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There are many different approaches to increasing one’s jump height, some of which work better than others, and this can often leave people confused as to what to learn and apply to get the best results.
In this department, vertical jump programs fill their role nicely by serving as a guide that offers you a proven workout plan you can follow.
One such program that falls into the category of programs designed to aid you in improving your jumping capabilities is Bounce Kit.
The person behind this popular program is Jordan Kilganon, someone you’ve likely heard of as one of the best dunkers in the world. Having such a skilled athlete as the creator, it’s pretty clear to see why the program gets so much attention.
Jordan Kilganon is nothing short of impressive when it comes to both his vertical and his ability to dunk, so it’s only natural that a program created by him would have people going wild at the thought of becoming every bit as skilled as he is.
That’s what begs the question as to how good Bounce Kit is, and whether or not it can stand on its own without the recognition it receives from its creator. Does Kilganon’s reputation make the program seem better than it is, or can it get real results?
It’s got my attention, and it’s interesting to see just how effective Kilganon is in teaching others how to jump as well as he does. So in this Bounce Kit review, we’ll be looking at everything Bounce Kit has to offer to decide whether or not the program lives up to the hype.
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What Is Bounce Kit?
Bounce Kit is a vertical jump training program that was launched in 2014 and that saw massive popularity at release due to its creator, Jordan Kilganon, who had already established himself in the dunking community long before the program’s release.
Its main slogan is to add inches to your vertical in a matter of 12 weeks, and it does so through a workout routine that is composed of weight training and plyometrics, with a greater focus on building strength.
Given that the program lasts three months, this shows a time commitment that is about average relative to other jump programs.
The Jump Manual and Vert Shock, two well-known jump programs, take three months and two months to complete respectively, so Bounce Kit is more than capable of getting results just as quickly.
The program also seems to appeal more towards basketball players in helping them dunk, as seen by the images and testimonials used on the website.
This means that while it provides a general road map for others to follow, it seems particularly suited for basketball as it even has dunking as a recommended option.
On the official website, there is plenty of information about the creator as well as some testimonials from people who saw results and an FAQ section.
There is however little information regarding the product itself, with the explanations of each component such as the workouts and glossary being a few vague sentences.
These brief descriptions give a general understanding without providing too much context, and aside from this, there isn’t much else on the site.
What Do You Get With Bounce Kit?
With Bounce Kit, you get a digital product that includes the training program in the form of PDF workout logs, a video library, and a training glossary for additional information.
Everything that comes with Bounce Kit
Bonus tips come complimentary with the purchase, along with an invitation to a private Facebook group for paid members.
The instructional exercise videos have great quality and are superb in showing the proper form for each exercise. The library area in which you access the videos is also well optimized with a simple interface that is easy to navigate.
Unfortunately, a fantastic video library can’t carry an entire program on its own, especially when the training glossary and workout regimen fall short.
The glossary gives a general overview of the terminology used to gain a better understanding of the exercises, as well as a few additional suggestions for improving results.
Aside from very basic information, the training glossary and bonus tips don’t contain much else, which is disappointing considering they could have added so much more as to the science behind the vertical jump and the exercises they chose.
When compared to programs like Vert Shock and especially The Jump Manual, which offer plenty of information and even overdeliver in the advice they provide, Bounce Kit seems reserved in sharing any profound insight that would go past common knowledge.
The workout regimen is equally short on information since the inclusion of exercises as well as the structure of the workouts is explained through simple one-paragraph explanations.
Bounce Kit Pricing
How much does Bounce Kit cost?
The program is bought as a membership for $77 per membership.
Upon purchasing the product, you have a money-back guarantee for a limited time in case you want a refund.
On the website, this information is a bit conflicting, as it says a 30-day money-back guarantee on the home page and a 60-day money-back guarantee on the “buy” page, but it appears to be a guarantee of at least one month.
Who Created Bounce Kit?
You’ve probably already seen a few videos where he throws down dunks like they’re nothing, but if you don’t already know about him, let’s go ahead and familiarize ourselves with the creator, Jordan Kilganon.
Jordan Kilganon
Jordan Kilganon
The creator of Bounce Kit is Jordan Kilganon, someone who is best known for his amazing ability to dunk and has been famously referred to as the guy who dunks in jeans.
One of his most viral appearances was in the NBA all-star game in 2016 where he performed his signature “no-look scorpion” dunk.
He’s been obsessed with dunking from a young age, and although he was already able to dunk a basketball, he was nowhere near as good as he is now.
He chose to research how to jump higher while simultaneously trying out various jump programs in an attempt to get better.
