It truly feels really good to be able to express my thoughts on products other people haven’t had the chance to ever try before. Anytime someone comes in here and reads this review, I am going to feel a sense of relief because I was able to warn you guys about something that is just terrible and dangerous to you all.
I am relieved to be able to give you this information, but unfortunately, I was not able to have this luxury. I had to find out the hard way.
A while back I was able to get my hands on a vertical jump program known as Air Alert. I can honestly say that it has been one of the biggest regrets in my life, and it may have been the last thing I ever did.
Please do not make the same mistake as me and read this review because there are some things you really got to know.
During this review, you will learn more about Air Alert and what makes it so bad. You will learn why Air Alert is most certainly the WORST vertical jump training programs out there on the market. You may think that Air Alert is just like any other program out there, but in reality it truly isn’t.
What Is Air Alert
According to those at Air Alert, Air Alert is a complete vertical jump program that is designed to teach you how to jump higher. They go on to say that they are the most popular vertical jump training program out there and it is one of the most effective. I just want to warn you by saying that this is not true, it is not true at all.
I have actually noticed that this is a tactic used by many Vertical Jump training programs out there. Businesses often tend to claim that they have THE BEST product out there even though they really don’t. Although, there are businesses out there who claim that they do have THE BEST product out there and for the most part, they do end up having the best vertical jump training programs that I have ever seen.
The question is, how can YOU guys determine which one is good and which one is bad?
That is why I am very proud to answer this question for you, and that is why I am helping you guys pick between the good over the bad.
Air Alert promises that they will increase your vertical by at least 8 to 14 inches in just under 4 months. They also claim that this program will help you increase your running speed by just 0.2-0.4 seconds in your 40 yard dash. When I first heard this, I was bursting out full of laughter. It was just funny to me how they put so much emphasis on the running speed when really that isn’t really much at all.
I can already feel that after I say this, you will already look to avoid it. Air Alert was created in 1991, yes 1991, in the 20th century, over 25 years ago. This program is clearly outdated and it is something you should most certainly avoid. This Vertical Jump Training program has been out there for a very long time and it was also one of the first jump training programs out there in its class that guarantees improvement in your vertical. At the time I can truly see why this program was so successful. There wasn’t really anything quite like it out there at the time. With a great price, excellent marketing, and a simple, easy-to-use program, I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see why it was so successful.
The Philosophy Behind Air Alert and It’s One True Core Principle
When you first enter the website on Air Alert, you notice that they always stick with one key term, Habitual. This is their philosophy. Air Alert lives by one true principle which they say has been developed for over 25 years, and it is known as Habitual Jump Training. They say that the principle is as of today, still one of the safest and still provides the best results over all of its competitors. They even go as far as trademarking, Habitual Jump Training.
Once you actually start using Air Alert, you will realise how absurd this sounds.
According to them, Habitual Jump Training is a training method that teaches an athlete how to jump naturally. They do this by habituating your leg muscles through a series of jump training techniques that are recurring.
Air Alert is a program that is designed only after plyometrics.
You should know that every week the intensity of the workout goes over a scale that is just too crazy.
To put it on my own words, the idea of this program comes from teaching you to do one thing:
YOU SIMPLY JUST JUMP A LOT, YOU JUMP REPEATEDLY AND ARE EXPECTED TO SEE RESULTS!
According to Air Alert, your body apparently adapts to the high volume of jumping that you do with the exercises that are given. Apparently, if you continue to do this, you are expected to increase your vertical jump.
The idea behind this is just simply WRONG!
Adam Folker, the creator of Vert Shock is shaking his head right now, with a look of disappointment
Why Air Alert
Air Alert began as a program that was once very successful. It is a vertical jump program that has been out there for generations. Some may say that it is the great grandfather to all vertical jump programs out there.
It was the first of its kind. When it first came out during the 90’s, Air Alert was a vertical jump program that shocked many. Air Alert was so popular at the time because it offered athletes and even everyone around a program to increase their vertical jump.
