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The Fabulous 15 "Top 15 Exercises for Higher Vertical Jumps".
by Joe DeFranco, Owner, Performance Enhancement Specialist
DeFranco’s Training Systems
Original Link: http://www.defrancostraining.com/articles/38-articles/53-top-15-exercises-for-higher-vertical-jumps.html
You now hopefully realize that there is a lot more to the vertical jump then you originally thought. This should also help you to understand that there’s a lot more to the training then you maybe originally thought. It’s not just about wearing some funny-looking shoes that claim to work magic on your vertical jump. There is definitely a science to this type of training. There is also a reason and purpose why every single exercise in this section was chosen. It’s now time for the fun stuff! After learning and understanding the following 15 exercises, it will soon be time to go to our favorite place in the world. . . The Gym!
In this section we will give you our Fab 15 list of the exercises we’ve found give the best “bang for your buck” with regards to improving your vertical jump. Remember that there are many exercises out there that will work, but in the training economy you want to pick the exercises that will give you the greatest results in the least amount of time. This list of exercises accomplishes that goal. These are the main exercises we have used to get our athletes to jump high… in minimal time! An added benefit of this list of exercises is that you’ll notice your sprint times will also improve. Any time you train to improve your vertical, you’ll notice you also get faster. Not a bad side effect, is it?
Anyway, let’s check out the Fab 15! (They are in no particular order.)
#1) Box Squats with bands – We love box squats in that we feel they teach the athlete to “sit back” while squatting, which further recruits the all-important hamstrings. Your hamstrings must be super-powerful if you want to run fast or jump high. We also like the fact that we can set the depth of the squat without any error. This prevents cheating, especially when athletes start to fatigue and the squats tend to get higher and higher. We squat anywhere from 6” off of the floor to 1” above parallel, depending on our goal. We also like the fact that box squatting builds “static overcome by dynamic strength”. This type of strength is important in many athletic movements (sprinter coming out of the blocks, lineman coming off of the ball in football, etc.).
Some say box squats are dangerous. That is complete crap! Box squats done incorrectly are dangerous. We’ve never had an athlete get injured box squatting. Open your mind and learn how to do them the right way! It will pay huge dividends. To learn how to box squat correctly, go to Dave Tate’s website at www.eliteFTS.com. He has numerous articles written on how to box squat correctly and does a great job of teaching it.
One of the main reasons we chose the bands for box squatting is their ability to accelerate the eccentric portion of the lift. You see, the athlete’s we train that have the best verticals are also the one’s who descend the fastest during their jumps. Newton’s 3rd Law states that “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction”. What this means is that the faster an athlete can descend, the faster he will explode upward and the higher he will jump. The bands train this often-overlooked component of the vertical jump.
We also like the fact that as the athlete approaches the top of the squat the bands stretch out, thus increasing the tension. This teaches the athlete to accelerate through the entire rep. Basically, as the athlete’s leverage increases, so does the tension of the bands. In order to complete the rep, the athlete must apply more force at the top then he would if there were no bands attached to the bar. After this type of training an athlete will be much more likely to explode downward, make a quick reversal, and then accelerate upward rapidly during his jumps. Put all of these qualities together and you have a huge vertical. We usually perform multiple sets of low-rep box squats, focusing on speed (on the way down as well as on the way up). We like our advanced athletes to be able to perform 2 reps in less than 2 seconds.
#2 Static Hip Flexor Stretch – In general, we’re not big fans of static stretching, especially before performing explosive activities. This stretch is a major exception. Try this. Perform a vertical jump and record the height. Then, static stretch your hip flexors – 2 sets of 30 seconds each leg. Really stretch the sh** out of them! Stretch as if you’re trying to tear that hip flexor off the bone, baby! Don’t just go through the motions! Now jump again. Chances are you’ll jump ½” – 2” higher, just by static stretching the hip flexors. Why is this, you say? We’ll tell you. You see, most athletes have super-tight hip flexors. When you jump, tight hip flexors cause a lot of friction, preventing you from fully extending at the hip, as well as reaching as high as you can. By static stretching them immediately before you jump, you not only stretch them out, but also “put them to sleep” do to the long, slow stretch. This causes less friction at the hip when you jump. This results in higher jumps. You will be amazed at how well this works. (By the way, the hip flexors are the only muscles you would ever want to static stretch before jumping.) It is also a good idea for athletes to get in the habit of stretching their hip flexors everyday, not just before jumping. This will help to increase your stride length when you run, as well as prevent hamstring pulls and low-back pain.
Any hip-flexor stretch will do but we will describe the one we use the most. Get in a lunge position with your left knee on the ground and your right foot as far forward as possible. Drive your hips as far forward as you can, while keeping your chest up. Try to get your left thigh 45 degrees to the floor. Raise your left hand as high as you can and twist slightly to your right, looking over your right shoulder and reaching over your head. You should feel a stretch in the left hip flexor as well as your abs. Perform 2 sets of 30 seconds and then switch sides.