From practicing and slowly getting better, he eventually specialized himself in dunking and developed the skill that granted him the title of “best dunker.”
Now a world-class dunker at 6’1″ tall, Jordan Kilganon’s vertical is a staggering 50 inches and his prowess in the field of dunking is practically unmatched.
Multiple videos of Kilganon performing dunks have gone viral, and as a result of this, his popularity has grown considerably, leading him to become a famous figure in the dunking community.
This also brought plenty of attention to his jump training program, with many wondering if it could help them achieve much the same staggering results as Kilganon.
Although I can’t negate his dunking capabilities, this doesn’t exactly make him an incredible trainer on the subject.
Considering Jordan Kilganon doesn’t have any professional certification as a trainer, his ability to teach others what he’s learned and convey that information completely could be held back in its effectiveness.
To know if this is the case, we need to compare the structure of the program relative to more notable and credible jump programs to see if it does as good of a job if not better at attaining results.
How Does Bounce Kit Work?
Upon accessing Bounce Kit, you’re prompted with an introduction video from Jordan Kilganon himself thanking you while giving a brief overview of the program.
Bounce Kit welcome page
On the “before starting” page you’re given simple advice on how to go through the program as well as how to perform the exercises safely, such as practicing with weights beforehand and landing softly when jumping.
There is also a separate “notes” area that provides you with an understanding of the terminology as well as suggestions on maximizing your results.
The information is solid, and I do appreciate the inclusion of basic yet important information such as injury prevention, but there isn’t a tremendous amount being offered that goes beyond common knowledge.
They even have a bonus section with tips on jumping higher, something you’ll see present in most programs like The Jump Manual and Vert Shock. However, unlike these other programs, the bonuses provided here are underwhelming.
The exercises are accessed on the “program” page which has three downloadable PDF files in the form of workout logs that contain the three parts of the program.
In each PDF you have 4 weeks of training, for a total of 12 weeks, and for the exercises, there are training videos you can use in the video library that correspond to each one.
Video library
Bounce Kit Workout Regimen
The workout regimen of Bounce Kit is separated into three distinct phases, each of which lasts a month or 4 weeks and targets a different area to develop in your jumps, such as strength, speed, and explosiveness.
Each of the four weeks in each phase has separate days that are designated a certain workout type, those being:
– Upper Body + Core
– Heavy Legs
– Jumping + Core
As you move along the phases they gradually shift from weight training to plyometrics, although weight training is still a large focal point throughout every phase.
The decision to start with weight training and focus on building strength separates Bounce Kit from other programs and makes them fairly unique as they then transfer the foundation of strength into speed and explosiveness.
In theory, their approach sounds good, but they don’t provide any scientific or factual evidence supporting the effectiveness of this workout regimen, nor do they give any explanations as to why they choose to go this route.
Phase 1
Phase 1 of the program covers the first month of training which is predominantly made up of weight training exercises that build a foundation of strength throughout the body.
Each of the four weeks in the first phase has five training days that target separate muscle areas, those being the upper body, lower body, and core.
Each week also has two rest days, each of which is located in between workout days, making for a seven-day workout routine.
In this phase, there is a variety of simple, yet solid, compound exercises such as squats and deadlifts that are used to make a strong strength training portion.
Bounce Kit Phase 1 Week 1
The exercises maintain a low repetition range with heavy loads near your 1RPM (around 90%) to maximize gains through high-intensity training, making this the most notable phase of the program.
It’s a very effective approach to building strength but an inefficient start to improving your vertical as it chooses to focus on weights first instead of bodyweight training or plyometrics.
Other programs such as Vert Shock, The Jump Manual, and even BoingVert, work on speed and explosiveness first since this type of training aligns much better with improving jump height as it leads to the development of your Type 2B muscle fibers and also improves form.
By pushing plyometric exercises to the latter half of the program and focusing predominantly on strength first, they have effectively reduced the results you’ll see, particularly within the first month of training.
There are also some non-strength training exercises thrown in such as jumping, but they’re mainly kept to a minimum.
Phase 2
Phase 2 is the second month of training which reduces its focus on strength training and becomes more plyometrics oriented, showing a greater emphasis on speed and explosiveness.
Transitioning from weight training to plyometrics
Each of the four weeks in the second phase still maintains the five individual training days that target separate muscle groups, along with the two days of rest in between.
In this phase, the same weight training exercises are used, with the inclusion of some power building exercises which were a very significant addition as they improve upon our explosive power and develop our rate of force.
The weight training exercises, particularly in the “Heavy Legs” workout, now have more repetitions per set with comparatively lighter loads (70% of your 1 repetition maximum and under). This workout type is now referred to as the “moderate to heavy legs” workout.