It became so successful simply because it just had no competition, and at the time no other company ever thought of something like this. Air Alert was very popular and it was used and bought by millions of people all around the work. Air Alert just spread rapidly, and at the time there was no sure fire answer of when it would stop.
I for one am one of those people who tend to give their final verdict by the end, but I want to let you know at the very beginning because I just want to be straight with you. NO ONE SHOULD EVER USE IT.
Air Alert follows no scientific principles at all, and it is just based on something that just doesn’t work.
Many years ago I went through this program and I experienced first-hand how bad it is and to be honest it’s quite hard to paint you this picture. You should really just stay far away from it. When I first discovered that this OUTDATED program was still out there to be purchased by just anyone, I knew that I had to spread my thoughts, to make sure that no one would ever experience it ever again.
Air Alert History
Who is Timur Tukel?
Air Alert was developed by a man named Timur Tukel
Timur Tukel developed the philosophy and principles that Air Alert lives by.
Timur Tukel created the concept of “habitual jump training”, which is the concept that Air Alert lives by.
It’s too bad that this concept isn’t really much. All it really asks you to do is to just jump more, and you will see results. It is more just a fancy term to use for marketing the product.
Timur Tukel officially released Air Alert back in 1991. Since officially releasing Air Alert, he has continued to market the program and he has actually released three more editions to Air Alert known as Air Alert II, Air Alert III, and Air Alert IV (the most recent).
As of today, Timur Tukel has been focusing his approach on the Court Controller Dribble Mask, which is actually a bonus included with the purchase of Air Control.
Overall, this is all I could truly find about Timur Tukel. He is a very hard man to find information on.
Let’s now put our attention towards the actual program itself, here is more on Air Alert.
First Impressions to Air Alert
When I first happened to find Air Alert, back when I used it, I was just a kid who had a dream of being able to jump higher than anyone ever before.
Air Alert has actually had multiple variations throughout the years in order to keep up with our aging society. There was Air Alert I, Air Alert II, Air Alert III, and Air Alert IV.
When I was a kid, I believe Air Alert 2 was the most popular at the time. As of right now, Air Alert 4 is currently the one on sale.
You must be wondering, you tried an older version of Air Alert, what if it’s better now? Well, the answer to that is NO, it isn’t better at all. As a matter of fact, I bought Air Alert 4, and I saw how the program has barely changed throughout the year it has been on sale.
When you first enter the website, you may notice how old it looks compared to what we currently see. It just isn’t built for our modern eyes. You go on to see an out-of-date website that includes nothing but empty promises. Information that doesn’t really have a purpose besides what you could possibly expect with the program.
I also believe that Air Alert was actually endorsed by former NBA players, and to be honest I would be surprised if those NBA players actually tried the program themselves. This program doesn’t really give the option to give anyone the chance to play professionally because you are putting in almost thousands and thousands of repetitive exercises, and it really takes a toll on your body.
If you were to go look at the official website right now, you can clearly tell that it is outdated, and ultimately it gives off bad vibes. A bad start to my first impression
Although at the time I did try out Air Alert when I was a kid, the site felt more modern at the time, but today, it truly doesn’t.
The Science Behind Air Alert
Most vertical jump training programs are often based on the same formula
E = S X Q → Explosiveness = Strength x Quickness
When it comes down to the true science behind the vertical jump, it all comes down to the strength and the quickness.
If you think of a player like Giannis Antetokounmpo (The Greek Freak), Zach Lavine, Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, and Aaron Gordon, their vertical jump comes from their muscles – the strength – and it comes from the quickness they have. That is why these are some players who show great examples of explosiveness.
This is a philosophy that Air Alert does not follow and that is why it is not successful. The Jump Manual is another vertical jump training program and it is a program that is backed up by science, a program that follows this successful principle.
How do you achieve and train for explosiveness?
Well for starters, I would most certainly avoid the training given by Air Alert. So first things first, DO NOT train by doing thousands of jumps over and over again, because it will come with no results.