#3) 50-Rep “Rhythm” Squats :o :o :o – This is a little-known exercise we usually bust out about 3 weeks before one of our athlete’s would be getting tested in the vertical. You would always start your workout with this exercise and you will only perform one all-out work set after a good warm-up. Try to go as heavy as possible for your one set. A good goal is 90 - 100% of what your max full squat is. Basically, you will perform 50 quarter-squats as fast as possible. Due the first 10 reps exploding onto your toes, then on reps 11-20 keep your heels down on the way up, then, explode onto your toes again while performing reps 21-30, keep your heels down for reps 31-40 and then finish the final 10 reps by exploding onto your toes again. It helps to have a partner count out loud so you can perform all 50 reps as fast as possible without breaking momentum. This is a great exercise for athletes with a poor elastic component. It is also a bitch!
WARNING: You may not be able to feel your legs when you’re done. TOUGH SH*T! Do them anyway! They work.
Note: You can also do this exercise with bands attached to the bar. This will help in the same way we explained with the box squats (by accelerating the eccentric portion of the lift). The bands also help in this exercise because they hold the bar down on your neck. Anyone who has done this exercise knows one of the drawbacks is that the bar has a tendency to bounce up and down on your neck once you get the “rhythm” of the set going. The downward pull of the bands helps to prevent the slightly uncomfortable feeling of a heavy barbell exploding up and down on your cervical spine!
#4 Snatch Grip Deadlifts – This exercise is basically a regular deadlift, yet you use a “snatch” grip. By taking this wider grip, you must get deeper “in the hole” when lowering the weight to the floor, thus further recruiting the posterior chain (hamstrings, glutes and low back). Snatch grip deads are ungodly in their ability to strengthen the posterior chain and is a great foundation exercise to be used when training for the vertical. This exercise will put slabs of muscle on your glutes, hamstrings, spinal erectors, forearms and upper back. The only problem with this exercise is it makes sitting on the toilet very challenging the day after performing it.
#5) Depth Jumps – A depth jump or shock jump is performed by stepping off a box and then exploding upward immediately upon landing on the ground. We use boxes of varying heights, depending on the level of athlete we’re training. By stepping off a box, the muscles are rapidly stretched upon landing, which enables them to contract harder and faster when exploding upward (similar to what we were talking about with the box squats and the bands). The goal of this exercise is to spend the least amount of time on the ground as possible. We like to use .15 seconds as a guide. If the athlete spends any longer on the ground, it is no longer a true plyometric exercise because the amortization phase is too long. If performed properly, we have found this exercise to be very effective. The problem is that most athletes and coaches that perform this exercise don’t follow these rules. If an athlete crumbles like a deck of cards upon hitting the ground and then takes 5 minutes to jump back into the air; the box is either too high or the athlete isn’t advanced enough to be performing the exercise.
We usually start with a 6” box and work up to a 24” box with our more advanced athletes. Again, don’t get too crazy with the height of the box. Time and time again we hear of some super athlete who does depth jumps off of the roof of his house or some other BS. We’re not impressed. Remember that choosing a box that is too high can end up defeating the point of the exercise by increasing ground contact time.
#6) Reverse Hyperextensions – The reverse hyperextension machine was made popular in this country by powerlifting guru Louie Simmons of Westside Barbell in Columbus, Ohio. He has a patent on the original reverse hyper model. This is the one we have at our facility and it’s probably the most frequently used machine in our gym. Why is this, you ask? Because the friggin’ thing works! We don’t know of any other machine that works pure hip extension in such a synchronized manner – hitting the hamstrings, glutes, and spinal erectors all during the course of one rep. It also works as traction for the low back during the lowering of the weight. The bottom line is that if you want to run fast and jump high, then you should have one of these in your gym. We can’t say enough about this machine. All of our athletes use it – no matter what their sport, age, or training goal. It can be ordered through Elite Fitness Systems at www.eliteFTS.com.
#7) Dumbell Swings – This is one of those “old school” exercises you don’t see too often anymore. To perform this exercise, first grab a dumbell with both of your hands (use a hand over hand grip or interlock your fingers of both hands). Set your feet as if you were about to perform a squat, while holding the dumbell in front of you. Squat down and let the dumbell drop between your legs. Keep your back arched as you descend down and look straight ahead. Once you reach the full squat position, immediately explode up by extending at the hips, while simultaneously flexing at the shoulders and raising the dumbell above your head. Keep your elbows straight. This exercise “kills 2 birds with 1 stone” as it works pure hip extension as well as your front delts in a synchronized, explosive manner. This is exactly what happens when you perform a vertical jump. You can perform this exercise with a box under each foot for added range of motion.
Note: As you swing the dumbell upward, DO NOT leave go of it! Throwing the dumbell forward would not be a bad exercise, but we think it may piss the owner of your gym off.
