and power
Jump height is the headline number, but on a force plate it is only the beginning. Force plates capture the ground reaction forces throughout the jump, which lets them derive velocity, power, impulse, and rate of force development. Two people can reach the same height using very different force-time strategies, so the shape of the jump carries information the height alone hides.
Athletes can reach similar jump heights using different force strategies, which is why full force-time analysis reveals more than jump height alone.
— Based on countermovement jump research, Journal of Strength and Conditioning literature
A few of these metrics are worth knowing. Peak power reflects the maximum power output during the jump. Rate of force development describes how fast you build force, which matters because the jump is over quickly. Reliability research on force-plate jumps found that jump height, peak force, and peak power are measured consistently, while rate of force development tends to be more variable between tests, so it is best read as a trend rather than a single precise value.
How to increase your vertical jump
Improving a jump comes down to producing more force, producing it faster, and managing the mass you are launching. In practice, that means three levers working together.
The first is strength, particularly lower-body strength from movements like squats, since you need a strong base before explosive work pays off. The second is plyometric training, such as box jumps and depth jumps, which trains the fast force production that a jump demands. The third is your power-to-weight ratio: because jump height depends on power relative to body mass, improving body composition can help as much as adding power. Different Health measures body composition in its lab with InBody, which gives the body-mass side of that ratio a real number instead of a guess.
A sample training week
The week below is a general illustration of how those levers fit together, not a personalized program. Anyone new to plyometrics or returning from injury should progress gradually and, where relevant, check with a clinician or coach first, since this is educational information rather than individual training advice.
| Day | Focus | Example work |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Lower-body strength | Squats, hip hinges, calf work |
| Tuesday | Plyometrics | Box jumps, low-height depth jumps |
| Thursday | Strength + power | Squats paired with jump variations |
| Saturday | Explosive practice | Broad jumps, submaximal sprint work |
Illustrative training week combining strength and plyometrics for jump power. General example, not a personalized prescription.
The specific exercises matter less than the combination: build strength, train it to express quickly, and keep sessions consistent while allowing recovery between hard efforts. Retesting every several weeks shows whether the plan is actually moving the number.
Measuring it properly
You can estimate a vertical jump with a wall and chalk, and that is fine for casual tracking. For a precise, repeatable read, force plates are the gold standard, because they measure the underlying forces rather than only the outcome, and they show whether a change came from more force, faster force, or better body composition.
This is where the picture comes together at Different Health. Its assessment pairs force-plate power testing with in-lab body composition, and a team of MDs and PhDs interprets the results and builds them into a personalized strength and training plan. Instead of a single jump height, you get to see what is driving it and what to train, then retest to track progress over time.
Key takeaways
- What it measures: the vertical jump test gauges lower-body explosive power, how much force your legs produce and how fast.
- Average ranges: roughly 16–20 inches for adult men and 12–16 inches for women, per sports-testing norms, varying with age and training.
- Height isn't everything: force plates add peak force, peak power, and rate of force development, revealing how the jump was produced.
- Three levers: lower-body strength, plyometric training, and a better power-to-weight ratio all raise a jump.
- Body composition counts: because power is relative to body mass, tracking composition matters alongside power output.
- Measure to improve: force-plate testing plus retesting shows whether strength, speed of force, or composition is limiting you.
Frequently asked questions
What does a vertical jump test measure?
A vertical jump test measures lower-body explosive power, meaning how much force your legs can produce quickly to drive you off the ground. On a force plate, the same jump also yields peak force, peak power, velocity at takeoff, and rate of force development, which describe how you produced the height, not just the height itself. It is one of the most widely used field measures of athletic power.
What is a good vertical jump?
According to sports-testing norms, the average vertical jump for adult men is roughly 16 to 20 inches (41 to 50 cm) and for women roughly 12 to 16 inches (31 to 40 cm), with trained athletes well above that and elite jumpers exceeding 28 to 30 inches. These are general reference ranges that vary by age, sex, and training background, so they are best used as a guide rather than a strict standard.
How can I increase my vertical jump?
The most effective approach combines building lower-body strength, especially squats, with plyometric work such as box jumps and depth jumps that train fast force production. Improving your power-to-weight ratio also helps, since power relative to body mass is what launches you upward. Because gains depend on your specific weak points, an assessment that shows whether strength, speed of force, or body composition is limiting you makes training more efficient.
What is rate of force development?
Rate of force development describes how quickly you can build force, not just how much force you can eventually produce. It matters for jumping because a jump happens in a fraction of a second, so producing force fast is as important as being strong. Force plates can estimate rate of force development from the force-time data of a jump, though it tends to be more variable between tests than jump height or peak force.
Why does power-to-weight ratio matter for jumping?
Jump height depends on the power your legs produce relative to your body mass, so the power-to-weight ratio is central. Gaining lower-body power tends to raise a jump, while carrying extra non-functional mass works against it. This is why tracking body composition alongside power output gives a fuller picture than either number alone, and why the two are often assessed together.
How is a vertical jump measured accurately?
Simple field methods use a wall or a jump-and-reach device to record height. Force plates are considered the gold standard because they capture ground reaction forces at high frequency and derive jump height along with force, power, and velocity. Research shows jump height, peak force, and peak power are measured reliably on force plates, giving a more complete read than height alone.
References
- Rojas-Jaramillo A, et al. Reliability and Test-Retest Agreement of Mechanical Variables Obtained During Countermovement Jump.
- Kinvent. Mastering the Countermovement Jump: What It Is, How It Works, and What to Measure.
- Topend Sports. Vertical Jump Norm Tables.
- Global Performance Insights. Jump Testing with Force Plates Explained.