There is a very specific way to teach your muscles to not only become strong but also fast.
Exercises such as squats, deadlifts, and box jumps, are great examples of the type of exercise you need in order to build a strong base.
A program like Vert Shock for example is most certainly a vertical jump training that I truly recommend. Vert Shock is one of the hottest vertical jump training programs currently out right now on the market. It is a program that has been proven to produce successful results. One of its biggest benefits is how it helps you earn these results without any sort of weight, and that is very helpful during a time when it is very hard to access weights.
If you want to improve quickness, you will want to perform high-intensity workouts such as thrust-ups. Air Alert does include a thrust-up workout but they are asking you to do it at a great volume, the problem is that the more you do, the weaker you get. In order to see results, you need to have maximum effort/intensity.
If you want to increase your strength, it is most effective to do so by using weights, but a program like Vert Shock, has alternative exercises that don’t require weights. Air Alert has one of these alternatives but with all the repetitions they require you to do, it doesn’t really build up your strength, and it truly just isn’t effective.
Habitual Training Makes No Sense
Most modern programs today such as Vert Shock feature fewer repetitions. With Air Alert, you will be asked to do over 2500+ jumps, while during the last week of Vert Shock, you will be asked to do only about 150.
It makes no sense. Yeah for most things, if you keep on repeating something, most of the time, it benefits you. For example, if you repeat similar math questions over and over again, you will get accustomed to them, and you will get better at doing these questions. If you keep on shooting a 3-pointer over and over again with the same shooting motion, your body will get used to it, and you will become a better shooter. In this case, it just doesn’t work.
The best way to increase your vertical jump is to work on your strength and quickness as proven by science.
The problem with doing a big number of sets is that you are risking injury. Not only that, but you aren’t getting the most out of your workout. You want to be able to put in your maximum effort but Habitual Training does not allow for that.
Usain Bolt, who is known to be one of the fastest men alive, hasn’t ever run a mile in his life to train for all of his gold medals. He trained his muscles by actually doing workouts that are proven by science.
Have you ever seen a man actually train for a marathon by running a marathon beforehand, NO! Imagine training for a 100-yard dash for example. You can do it, but at the end of the day, it won’t help you, it won’t give you the results that you are looking for.
Air Alert Workouts
The workouts found with Air Alert today just seem bland and old. Most of the workouts are pretty much the same throughout the entire program.
Generally, you do these similar workouts three times a week. The biggest difference found with these workouts are the number of reps that gradually increase throughout each week. It may be the biggest difference but it is also something that completely makes the program just too dangerous.
Air Alert includes different variations for odd weeks and even weeks. You basically rotate the number of reps and sets that you do every week.
For example:
For the EVEN week, you will be doing exercises 2, 4, and 6 on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday
For the ODD week, you will be doing exercises 1, 3, and 5 on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
This just seems odd to me because one week you may find yourself having an off day every other day, but the week after you find yourself working three days in a row, having no time to recover, and you end up finding yourself drained out with a VERY HIGH risk of injury.
For the most part, there aren’t really any changes at all besides those that are explained above. I already talked about this but Air Alert has had 4 different programs throughout their lifecycle. These programs don’t really have much difference at all actually. The only difference you may find between them is possibly having more off days compared to another.
Here is what makes this program SO CRAZY
As the weeks go by, you will find yourself climbing in the number of reps and sets that you do. By the very end of the program, you will find yourself climbing over 2000+ reps per workout. This is insane and abnormal. I TRULY STRESS, DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!
By week 1 you may find yourself doing approximately 250 jumpers per workout. By week 13, you may find yourself doing over 2000 jumps per workout. The scale of these workouts is abnormal compared to what we see today.
I did this for you, so you don’t have to
Exercises:
As you begin Air Alert, you will find that there are 6 different types of exercises. These exercises all have to do with body weight and you should know that none of these actually require any sort of additional weight equipment.
Again, because this program is so outdated, and was created in the 90s, you should know that the instructional videos are in a 90s style and are very outdated.