#8) Bulgarian Split Squats – This is basically a single leg squat, with the non-working leg elevated on a bench behind you. Perform this exercise by holding a dumbell in each hand, descend until the back knee touches the floor and then explode back up to the start position. This exercise will crush the glutes and VMO (the quadriceps muscle on the inside of your knee) of the front leg, while stretching the hip flexor of the back leg. Remember what we said about the importance of flexible hip flexors with regards to your jumping ability? Well, this exercise makes our “Fab 15” list of exercises due to the fact it promotes strength AND flexibility in the specific muscles used in jumping. Also, because it is a unilateral movement, it helps to correct muscular imbalances that may exist in the athlete’s legs.
#9 “Pogo Jump” Warm-up – This is a warm-up we use before many of our lower body strength workouts, plyo workouts and speed workouts. It is not only a great warm- up, but we believe this “warm-up” may actually increase your vertical jump in and of itself! But first, let us describe exactly what a pogo jump is, anyway. A pogo jump is performed by jumping off of the ground by just springing off your ankles. While you’re in the air you want to dorsiflex your ankles, a.k.a. “pull your toes up”. You also must prevent your heels from ever touching the ground. The key to this exercise lies in your ability to keep your knees locked while jumping and landing on and off the ground, as well as spending the least amount of time on the ground as possible. Be sure not to flex at the hips, either. Many times when athletes perform this exercise their feet kick uncontrollably out in front of themselves. Don’t let this happen! Your whole body should remain in a perfectly straight line, with the exception of your ankles dorsiflexing while you’re in the air. We do both low and high pogo jumps in our warm-up. The technique remains exactly the same except for the height differences, of course. Low pogo jumps should be performed for speed. You only want to jump about 1” – 2” off the ground, but try to perform as many reps as possible in the required time. The goal of the high pogo jumps is to get as much height as possible by just springing off of your ankles during each jump. Pogo jumps are an incredible exercise that trains the Achilles tendon for elasticity. This will help to prevent ankle injuries as well as increase explosiveness. Here’s the warm-up we use…
A. Low Pogo Jumps – 3 sets of 20 seconds, rest 30 seconds between each set
B. High Pogo Jumps – 3 sets of 20 seconds, rest 30 seconds between each set
10) Trap Bar Deadlifts, off a 4” box – Trap bars are diamond-shaped bars that allow you to perform deadlifts and shrugs by standing inside the bar, as opposed to having the bar in front of you. This puts less stress on the low back/spine. Many athletes feel much more comfortable using these bars as opposed to straight bars while deadlifting. Because of this, we feel that they are a great tool for all athletes - young and old. We have gotten many athletes who swore they would never deadlift again, to start deadlifting because of the trap bar. One thing we like to due is have our athletes trap bar deadlift while standing on a 4” box. Once again, by increasing the range of motion, the hamstrings are further activated. This will greatly help your running and jumping ability. You can use various box heights, yet we’ve found 4 inches to be great for increasing the range of motion while not causing a breakdown in the athlete’s form.
11) Standing Backward Medicine Ball Throw – This exercise is similar in nature to the dumbell swing, but by using a medicine ball you can actually release the object you’re holding, thus producing more explosive power. (This is because you don’t have to worry about decelerating the weight.) To perform this exercise, hold a med ball in front of you, bend forward, and then toss it up and over your head, behind you, to a partner. This is another exercise that links the lower and upper body in a synchronized, explosive manner. This is vertical jump specific.
Don’t use a med ball that’s so heavy you can barely get it over your head. But don’t use something that’s so light you toss it into another zip code, either. Use common sense, huh. Our athletes usually use med balls they can toss anywhere from 10 – 20 yards. Once all of your throws start going beyond 20 yards, you’re ready to graduate to a heavier ball.
12) Power Clean/Power Snatch – We like the Olympic lifts in that we feel they teach the athlete to maximally “turn on” the higher threshold (type IIB) motor units. This is due to the fact that you cannot perform a max power clean or power snatch slowly. If you move too slow you will miss the lift. We do feel there is somewhat of a learning curve involved in being explosive and if an athlete never learned to “turn on” maximally, they would be much less likely to do so during their vertical jump – or any other athletic movement. Besides being explosive by nature, both of these exercises require a strong posterior chain (which you should now be sick of hearing about), with the power snatch involving the entire extensor chain. You should now know this is one of the major requirements for an exercise to make our Fab15 list.
13) Weighted Ab Work – Your “core” (abs & low back) is the link from your lower to upper body. It is also responsible for the transference of force from your lower to upper body. Basically, your arms and legs can be strong as hell but if you have a marshmallow in the middle you will never completely benefit from your limb strength. The vertical jump is one of the ultimate examples of this. So don’t sell yourself short by only training your arms and legs. Hit the abs hard, too. This doesn’t mean 3 sets of 10 cruches at the end of you’re workout, either. We like weighted crunches on a Swiss ball, standing rotational work using high and low cables and medicine ball training. Remember that your abs just may be the missing “link” to that big jump!
14) Push Jerk – This is another great exercise that has been highly correlated with the vertical jump. When doing push jerks, we have our athletes place their feet about hip-width apart. We have them start with the bar resting on the front of their shoulders, with their hands OPEN. By starting with the hands open, they will be more likely to initiate the movement with their legs. Start the movement by dipping down and then explode up onto your toes, while pushing the bar overhead. Finally, bend the knees, bring your heels down and hold the bar overhead for a second. Lower the bar and then repeat the movement. This is another great example of an exercise in which the power is initiated by the lower body and then finished off with the upper body. Once again, this is vertical jump specific.
