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Maybe. Maybe that increased TUT in the half squat allows enough time for the lesser explosive guys to actually turn on and recruit muscle fibers better. So I guess the transition towards more specificity from the general full squat COULD be applied with half squats while at the same time getting some additional specificity bonuses.

Because you can only get better at so many things, and because you'd be better served to do something else with your time (either strength or speed related, or should we say, general or specific). I think this is a good reason.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIfXMmRSG28" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIfXMmRSG28</a>

Yeah this is a fun time. If anything, make sure you finish fresh your workouts. If not, then the weights are too heavy.

Well yeah but it depends on what you understand by "strength" in the strength-speed spectrum? What is strength? The ability to generate tension? The ability to maintain tension? Shouldn't that be GPP and muscle building (through a complete ROM etc)?

I mean, the jump is a quick snap of "strength" or tension generation and then there's relaxation to allow the movement to take place. So, if that is the case - then you'd be better saved with a general muscle building exercise (full squat) and a very specific jumping exercise (depth jump for overload, or jumps to rim for maximum specificity).

Yeah but my point was that you don't "need" to use the half squat AT ALL.

If you have problems full squatting, it's better to discover what your mobility issues are and solve them, instead of giving up and saying "full squatting is not for me" IMO. A butt wink usually means the lack of foot dorsiflexion. You can also experiment with different stance widths, low or high bar and so on.

And yeah, the point about having the bar still on your back on the concentric phase is a good one. But the question is - do you need that?

Haha no but the more I read through that thread, the more I'm on Rippetoe's side.

The half squat really has very little positives in terms of specificity over the depth jump - the depth jump is MUCH more specific from so many standpoints, that you don't need to half squat. The only upperhand the half squat has over the depth jumps is that is less impactful. Since you can't depth jump like crazy ad infinitum because the stress will accumulate, you can use the half squat to remove some of that landing stress.

But otherwise, the depth jump:

1) Has more speed than the half squat;
2) Has more load than the half squat;
3) You're always going to be jumping from your more "explosive" position vs. trying to find that position with a half squat;
4) You actually jump in the air;
5) You actually hip hyperextend;
6) You get more tendon contribution;
7) You get more calf contribution;
8) Can be adjusted PERFECTLY to fit your needs by measuring which box height gives you the best jump height. The same thing cannot be said for the half squat, where you have to "guess" what weight would be the best.

So considering all these factors, why would you ever bother with half squats (other than to get less impact on your body)? You should do full squats to build strength and depth jumps to "build" specificity.

And I also disagree with Andrew about aiming for a 3x half squat or so - I would rather focus on speed if I were to use the half squat to replace the depth jump.