Here are the 6 exercises that you will find with the program, Air Alert – also included are instructional pictures:
- Leap Ups
- Calf Raises
- Step Ups
- Thrust Ups
- Burnouts
keep your legs straight, and hands to your side. You will be performing a jump with your calves. Your heels should never touch the ground
- Squat Hops
These exercises are designed after their one core prince, habitual jump training. According to the creator of Air Alert, if you continuously do these exercises, and perform these jump movements over and over again, your legs will get used to it at a point where it will end up making you jump higher in the process.
According to the creator of the program, these six exercises are designed to attack your legs at all angles, isolating the muscles that are designed for jumping.
SCIENTIFIC DATA PROVES THAT THIS IS WRONG!
Ask anyone, any sort of professional trainer or doctor, and they will tell you that this is wrong, and if they know what they are talking about they will tell you about the formula S X Q = E.
Air Alert is Dangerous
At the very beginning of my article, I told you guys that Air Alert is very dangerous, and it is a program that you should avoid, but some of you may be asking WHY?
It honestly won’t be hard to explain why it’s so dangerous, and most of you should have caught on by now.
The most simple answer is that it is dangerous for your body, and the exercises just aren’t effective.
Air Alert is asking you to do an abnormal amount of repetitions with your exercises and it is just WAY too high.
If you look at professional athletes in the NBA or NFL for example, they themselves are very careful about how they work out, and how they work with their workloads. Do you really think LEBRON JAMES gets better because he works at an intense level of workload. Do you really believe he puts up high numbers of repetitions to jump as high as he does? Every professional athlete is very careful about how they work, and they just want to make sure that they are healthy.
If these professional athletes can’t do it, what makes you think you can?
Air Alert expects you to do a high volume of jumps and they think that it’s effective, but what you should know is that if your body is exposed to the high volume of jumps that you are required to, your body just won’t be able to handle the pressure that is put on your knees and your ligaments.
Your knees just simply won’t be able to handle the intense pressures of the workout and within just a few workouts, there is a very likely chance that you will get hurt.
It’s also good to know that doing a high volume of these workouts isn’t actually that effective.
Luckily, not all vertical jump programs follow the principles found with Air Alert.
If you decide to turn your attention to The Jump Manual, they follow the explosive formula that is proven to work. You will never be asked to do anywhere near the amount of reps that Air Alert requires you to do, and guess what, The Jump Manual has been proven to provide even better results than Air Alert. Simply just by joining The Jump Manual, you are protecting your own body even as you perform exercises with maximum intensity.
Pros and Cons for Air Alert
Pros for Air Alert
- Although it’s a bad program, it does provide limited results – Now I am not saying that Air Alert is good, I just can’t do that. But, what I can say is that although it is bad, you may still see limited results. If you are a beginner, and someone with a small vertical, you should expect to see small improvements. This is mainly because you are a beginner, and your muscles just aren’t used to all the movement and activity that you are required to do with Air Alert. You might actually see results but again Air Alert is a program where you will most likely risk developing an injury.
- This Program is Very Cheap – Compared to other vertical jump training programs, Air Alert is VERY cheap. The price of Air Alert is probably the biggest benefit that comes from the program. You can find Air Alert for about $10-11 which is far beyond its competitors. But as I have said before, even though it is so cheap, I wouldn’t recommend this program even if it was free. The program just doesn’t work and it is just clearly outdated. I honestly may not even do this program if someone paid me to do it – IT’S JUST THAT BAD.
- Helps you increase Endurance/Cardio – Although it is a vertical jump program, this program does help you improve your endurance. With the number of repetitions that you have to do, it really works nicely as a good cardio workout rather than helping your vertical jump. So I guess, don’t look at Air Alert as a vertical jump program, but rather a great cardio workout program.
- I’m sorry, BUT JUST PLEASE AVOID IT!