15) Vertical Jumps – No, this is not a misprint. One of the best ways to improve your vertical jump is to practice vertical jumping! We have had many athletes come to us with great strength, speed and flexibility, yet they had horrible verticals. This is because their jumping technique stunk! We have made as much as a 3” improvement in just minutes of working with some athletes, not by showing them how to cheat, but by correcting their form. Hopefully, after reading through this manual, you will know what proper form is. Then, once you have the form down and start working on the recommended exercises, you will possess eye-popping jumping ability!
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Dirty Tricks for Higher Vertical Jumps
by Joe DeFranco
Original Link: http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance/dirty_tricks_for_higher_jumps;jsessionid=E153395842C86871A14061FA583FFA91-hf.hydra
I’ve been called a wide variety of names over the past couple of years. These names have ranged from "guru" to "cheater." Frankly, I don’t give a damn what people call me. The bottom line is that I get results with my athletes.
Some people admire this; others get jealous and choose to ridicule my methods. Some of my methods are mainstream and other times I have to dig into my bag of "dirty tricks" to get the desired result. Training athletes for the vertical jump test is no exception. I get more questions each week regarding the vertical jump than any other training topic. Most athletes seem to be obsessed with their vertical jump. This is where I come in.
Below you’ll find some of my favorite coaching "tricks" that I guarantee will improve your vertical jump. These underground techniques have helped over 2-dozen of my athletes jump over 35" on this popular athletic test. Some may call these techniques trickery; others may call them smart coaching. Call them what you want, they work!
DIRTY TRICK #1 — STATIC STRETCH THE HIP FLEXORS BEFORE TESTING YOUR VERTICAL JUMP!
This dirty trick works so well it gives me chills! Well, not really but it’s damn effective.
Have you ever noticed that the day after you’ve performed a lot of jumping that your hip flexors were sore? I’ve personally pulled hip flexor muscles while testing my vertical jump. What I eventually figured out was that the rapid, full body extension that followed the rapid descent into the jump was tearing them up. After further analysis, one could conclude that if these muscles were getting torn up, that meant that they were probably resisting the height of the jump.
Hopefully we’re all well aware that static stretching isn’t recommended before any explosive activity. Static stretching your hip flexors before testing your vertical jump is the exception to the rule! You see, since the hip flexors aren’t prime movers in jumping and they tend to resist our jump, the goal is to weaken them and put them to "sleep" before jumping. Static stretching accomplishes these goals. Static stretching your hip flexors will create less friction during your jump. Less hip flexor friction during your jump equals higher vertical jump heights!
Below is one of my favorite hip flexor stretches, but go ahead and choose your favorite and perform 2 sets of 20-30 seconds on each side.
NOTE: The hip flexor stretch pictured below is a great stretch to perform before squatting as well. It will help you get deeper into your squats as well as prevent getting pulled forward during squatting. Give it a try!
DIRTY TRICK #2 — STRENGTHEN YOUR FLEXOR HALLUCIS LONGUS!
The flexor hallucis longus is the least known of all the "jumping muscles." Don’t get me wrong, this muscle isn’t going to improve your vertical jump as much as well-developed hamstrings, glutes, and spinal erectors; but this is an interesting muscle that can make a noticeable improvement in your jumping ability.
The flexor hallucis longus originates on the lower two-thirds of the fibula and inserts on the distal phalanx of the great toe. It plantar flexes the foot and also flexes the great toe. These muscle actions are an integral part of the vertical jump as well as sprinting. Getting this often-overlooked muscle stronger can be that added inch on your vertical jump that you thought was impossible.
The best way to train this muscle in the weight room is by performing single leg calf raises while holding a dumbell. (See pictures below.) When performing this exercise, try to keep most of your weight on the big toe of the working leg.
Crunching your toes in your sneakers/shoes while at work or school is another "economical" way of strengthening these muscles. Try 3-4 sets of 20 reps. No one will ever know!
Crunching a towel up in your toes while watching TV or working on the computer is another way to train these muscles without wasting any extra time.
DIRTY TRICK #3 — FOCUS ON RAPIDLY DESCENDING INTO YOUR JUMP!
Most athletes focus so much on the "jump" portion of jumping that they forget the importance of the descent of the jump. Through extensive research and observation, I’ve found that the speed of the descent is the most important factor in an athlete’s vertical jump height.
The bottom line is that the faster you can descend, the higher you will jump. Sir Isaac Newton’s 3rd Law of Motion supports this statement. It states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Knowing this, we can conclude that the faster we can descend into our jump, the faster we can take off. This translates into an explosive, jaw-dropping jump. Unfortunately, time and time again, I feel like I can go out to lunch and come back in the amount of time it takes an athlete to descend into his/her jump. If you want to jump through the roof, you must practice descending rapidly.
