How is Cristiano Ronaldo able to jump higher than the average NBA basketball player?

Cristiano Ronaldo’s equalizer for Real Madrid against Manchester United recently provided another glimpse of his jumping prowess, something that he has demonstrated in the past as well. Photographs of the goal show Ronaldo’s knee at the same height as Patrice Evra’s head when he made the header.

In the past, Cristiano Ronaldo was put to biomechanic tests at the University of Chichester in 2011 (film for Castrol Edge Rankings made by M&C Saatchi Sport and Entertainment).

Here were the findings: Cristiano’s jump is higher than the average NBA basketball player, he can reach heights of 44cm in the air from a standing start and 78cm with a run-up – 7cm than the average NBA player.

In tests, 6ft 1in Ronaldo jumped 1ft 5in off the ground from a standing start. With a two-step run-up he jumped 2ft 6in off the ground. With a bigger run-up against Man Utd, Ronaldo climbed approximately 2ft 8in off the ground (in the past, he score a similar goal against Chelsea).

An athlete needs powerful thigh and upper body muscles to make this kind of leap. Ronaldo spends hours in the gym building the muscles that provide him this kind of power. Because of his strenuous fitness regime, Ronaldo also has less body fat than a supermodel.

Other things that make him special:

DNA: Most people who can jump so high are born with a high percentage of fast-twitch muscles, which gives them explosive speed.

YEARS OF PRACTICE: From an early age, players start plyometric training — jumping and hopping while carrying a weight bar. They also do gym work to develop their leg muscles, such as lunges and single leg squats. They also jump off boxes on to the floor, and then spring straight back up and over hurdles.

STRENGTHENING KEY MUSCLES: To jump high, one needs strong calf muscles, hamstrings, quads and glutes. When you are in the air, you also need strong stomach muscles, which allow you to move your back, shoulder and neck muscles to head a ball higher. Players use very heavy weights in short bursts to develop these muscles.

DIET: Players need lot of protein to build muscles. That means plenty of fish, eggs and meat. Some sugars and carbohydrates before training provide energy. Due to his rigorous regime, Ronaldo has less body fat than a supermodel.