Cons for Air Alert
- Not based on Science – I feel like one of the biggest things about Air Alert is that the program just simply doesn’t work. There is clearly no science behind Air Alert. It is simply just flawed. It doesn’t follow the science that has been proven to work with vertical jumping.
- Habitual Training makes NO SENSE – Although habitual training isn’t a bad way to train, it is a very bad and ineffective way to train for the vertical jump. If you enter their site, you can see how they trademark “Habitual Jump Training”, and how they overly use it to explain their product. Habitual training just makes no sense with vertical jump training and if you follow it, expect to find yourself in the hospital a few days from now. I just feel like the term “Habitual Jump Training” is a term that they use for marketing reasons. Something they use to drive users to their program to create more sales.
- Can’t compete with any programs today – The real truth behind Air Control is that it was a program that was created back in the early 90s. I mean simply after writing this sentence, I immediately don’t even want to try it myself. Now I understand why it was successful back at the time, I mean look at the marketing that they had, of course, I get it. During the 90s, Air Alert was the only vertical jump program out there, and there was no one to really compete with them. Maybe if they actually had a competitor, they would work harder to make it better. In the current era we are in, there are so many vertical jump training programs out there that it’s just too hard to count them. Most of these programs are a lot more effective and proven to work. It’s getting to a point where Air Alert shouldn’t even be considered an option. PLEASE LET IT STAY IN THE ATTIC!
- Dangerous and Difficult – This program is simply just both dangerous and difficult. Air Alert just simply doesn’t work. Not only are you putting in all this hard work for this difficult program, but you aren’t seeing any results whatsoever, and you may end up with a career-ending injury because of the flaws found with Air Alert. You will suffer a serious injury using Air Alert. This program has proved to be very difficult as well. Air Alert is pushing you to do an abnormal number of repetitions and I would personally say that this is absolutely the most difficult training program currently out there. You would be much better off by using programs such as Vert Shock and The Jump Manual, which require less effort with better results.
- Out-Dated and Horrible Presentation – this program is decades behind what we currently see today. I am surprised that it is still around as of today. You can easily tell that it is old with its black-and-white presentation and 90s theme. As far as their website goes, it lacks information, and it just feels like a page meant to suck you in.
- Lack of In-Season Training – You are tasked with crazy amounts of workload. If you see the numbers alone, you will immediately realize how difficult it is and why it wouldn’t be suited for someone who is playing in a season. Air Alert delivers a high number of reps that pile up as the weeks go by, and it is going to be very hard to recover for the next workout and most importantly your next game. If you are someone who is looking to increase their vertical, and you are currently in-season, I would most certainly avoid Air Alert
Air Alert Alternatives
Air Alert is clearly a program that should not be taken seriously in the current market. So I have decided to share with you some alternatives for Air Alert that you should most certainly think about using.
- Vert Shock
Vert Shock is another vertical jump training program created by professional basketball player Adam Folker, and it is a product that produced one of the best dunkers in our generation, Justin ‘Jus Fly’ Darlington. Vert Shock introduces a different approach compared to other programs and it uses a principle known as high-intensity advanced plyometrics. This principle allows you to get quick vertical hops with maximum effort. I truly didn’t feel like I would see results as quick as I did, and this program is actually considered to be highly effective. Vert Shock is actually a shorter program than most, and with its 8-week workout plan, they claim that you will be able to increase your vertical by 9-15 inches. Just like Jacob Hiller, Adam Folker knows what he is doing and he also has the experience that you are looking for. Vert Shock is currently one of the hottest vertical jump training programs out right now on the market. Although I had very good results with The Jump Manual, I can honestly say that I may give Vert Shock the edge just because of how good it actually is. The greatest thing about Vert Shock is that it allows you to do the workouts without any sort of gym equipment. As a matter of fact, you can do these workouts wherever you may choose, whether that’s in your own home, or even outdoors. These workouts are simple and easy to follow, and most importantly, they don’t take too much of your time. Vert Shock has helped thousands of athletes jump higher and I would most certainly recommend it to anyone who wants to increase their vertical jump. It is a program with a great cost and it is also time friendly. People of all ages can try Vert Shock without any sort of complicated workout or any sort of equipment and this is especially very much needed for most people as most people would like to avoid purchasing any additional equipment.