In order to perfect the descent, you must set up in the perfect position. Your vertical jump position should resemble that of an Olympic diver standing on a diving board. Your arms should be fully extended over your head, eyes looking upward to where you’ll be jumping, your back should be slightly arched and you should be standing on your toes. This position puts all of your muscles on stretch and sets you up for an explosive descent. Remember that an optimally stretched muscle can contract faster/harder.
Start the descent by throwing your arms down to your hips. As the arms fire downward, your head/neck will flex forward as your trunk and knees flex as well. In the bottom position, your hands should be slightly behind your hips, trunk flexed slightly forward and your knees bent at about 15-20 degrees. (Don’t get too caught up with the angle of your knees. Always remember that the angle of knee flexion is NOT as important as the speed in which you descend.) You are now ready to take off into a record-setting jump!
DIRTY TRICK #4 — PEAK FOR YOUR VERTICAL JUMP BY PERFORMING 50-REP RHYTHM SQUATS! :o :o :o
This is one of the dirtiest, sneakiest, and toughest exercises you’ll ever perform. It’s great for training the elastic component of your muscles along with the Achilles tendon.
I use 50-rep rhythm squats as a "peaking" exercise. My athletes perform this exercise once a week for 3 weeks before being tested in the vertical jump. The last "rhythm-squat" workout would be completed 4-6 days before being tested in the vertical jump. 50-rep rhythm squats would always be the first exercise of the workout. After a proper warm-up, you’ll perform one all-out set of this exercise. After this exercise is completed, I usually like performing another explosive exercise such as box jumps, push jerks, etc.
This exercise is done by performing 50 quarter-squats as fast as possible. Do the first 10 reps exploding onto your toes; then, on reps 11-20 keep your feet flat on the way up; explode onto your toes again while performing reps 21-30; keep your heels down for reps 31-40, and then finish the final 10 reps by exploding onto your toes again. It helps to have a partner count out loud so you can perform all 50 reps as fast as possible without breaking momentum.
I also like using a green Jump-Stretch band around the bar (see pics below) for two reasons: First of all, the band helps to accelerate the eccentric portion of the lift. This will further work the elastic component of your muscles and train your body to rapidly descend. Secondly, due to the explosive nature of the exercise, the bar has a tendency to bounce up and down on your cervical spine. This doesn’t tickle! The bands help to hold and stabilize the bar on your neck.
*Reps 1-10, 21-30 & 41-50. Athlete explodes onto his toes at the top of the movement.
*Reps 11-20 & 31-40. Athlete keeps his heels down at the top of the movement.
DIRTY TRICK #5 — WEAR TRACK WAFFLES WHEN TESTING YOUR VERTICAL!
Proper shoe wear just might be the most overlooked component of the vertical jump. DO NOT wear an old pair of running sneakers because you feel that they’re "broken in" and comfortable. This type of sneaker is the worst thing you can put on your feet when jumping! These "comfortable" sneakers actually dampen the forces that you put into the ground. This, in turn, lengthens the time that you spend on the ground. Picture that as you rapidly descend into your jump, the foot collapses slightly and absorbs force. This dissipation of force can reduce the height of the jump.
I have my athletes wear light sneakers with a rigid sole and maximal arch support. This type of sneaker supports the first metatarsal, which is crucial to your jumping performance. I have found that track waffles are the best shoes for vertical jumping. Waffles are firm and very light. This allows for a rapid descent and take-off with maximal support. I also recommend that my athletes purchase waffles that are half a size too small. This prevents their feet from moving around in the shoe. Remember that these shoes aren’t meant for comfort; they’re meant for a world-class vertical jump!
Hopefully, this combination of training methods and "tricks" will have you jumping so high that you can grab a dollar bill off the top of the backboard and make change before descending. Okay, maybe that’s a little too ambitious a goal. Still, using these time-tested methods should have you jumping considerably higher than your current best.
Joe DeFranco has coached over 2-dozen college and professional athletes who have vertical jumped over 35". This is only one of the reasons that Joe is one of the country’s most highly sought-after performance enhancement specialists. Professional athletes from all over the country flock to New Jersey to train with Joe. This is due to his uncanny ability to improve all aspects of athletic performance. Joe trains countless NFL football players, major league baseball players, Olympic athletes and hundreds of college and high school athletes from all sports. For more information on Joe DeFranco check out his website at www.DeFrancosTraining.com.
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White Men Can Jump!
8 Weeks to a Killer Vertical.
by Ian King
Original Link: http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance/white_men_can_jump
One of the most common questions we receive here at Testosterone is, "How do I improve my vertical jump?" Go ask the average coach and he'll tell you to buy one of those goofy jumping-shoe devices. We decided to do one better and ask Ian King, a coach who's helped some of the world's top athletes improve this very skill. So if you have the "ups" of a fat grandma, then this is the program for you. In fact, this is a great lower body program for anyone wanting to improve strength, size and stability.
So you want to improve your vertical jump, huh? Okay, let's do it! The following program is a four-stage plan that'll give you improvements in your vertical jump you'd only previously dreamed of! Each stage should be used for somewhere between two to six weeks, depending upon how fast you adapt. Basically, if you stop making gains, move on to the next stage.