The “Upper Body + Core” and “Jumping + Core” also have more repetitions, with many more jumping exercises being performed.
This was a much-needed adjustment to the workout sessions, as we start to see some better results by focusing on improving the rate at which we generate force through quicker exercises.
Phase 3
Phase 3 is the third and final month of the program where we go in on speed and explosiveness by including even more plyometric exercises such as depth jumps and box jumps alongside the jumping exercises.
Box Jumps
Weight training exercises now have even more repetitions per set with an even greater reduction in the load of the exercise relative to your 1RM (50%).
Each week in the third phase now has four days of training with three days of rest, which was likely done to adjust to the increased intensity of each workout session.
In this final phase, we finally start training with plyometric and bodyweight exercises that are key to improving our jump, although we still cling to a decent amount of resistance training.
The decision to hold back the use of depth jumps until later on in a vertical jump training program is mind-boggling, and there isn’t any explanation given for the way the phases were structured.
They could have benefited so much from switching the order of the phases and going in reverse, starting with the fundamentals of jump training and then building strength.
That would have been the biggest improvement they could have made, although the aspect of speed and explosiveness is still held second to strength.
The overall structure of the three phases seems unclear and unfocused in its intentions, with no science or explanations provided to back the use of these exercises and training methods.
Bounce Kit Results
So, can you get results with Bounce Kit?
Well, I think it holds to the claim it makes of increasing your vertical in 12 weeks as it does use strength training with plyometrics to some degree, so in short, there’s a good chance you’ll see some results.
However, for the amount of time and energy you’ll be putting into this program, you’ll likely be dissatisfied with the results you get.
It has certain parts such as it’s solid strength training portion in phase 1 that works well towards increasing your vertical.
Solid strength training
However, it’s inefficient in providing a substantial guide throughout all of its phases that will maximize your jumping abilities and get you the results you want.
Unlike Vert Shock, it never delves too deeply into plyometrics and bodyweight training, the core components of a good vertical jump training program.
It also doesn’t achieve the balance that a program like The Jump Manual captures between weight training and plyometrics.
Instead, because of its approach and program structure, Bounce Kit only manages to prolong the rate at which you see results by choosing to focus on building strength, with an inadequate plan on how to convert those gains into inches for your jump.
Bounce Kit Pros and Cons
Bounce Kit has many flaws, but that isn’t to say that everything about the program is bad. It does have some redeeming qualities that when measured on their own, work very well.
Let’s go ahead and look at both the good and the bad that make up this program.
Pros
The Video Library
The video library has a clean interface that is easy to navigate, with videos categorized by exercise type, making them easily accessible.
The videos themselves are high quality and concise, with Jordan Kilganon demonstrating each of the exercises along with added commentary on how your body should moving throughout the exercise.
With the video library, they do a great job of showing how to perform and maintain the proper form for each of the exercises used.
Following the video library, much of the positives can be applied to the entirety of the program’s interface and navigation.
Visually, the program is kept simple with a clean aesthetic, making the information in the program easy to read and understand. Pages are easy to traverse through, and everything is nicely organized to make using the program itself a breeze.
All of the information is kept concise and direct, which I’m quite fond of since they don’t overcrowd the pages on the program with too much information which, as seen on other programs such as BoingVert, can be overwhelming.
The simplicity of the interface is also due in part to the lack of actual information or content on each of the pages, particularly on the “before starting” and “notes” section, which makes it seem so compact.
Effective Strength Training Portion
The strength training routine in Bounce Kit is easily its strongest aspect, with the focus on building strength throughout the entirety of the program being its most fleshed-out approach.
An effective weight training portion
Although choosing to start training through weights is an inefficient approach in improving jump height, and is better left for the latter half of the program, they still make effective use of the weight training by following a low repetition and high load approach.
Particularly in phase 1, which was the main weight training portion, they hone in on building a foundation of strength throughout the body with a variety of weight training exercises.
Strength is one of the major components of a vertical jump, and they make sure to cover the area of building strength in detail, albeit to an extensive degree.
had they invested more into a solid plyometric and bodyweight routine and pushed their strength training regimen into the last phase, the program could have been much better optimized to maximize your potential results.
Facebook Group For Members Only
Upon purchase, you receive an invitation to join a Facebook group for members of the program only, and although it’s an optional choice, joining the group can be pretty helpful.
With the Facebook group, you have the benefit of talking with like-minded people who are also trying to improve, and by joining the community you gain access to more information and may even find some motivation in communicating with others.
You can also get answers to questions you may have, and share your experience on vertical jump training with others, as all of this will give you additional value that the program alone doesn’t provide.