If you would like to know more about Vert Shock, please make sure to check out my FULL review here.
If you would like to see which program I would personally recommend between The Jump Manual and Vert Shock, click right here to see my comparison
2. The Jump Manual
The Jump Manual was probably one of the first BEST programs out there that gave people the chance to increase their vertical jump. It is a great program and till this day, it still is. The problem that came from The Jump Manual is that it was longer, it requires more equipment and resources.
The Jump Manual is possibly one of the best vertical jump training programs currently out there. Jacob Hiller is the creator of The Jump Manual. He is also one of the few coaches in the world who actually specialize in the field of vertical leap training. With over 15 years of scientific research and personal experience, Jacob Hiller has mastered the art of vertical jumping. According to Hiller, “The techniques inside The Jump Manual are all based on scientifically proven research. Nothing is theory. Everything has been tested and proven”. With years of research and experience, he created The Jump Manual, with a scientific approach. The Jump Manual has been proven to be successful for thousands of athletes. The Jump Manual is a vertical jump program that is a culmination of 15+ years of scientific research. Jacob Hiller took this research and turned it into the most effective exercises, training sequences and techniques to increase your vertical jump. Thousands of athletes have used this program to consistently increase their vertical leap. They claim that if you are able to follow the instructions to its fullest, you are surely guaranteed to succeed in increasing your vertical leap. This program guarantees that you will increase your vertical jump by 10-20 inches within a few months.
If you would like to know more about The Jump Manual, please make sure to check out my FULL review here.
- BoingVert
Out of the three programs I have currently mentioned, I would say that BoingVert would most certainly fall under the third best vertical jump program.
BoingVert is a popular vertical jump training program which is admired by many jumpers around the world. You may have already heard of Boingvert because of all the ads you have seen around whether that’s on YouTube or some other social media platform. This program has been recommended by professionals. Boingvert was created by training expert Shawn Myzska. Boingvert is the program that you see everywhere, and it has become so popular within the social media community.
BoingVert has many testimonies found online which all claim this program to bring successful results. There have been many people who show proof and claim to achieve a high vertical.
I have actually checked out BoingVert on my own a few years back, and although it is not as good as programs like Vert Shock or The Jump Manual, it still isn’t bad. The science and information provided by Boingvert feels basic. This vertical jump training program just feels like it falls short from Vert Shock and The Jump Manual. BoingVert just feels more like the third wheel.
Having said this, I still feel like BoingVert is a solid program and if done right, it can be done with effective results. Why not join the hype. If there is one thing I know for a certain, it is nowhere as bad as Air Alert – YUCK! – it is a THOUSAND times better!
If you would like to know more about The Jump Manual, please make sure to check out my FULL review here.
Air Alert Final Thoughts
I would say that it is simply just difficult to judge this program because it’s just so hard to compare it to its competitors. I mean it’s competitors are on a whole nother level.
Even programs that you find out there that just simply give a workout schedule, with lack of information and structure, are still so much better than Air Alert.
I can not emphasize enough how bad Air Alert is and how you should NEVER give it a shot, no matter how cheap it is. It is just too dangerous and clearly out-dated. If you want to stay healthy and you don’t want to waste your time, please STAY AWAY!
You would be better off just not even attempting a vertical jump program to increase your vertical than to try Air Alert. As of right now, I feel like I have already made my point very clear.
You should be happy to know that if you do still want to increase your vertical jump and start your path toward becoming dunker, there are great alternatives, and just know that you have options
Air Alert is a vertical jump program, and using this program is just a big risk. You would be better off by investing your time and money on programs that have already been proven to work as mentioned above. Try out Vert Shock and The Jump Manual. These programs are a lot more safe, they are tested to work, and most importantly, THEY WILL give you results.