A 40-inch vertical jump is exceptional by almost any standard. It places you well above the average for both the general population and most professional athletes, including NFL draft prospects. To put it in perspective, the average vertical jump at the NFL Combine across all positions is roughly 33 inches, meaning a 40-inch vertical would be an outlier even in that elite group.
How 40 Inches Compares to the General Population
For the average adult male, a vertical jump in the range of 16 to 20 inches is typical. A large population study out of China found that the median vertical jump for males was about 20 centimeters (roughly 8 inches), though this included all ages from 8 to 80. Even among 18-year-old males at their physical peak, the 95th percentile was only about 41 centimeters, which is just over 16 inches. That study used a standing jump protocol rather than a running approach, so the numbers skew lower than the countermovement jump most people picture when they think “vertical.” Still, the takeaway is clear: 40 inches is far beyond what a normal, untrained person can do.
Among recreationally active young men in Western countries, where countermovement jump testing is more common, averages tend to fall between 18 and 24 inches. A 40-inch vertical puts you comfortably in the top 1% of the general population, regardless of which testing method you use.
How It Stacks Up at the NFL and NBA Combines
The NFL Combine is a useful benchmark because it tests hundreds of elite college athletes every year. Across all positions, the average vertical jump for draft prospects is about 33 inches. Even the most explosive position groups, cornerbacks and safeties, average around 36 to 37 inches. Wide receivers come in slightly lower at about 35 inches. A 40-inch vertical would rank among the top performers at the Combine in any given year, regardless of position.
At the NBA Draft Combine, the bar is a bit higher because basketball naturally selects for vertical explosiveness. The all-time NBA Combine record for maximum vertical leap belongs to Keon Johnson, who hit 48 inches in 2021. But even among NBA prospects, clearing 40 inches on a max vertical is noteworthy. Most prospects fall in the mid-30s, and hitting 40 or above consistently makes highlight reels and draft coverage.
So while 40 inches won’t break any professional records, it puts you in rare company even among athletes whose careers depend on jumping ability.
What Sport and Position Context Matters
Whether 40 inches is “good enough” depends on what you’re trying to do with it. For a volleyball outside hitter or a basketball guard, a 40-inch vertical is a serious weapon that translates directly to blocking, spiking, and finishing above the rim. For a football lineman, it would be extraordinary but less relevant to game performance than raw strength and short-area quickness.
In track and field, high jumpers and long jumpers typically have verticals in the high 30s to mid-40s, so 40 inches is competitive but not dominant at the elite level. For recreational athletes, weekend basketball players, or anyone training for general fitness, a 40-inch vertical is a genuinely impressive milestone that most people will never reach.
How Realistic Is Reaching 40 Inches?
If you’re currently well below 40 inches and wondering whether you can train your way there, it helps to know what the research says about improvement. A meta-analysis in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that plyometric training (box jumps, depth jumps, bounding drills) improves vertical jump height by roughly 5 to 10%, which translates to about 1 to 2.5 inches for most people. Interestingly, the study found no significant difference in improvement rates between trained athletes and non-athletes, meaning beginners don’t necessarily gain more than experienced jumpers.
That 1 to 2.5 inch gain is what you can expect from adding plyometrics alone. Combining plyometrics with heavy strength training (squats, deadlifts, hip thrusts) tends to produce larger improvements, with some trainees adding 4 to 6 inches over several months of dedicated work. But genetics play a major role. Your muscle fiber composition, tendon stiffness, limb proportions, and body weight all set a ceiling on your jumping ability. Someone starting at 30 inches with favorable genetics and good coaching might eventually approach 40 inches. Someone starting at 20 inches with average build will likely plateau well before that.
For most people, a realistic training goal is adding 3 to 6 inches over 12 to 24 months of consistent, progressive work. Reaching 40 inches typically requires a combination of natural explosiveness, low body fat, and years of training.
How Vertical Jump Is Measured
One thing worth noting: not all vertical jump numbers are measured the same way. The two most common tests are the standing vertical (jumping from a standstill) and the max vertical or running vertical (taking one or two approach steps before jumping). The max vertical is almost always higher, sometimes by 4 to 6 inches, because the approach generates extra momentum. NBA Combine numbers use a max vertical, while NFL Combine numbers use a standing vertical. If someone tells you they have a 40-inch vertical, it’s worth asking which test they’re referring to, because a 40-inch standing vertical is significantly more impressive than a 40-inch running vertical.
Self-measured verticals also tend to run a few inches high. Touching a wall with chalk is less precise than a Vertec device (the adjustable rack of plastic vanes used at combines). If you want an accurate number, test with a Vertec or a force plate, and measure both your standing reach and your jump reach carefully.