You may consider taking at least a half recovery week after each stage and you may also want to apply my progressive intensity method if you choose to use each stage for more than two weeks. That means you should leave a few reps "in the hole" the first couple of weeks of each stage. During the last week of each stage, you can give it all you've got and train to failure, or at least very close to it.
Pre-program Testing
If we're going to be objective with our analysis of results, then we need to start with a pre-program assessment of your vertical. If you have access to high-tech jump assessment pads or the old Vertec device, then go ahead and use them. Just make sure to use the same device for post-testing.
For those who don't have access to these testing devices, here's what you need to do. Get some chalk, a long tape measure, and a flat firm surface at the base of a high, smooth wall. Now stand side-on to the wall with your dominant hand up the wall, palm in contact with the surface. Don't over or under-reach. Mark the top of the fingers, then measure from the ground to this mark. This is your base.
Now chalk up the fingertips of the dominant hand and stand side-on to the wall again. If you're right handed, your right shoulder will be closer to the wall and vice-versa. From a two foot, parallel stance, stationary start, jump up and mark the wall with the chalk on your fingers. Take a minute or so to rest and repeat. Do this until you no longer get any higher, then measure the distance from the base (the first fingertip mark) to the highest mark you made while jumping. This is your score.
Goal Setting
Now that you've written the score down, I want you to also write down a goal score. If you have no clue on this, I'm going to say to aim for a 10% improvement. Write this goal score down and place it in a prominent place, ideally where you'll see it in your daily routine.
Training Program Overview
For strength training, you'll do three to four sessions a week, at least half of which will be devoted to lower body training. Exercises will be a mixture of small muscle or isolated exercises, and slow or controlled speed compound movements. We'll also use some low level jumping drills at the end of the two lower body workouts each week.
For on-court training, I want you participating in specific sport skills training, but keep the volume and intensity low, like training twice a week for thirty minutes. As for what I call "off-court, field energy system training" (like doing extra cardio), I'd suggest either skipping it completely or doing only one session per week. If you're doing this to drop fat, then look to your diet instead and eat smarter!
Stage 1
Stability, General Strength and Hypertrophy Dominant.
Back Squat — Medium stance/high bar
Position: Bar high on back, grip close to shoulders, elbows down, shoulder width stance
Warm-up: 1 x 10, 1 x 8
Work sets: 2 x 6
Speed: 321*
Rest: 2 to 3 minutes
Back Squat — Narrow stance/high bar
Position: Bar high on back, grip close to shoulders, elbows down, feet six inches apart
Warm-up: nil
Work sets: 1 x 10-12
Tempo: 311
Rest: 2 minutes
Squat — Single leg
Position: Stand on one leg with the other leg out in front of you so your heel is off the ground. Hold on to something with one hand but don't use it to pull yourself up. Use a range that allows you to get between 10 and 15 reps.
Warm-up: nil
Work sets: 1 x AMRP (as many reps as possible)
Tempo: 311
Rest: 1 to 2 minutes
One-Leg Bench Squat
Position: Stand on one leg with the other leg up on a bench behind you. Assume a stance that allows the lead leg to stay in the same plane as the toe and heel of that same foot (in other words, don't have your knee travelling in an angle that's inconsistent with the way your foot is positioned). Aim to take the back knee to almost touching the ground. Perform the movement either holding dumbbells or with your hands on your head. If you can get 15 reps without weight, then add dumbbells. If you can get 15 with dumbbells, then increase the weight.
Warm-up: nil
Work sets: 1 x AMRP
Tempo: 311
Rest: 1 to 2 minutes
Squat — Single leg standing on low block
Position: Stand on one leg on a low block with the other leg off the side of the block. Bend the support leg until the other foot brushes but doesn't rest on the ground, then stand back up. Add dumbbells when you can get 20 reps per leg. If you can get 20 reps with dumbbells then increase the weight.
Warm-up: nil
Work sets: 1 x AMRP
Tempo: 311
Rest: 1 to 2 minutes
Calf Press — Standing, single leg
Position: Stand on one leg with the ball of the foot on the edge of a block. Hold on to a vertical frame with one hand for balance. With the free hand hold on to a dumbbell if needed. If you can get 20 reps per leg, then you'll need to add dumbbells. If you can get 20 reps with dumbbells, then, you guessed it, use heavier dumbbells!
Warm-up: nil
Work sets: 1 x AMRP
Tempo: 311
Rest: 1 to 2 minutes
On-off Box Jumps — Single leg
Position: Stand on one leg, facing a low bench or box (ideally, use a Reebok step as it's very adjustable). Jump up on top of the box and land on the same leg, pausing to confirm balance for two seconds. Then jump off and land on the same leg, again pausing for two seconds to confirm balance. If you do two reps in a row with good balance in both the on-box and on-ground landings, raise the box by the smallest progression.
Warm-up: nil
Work sets: 1 x 10 per leg per on-box and on-ground landings
Rest: 1 to 2 minutes
Stage 2
Hypertrophy and Maximal Strength Dominant.
