Vertical Jump Testing Equipment

The vertical jump test is a common test of leg power. There are various vertical jump apparatus available for measuring vertical jump performance. Each piece of equipment or method has its advantages and disadvantages. Here is a brief description of a range of methods, and for some there is a link to another page with a more details of specific equipment.

Our poll asking which vertical jump apparatus you use has come up with the most popular being the Vertec® or similar device, followed by a wall mounted apparatus then force plates.

Method: Measuring Distance

• Wall Mounted — The original and most simple method for measuring vertical jump height is against a wall. Although you can use just any wall and a piece of chalk in the hand, there are also other wall mounted grid options. [Wall Mounted VJ Testingmore]
• Vertec® — one of the most common apparatus for measuring vertical jump ability. It is of steel frame construction with horizontal vanes which are rotated out of the way by the hand to indicate the height reached. Similar products are the Swift Yardstick and the Vertical Challenger [Vertec® for Measuring Vertical Jumpmore]
• Vertical Jump mat — The subject wears a Abalakov waist belt attached to measuring tape that is grounded to a mat. The tape measure shows the height of the jump [Vertical Jump Matmore]

Method: Ground Sensor Contact Mat

• Just Jump mat — a sensor mat with a hand-held computer unit which calculates vertical jump height and explosive leg power. Other similar sensor mats include the Swift EZE Mat [Just Jump Systemmore]
• Force Plate — it is possible to determine jump height from measurements of the ground reaction force from a metal plate in the floor below the jumper. [Measuring Vertical Jump using a Force Platemore]
• ChronoJump — free complete multi-platform software system for the measurement, management and statistics of jump time events [ChronoJumpmore]

vertical jumping off a sensor mat

Method: Photoelectric Circuits (laser/infrared beams)

• Optoelectronic Device — using a ground sensor for takeoff time, combined with a waist mounted light sensor to measure the time in the air [Vertical Jump Optoelectronic Systemmore]
• Ground-Based Laser/Infrared Beams — based on the breaking of a laser or infrared beam located at the feet level. Examples of equipment using this method are G-Flight, Optojump Next and Fitjump. [Vertical Jump Optoelectronic Systemmore]
• Brower Vertical Jump Measurement — mounted device using touchless technology. [Brower Vertical Jump Measurementmore]

Method: Accelerometer

• Wearable system — new technology clips incorporating accelerometry to measure jump height, such as the VERT. [Vertical Jump Wearable Devicesmore]

Method: Video

• Jump timing using Video — using video to determine 'hang time' by subtracting the timestamp of the takeoff from the timestamp of the landing. [Calculating Vertical Jump Height Using Video (Time)more]
• Height measurement from video — you can use a video to measure the jump height if a distance calibration scale is incorporated into the video recording.