The vertical jump is one of the best tests of an athlete's power output. Its an integral part of many track and field disciplines as well as ball sports such as basketball and volleyball. This article will explain how to measure vertical jump height using recorded video, based on the video timing. There is another description of measuring the jump height jump height using video.
This is one of many methods available for measuring vertical jump height - see the discussion and list of available methods.
Measuring vertical jump height using video is possible because jump height is a function of the time between take-off and landing (hang time). Using video, one can determine the hang time by subtracting the timestamp of the takeoff from the timestamp of the landing. Then, once hang time is known, the jump height is calculated using the following function:
Vertical Jump height = 0.5 x 9.81 m/s2 x (hang time / 2 )2
How to ensure accurate analysis
To ensure accuracy of the video analysis one has to bear in mind:
- The jumper should not land with bent knees as this would artificially increase hang time and therefore bias the results.
- The frame rate (amount of unique pictures per second) of the video should be as high as possible to ensure a precise measurement of hang time.
Apps to measure jump height from video
- My Jump 2 - gives you advanced information of your jumps using the camera on your smartphone. Just record a jump, select its take off and landing and the app does the rest.
- www.whatsmyvertical.com — a video tool to assess the height of any given video-recorded jump.
- fitness meter — one of the many tests that it can measure is the vertical jump. The app records a short video where you can easily measure the jumping height.
Related Pages
- Measuring jump height directly using video
- The physics of the vertical jump
- Other vertical jump equipment
- Procedure for Vertical Jump Measurement using flight time
- Jump mats and other vertical jump devices in the fitness testing store
- Poll: Which equipment do you use to measure vertical jump?
- About vertical jump techniques
- The physics of projectile motion