Back Squat — Medium stance/medium bar
Position: Bar medium on back (not too high or too low), grip close to shoulders, elbows down, shoulder width stance
Warm-up: 1 x 10, 1 x 8, 1 x 5
Work sets: 1x 5, 1 x 1, 1 x 5, 1 x 1, 1 x 10-15
Speed: 301
Rest: 3 minutes
Dynamic Lunge
Position: Bar on back, one foot out in front of the other, back foot angled in, weight on toes. "Dynamic" means that you'll push off the working leg each rep and bring it back up beside the other leg.
Warm-up: 1 x 6 per leg
Work sets: 1 x 10 per leg
Tempo: 311
Rest: 2 minutes
Calf Press — Standing, two legs
Position: Use both legs this time in a standing calf press machine
Warm-up: 1 x 12
Work sets : 1 x 10-12
Tempo : 311
Rest: 1-2 minutes
In-depth Jumps — Both legs
Position: You'll need two boxes for this one. Stand on both legs on a low box. Step off with one leg, land with two, and jump up onto another, higher box. Spend as little time on the ground as possible (if you're too slow off the ground, the box is too high). Step back to the lower box to start each rep.
Warm-up: 1 x 10 per leg on very low boxes
Work sets: 1-2 x10 per leg per on higher boxes
Rest: 1-2 minutes
Stage 3
Maximal Strength/Explosive Power Dominant.
Back Squat — Medium stance/medium bar
Position: Bar medium (not low on the back, not high, but medium on the back, grip away from shoulders, elbows back, shoulder width stance
Warm-up: 1 x 10, 1 x 8, 1 x 5
Work sets: 1 x 4, 1 x 3, 1 x 2
Speed: 201
Rest: 3 to 4 minutes
Quarter Squat
Position: As above but with 10 to 30% more loading. Only lower yourself about one-fourth of the way down.
Warm-up: nil
Work sets: 1 x 3
Tempo: 201
Rest: 3 to 4 minutes
Explosive Squats
Position: As per the first squat, but attempt to come up as fast as possible. Use less weight to allow for greater explosiveness.
Warm-up: nil
Work sets: 1 x 6
Tempo: 20X (Lower the weight to a two second count, no pause, explode up)
Rest: 3 minutes
Jump Squats
Position: As per the first squat, but with minimal loading. Bend the knees as little as you can before jumping in the air as high as you can. Land on bent knees to absorb the shock.
Warm-up: nil
Work sets: 1 x 8
Tempo: 10X
Rest: 2 to 3 minutes
Depth Jumps — Both legs
Position: Again, you'll need two boxes. Stand on both legs on a box. Step off with one leg, land with two and jump up onto a box of the same height. Spend as little time on the ground as possible. Turn on that box and repeat.
Warm-up: 1 x 8 on low boxes
Work sets: 1-2 x 8 on higher boxes
Rest: 1 to 2 minutes
Stage 4
Explosive Power/Speed Strength Dominant.
Back Squat — Medium stance/medium bar
Position: Bar medium on back, grip away from shoulders, elbows back, shoulder width stance
Warm-up: 1 x 10, 1 x 8, 1 x 5
Work sets: 1 x 3
Speed: 201
Rest: 4 minutes
Depth jumps — Both legs with external load
Position: Stand on both legs on a box. Step off with one leg, land with two and jump up onto a box of the same height. As always, spend as little time on the ground as possible. Turn on that box and repeat. Ideally have a weighted vest on or at least hold a medicine ball or weight plates in your hands. Just remember that negating arm action by holding weight will lower your apparent jumping height ability, which means you need to review your box heights.
Warm-up: 1 x 6 on low boxes
Work sets: 1 x 6 on higher boxes
Rest: 2 to 3 minutes
Depth jumps — Both legs with bodyweight only
Position: As per above but no external load. Ideally raise the height of the boxes for this set.
Warm-up: nil
Work sets: 1 x 6 on higher boxes
Rest: 2 minutes
Specific jump — As per sport requirement
Position: Select one jumping style (one leg take off, three step entry, two leg take-off etc.) and do that specific jump.
Warm-up: nil
Work sets: 2 x bodyweight at 6 reps
Rest: 2 minutes
Your goal is to do two sets with the aim of going slightly heavier in each set without losing any explosiveness in the lifts.
Note of Caution
As the volume increases in the jumping drills, it's important to avoid any of the potential problems. Minor concerns such as shin soreness can be avoided by selecting a "firm yet forgiving" surface. More serious problems such as muscle tears can be avoided by not exceeding your speed-strength potential. In other words, if you're unable to show extreme quickness off the ground, the box height is too high. Do not underestimate the importance of this guideline.
Be Like Mike
There you have it, a complete program to help you fly like Michael Jordan! Okay, maybe not, but if you follow this program correctly, you'll certainly see some fantastic gains in jumping ability. Good luck!
* Tempo refers to how fast you do the movement. The first number refers to how many seconds you should take to do the lowering part of the exercise. The second number refers to how long of a pause you should take before raising the weight. The third number refers to how many seconds it should take to raise the weight. An "X" means that you should do the movement explosively.
