Vertical Jump Calculator (Hang Time)
The simplest way to measure a vertical jump is to time the total air time (hang time) on slow-motion video or a contact mat. Once the feet leave the ground the centre of mass is in pure free fall, so kinematics gives h = g · t² / 8. Enter hang time (seconds) and choose gravity (Earth / Moon / Mars / Jupiter); the tool returns the jump height (cm, m, inches), take-off velocity and time to the apex.
Enter a valid hang time (0–3 seconds).
Vertical jump height
60.1
cm = 0.601 m ≈ 23.7 in
—
Take-off velocity v₀
3.43
m/s
Time to apex
0.35
s
Formula
h = g · t² / 8 v₀ = g · t / 2 t_apex = t / 2 g₀ = 9.80665 m/s²
- · Derivation: once airborne, the centre of mass is in free fall; by symmetry the rise to the apex takes t/2 and the fall back to the ground takes t/2. With h = ½ g · (t/2)² the formula reduces to h = g · t² ⁄ 8.
- · g₀ = 9.80665 m/s² is the CGPM-1901 standard gravity. Local g varies from 9.78 (equator) to 9.83 (poles); the < 0.3% error is dwarfed by timing noise, so g₀ is used universally.
- · How to measure: slow-motion video (240 fps) — count the frames between toe-off and touch-down and divide by 240; phone apps Just Jump or My Jump 2; or a contact mat in a lab.
- · Benchmarks (NSCA Essentials of Strength Training 4th ed., table 13.7): 30 cm casual adult; 40–50 cm club athlete; 60–70 cm collegiate basketball / volleyball; 80+ cm elite dunker. NBA records (Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, Vince Carter, Zach LaVine) sit around 110–120 cm (46–48 in).
- · Limitation: hang-time assumes the take-off and landing positions are at the same height. Tucking the legs up in the air, landing with bent knees or pushing off your toes asymmetrically all inflate the apparent jump. Best practice: hands on hips, two-foot take-off and two-foot landing.
- · Take-off velocity v₀ = g · t / 2 links jump height to sprint acceleration and squat-jump power. Sayers peak-power formula: Peak Power (W) ≈ 60.7·h(cm) + 45.3·body mass(kg) − 2055.
Frequently asked
Why does a 0.7 s hang time correspond to only ~60 cm — but viral videos say NBA players "hang in the air for 1 second"?
Two reasons. First, hang time and jump height are quadratic: 1 second of air time implies h = 9.80665 × 1² ⁄ 8 ≈ 1.23 m (48 inches), which no human has ever achieved — Michael Jordan's lab-measured peak is ~46 in (117 cm), or about 0.97 s. Second, the "1-second hang time" myth usually counts the run-up, the airborne action and the landing roll all as "in the air", whereas the physics definition is strictly toe-off to touch-down. The illusion of NBA players "floating" is largely a result of the rich mid-air motion (cradle, scoop, twist) the eyes pick up — the centre of mass still traces a parabola. Real NBA in-game hang times are usually 0.7–0.85 s. Use slow-motion footage and count only between toe-off and touch-down.
Why is hang time different for a running approach jump vs. a standing or countermovement jump?
Two mechanisms. (1) Stored momentum: an approach jump converts horizontal kinetic energy into vertical lift on the plant step. Combined with a countermovement that loads the stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) of the gluteus, hamstring and calf, peak force can reach ~1.3× the static maximum — approach jumps usually beat a static squat jump by 8–15 cm. (2) Hip-knee-ankle triple-extension coordination. Two-foot approach jumps (e.g. NBA dunk approach) typically exceed squat jumps by 12–18 cm. The calculator only reads physics — log all three (squat jump, countermovement jump, approach jump) separately if you want to diagnose whether limiting factor is raw strength, SSC efficiency or technique.
Why do mass, sex and age not appear in the formula?
Because hang time is a pure kinematic observation: once airborne, every body falls under the same g — mass, sex and age cancel out of h = ½ g · t². But those factors strongly determine the hang time itself: muscle cross-section, Type II fibre ratio, neuromuscular recruitment, and tendon stiffness control take-off velocity v₀, which sets t. The calculator measures the outcome (jump height) but not the cause. For training, re-test hang time on the same protocol every 4–8 weeks; it is a clean composite metric of lower-body explosive power.
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