Cons
Faulty Program Structure
The way that Bounce Kit is structured is to first build a foundation of strength that is then converted into speed and explosiveness through the introduction of more jumping and plyometric exercises.
The trouble with this approach is that it’s inefficient in improving your vertical, and the transition from strength training to speed and explosiveness training is poorly executed.
The repetition of short, explosive movements leads to the greatest improvements over time as they fatigue your muscles to the point of training your type 2B muscle fibers.
That’s why you can have programs like Vert Shock, which focus mainly on plyometric exercises, get such insane results in as little as two months.
Strength training works perfectly to maximize your potential results after you have peaked in speed and explosiveness, but instead, they choose to focus on strength first and then maintain the weight training aspect in each of the consecutive phases.
This hinders your potential results as you perform more strength training than necessary to achieve a sufficient strength foundation for jumping.
In the transition from one phase to another, the repetitions and intensity of each workout session for the jumping and plyometric exercises have an abrupt spike, and the exercises themselves are kept basic and linear with little to no variety.
Having such little focus and attention being placed on the other two components of your jump, speed, and explosiveness, will cause them to fall behind, reducing your potential results.
Access to a Gym is Required
You’re gonna need access to one of these places
With the requirement of performing weight training exercises in each phase of the program comes the need to have access to a gym or gym equipment to be able to carry out each of the exercises.
This can be a problem for some, as a gym membership can suddenly become an unplanned expense, and not everyone has access to the equipment necessary to complete the program in its entirety.
Credibility is Questionable
There is no explanation or supporting evidence for the program’s approach and structure, and although Jordan Kilganon is a professional dunker, he lacks the certification and expertise of a vertical jump trainer.
This raises questions as to how effective the program is relative to the more notable and credible jump programs such as The Jump Manual and Vert Shock.
These other programs almost parallel Bounce Kit as they offer a clear explanation of their approach and effectiveness and the creators are certified trainers and coaches that have a level of expertise when it comes to training others.
Information was Lacking
Inside the program, there’s a deficit to the amount of information available relative to other programs, and aside from small, concise explanations for each exercise and general advice on topics like injury prevention, there’s no elaboration as to the science behind the vertical jump and how it works.
Much like the exterior, the interior is kept concise and simple, and it seems to withdraw from giving actual valuable knowledge that you could use long after the program ends.
Even some of the more fundamental topics such as nutrition, muscle recruitment, and proper rest are left untouched, leaving you unaware as to their importance during training.
Other programs, such as The Jump Manual, go above and beyond with the amount of valuable information they provide, which at times may seem overwhelming, but gives a deep understanding of both the principles behind the training methods, as well as how to train properly.
No Material On Dunking
(Jerry Anderson, Devon Douglas, Cropped by BallAmazingly, CC BY-SA 4.0)
Even though the program appeals to basketball players in helping them dunk, Bounce Kit is devoid of any dunk training portion that teaches you how to dunk.
Having Jordan Kilganon as the creator, you would have expected to see a separate phase dedicated to dunking, or at least some useful advice from the legend himself on improving your dunking technique.
Not Recommended for Beginners
Bounce Kit gives no guidance when it comes to understanding your one-repetition maximum, leaving you on your own when performing complicated calculations to find the weight of each weight training exercise in each of the phases.
Aside from this, there are many other important components you have to maintain such as your diet and rest which both require further research on your behalf to understand.
All of this can prove to be complex, and being a beginner to vertical jump training only amplifies the confusion as it makes dealing with all of this an even bigger hassle.
There are jump programs that appeal more towards beginners, such as The Jump Manual, that lay a foundation of knowledge and cover everything important you would need to know before training.
Unfortunately, this is not that type of program; it’s directed much more towards people that are experienced and knowledgeable on vertical jump training, especially considering it’s an intense program from beginning to end that does little to give you a running head start.
Conclusion
So, does Bounce Kit live up to the hype?
Not really, and aside from its strength training portion which is well structured for building strength but does little else in improving your vertical, the program just seems to fall short in every aspect as a vertical jump program, which is disappointing.
If you’re beginners, it’s not recommended since you have to do a lot of the heavy lifting to understand your 1RPM and the weight for each exercise.
Combine that with the absence of most of the fundamentals on jump training, and you’re left with a lot of extra research being done on your part just to maintain a healthy workout regimen.
It’s much more directed towards people with experience in both weight training and plyometrics, and if you decide to push yourself through the program, you’ll likely see some results.
But with much better alternatives that can effectively get you better results, Bounce Kit simply isn’t a good enough program to warrant the time and energy it takes to complete.