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Vertical Jump Training with Michael Jordan's Former Trainer.
Original Link: http://magazine.stack.com/TheIssue/Article/1102/Vertical_Jump_Training_with_Michael_Jordans_Former_Trainer.aspx
The words scroll by at www.attackathletics.com, the Internet home of the renowned Hoops Gym and Tim Grover, a near-cult figure among the NBA's elite players, as the world-famous slam-dunking superstar displays his prowess on the screen. Figured it out yet?
Tim Grover has been the exclusive trainer of Michael Jordan—yes "the" Michael Jordan—since 1989. Recognized as the "trainer to the pros," Grover has worked with tons of NBA superstars from other all-time greats like Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon and Scottie Pippen to rising stars like Dwayne Wade. Grover has even trained greats from other sports, including Alex Rodriguez and Simeon Rice.
What does all this have to do with you? Grover's company, A.T.T.A.C.K. Athletics Inc., revealed all its tips and lessons in a book published a few years back, "Jump ATTACK." The book was called "The most advanced and complete publication on 'how to increase your vertical jump and explosiveness' ever published." If you haven't read it yet, don't worry—we've got the inside information on "Jump ATTACK" and Grover's innovative training methods.
You might find Grover's basketball training philosophy unique because his main training focus is injury prevention. What about explosive power, strength and endurance? "We don't care how high a guy jumps, how fast he runs or how well he shoots the ball. If he can't stay healthy, he is not going to do himself or his team any good," answers Grover. Of course, Grover's programs improve explosiveness, speed and basketball skills, but if you don't have your health, you don't have anything—injury prevention is the foundation.
With that foundation established, you need a BIG vertical. A vertical that can help you get off your shot, get to the basket and get double-digit rebounds. But the vertical goes beyond game situations. According to Grover, "The vertical is an assessment of athletic ability. There is a correlation between how high you can jump, how fast you can run and how quickly you can move laterally. The muscles that are used in a vertical jump are used in these movements." In other words, a good vert equals a good athlete.
If you want to be a better athlete, then improve your vertical jump. We know. It's not that easy. And according to Grover, most programs that claim to increase your vert are bunk. "Most programs don't work because they don't address the biomechanics of jumping and how to take the weight training and plyometrics and translate it to athletic movements," he says.
How is Grover's program different? "The other programs focus on either weight training, plyometrics or stretching. In order for it to be a successful program, you need to combine all three, and we combine the three in our program."
This philosophy of vertical training, which is explained in "Jump ATTACK," incorporates extensive sequence training, which is a method of training that involves weight training, plyometrics and stretching. "When you combine the three together, we are actually training the mind and body for the muscle to work the way it is supposed to work in a game because now it knows why it is doing the weight training, plyometrics and stretching," Grover says. If you want to "train like Mike," here's a sample sequence Grover provided for you to incorporate into your training program—but if you want more, you'll have to get a copy of "Jump ATTACK" from www.attackathletics.com
Perform 1 to 2 sets of the following sequence, twice per week.
As you progress, advance to three sets twice per week. Do not over-train! Take it from Grover: "The sequence is so intense that your muscles need at least two days of recovery in-between. If you were to do this sequence on a Monday, you would not repeat it until Thursday or possibly Friday. If you perform this sequence three times per week, you will do more damage than good." Alter some aspect of the sequence (the exercises, the amount of weight used or the rest time) every four weeks. If you are not comfortable with the back squat, perform a leg press movement instead.
Weight training exercise:
Back squat for 30 seconds
Grover's comments:
"We don't use reps, we use time. It's not about how much you lift. It is all about how fast you can move the weight.
Rest: One minute
Plyometric exercise:
Squat jump for 6 to 10 reps
Grover's comments:
"Place hands on the ground between legs and jump up from this position. Explode using your arms. When you come back down, explode as quickly as possible back up. Spend as little time with your feet on the ground as possible. Go for speed and height."
Rest: None
Stretching exercise:
Standing quad stretch for 30 seconds
Rest: Three minutes then repeat the sequence
Tim Grover ’s Top 3 Training Tips
It is not the amount of weight that you lift; it is how quickly you lift it.
On the plyometrics, it isn't the height that matters; it is the amount of time that you spend on the ground.
Stretch, stretch, stretch.
Give Grover's sequence training a try, and if your thirst isn't quenched get a hold of his book to really take your training to the next level. Grover's slogan is "Even the best athletes can get better." So, if you are looking to improve your athletic performance, Grover just might have the program for you.
(STACK Note: Remember, when attempting to improve your vertical, there is no quick fix. Be wary of programs that claim to increase your vert by 12 inches in six weeks. According to Grover, increasing your vertical "takes time, effort and dedication.")
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The Vertical Jump Development Bible.
PDF download: EDIT: can't link pay4programs like that
(http://i45.tinypic.com/1zl56c9.jpg)
Plus kellyb is an active poster on this site.
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he really needs to start cracking down on shit like that