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Well in the past the shock and collapse would've happen in the VMO area. Right now the shock and feeling of weakness when the collapse occurs happens in the lower part of the hamstring of the left leg (I can feel the part just above the knee stiffen up and giving up and the knee goes forward). So interestingly enough, the quad doesn't feel overload but instead that ^^^ happens.

So, like I said, maybe the hamstring contracts eccentrically to prevent hip collapse and as the hamstring contracts the quad needs to relax - and this leads to the knee going forwards.

Because the hip can collapse too (get too low) and maybe that's happening. No idea if I'm right or not.

Lance was hinting towards the hamstring not being able to maintain the same length during the plant if I'm right but still, what does that have to do with the knee? Maybe if the hamstring contracts more on the knee end then knee flexion occurs and that's it - the knee goes forward and collapses into the jump.

You can definitely have simulaneous contractions of your quad and hams during jumping.  I think your problem lies in the recruitment patterns of your VMO and lateralis.  The low hamstring weakness/collapse makes no sense in terms of that leading to knee collapse.  Well it is an interesting note.... the hamstring is an antagonist to the knee extension in jumping, but an agonist to the hip extension you need.  Of course, the primary driver of hip extension in single leg jumping, as well as the stronger muscle is the glute group.  I suppose if your hamstrings were too active during the eccentric loading of the quad, that could lead to buckling, but whose motor programming would have them do that?  Personally, I think it is more motor patterns and inter/intramuscular coordination rather than direct strength which are leading to your problems.  How is your glute strength?  Perhaps if your glute group wasnt strong enough your hamstring would have to get recruited extra for hip extension?

Maybe try this test for me, try a track and field long jump and see what happens with your leg if it buckles.  The hamstring is going to be more active in that than a dunk attempt. 

I think I tend to fail more in a long jump than in a dunk attempt, but that's just a guess. It also depends on the amount of speed I use.

Maybe when I first started to jump I used a lot of hamstring and over time I remained "hooked" to that even though I have stronger glutes now than back then. I think there's a "big" difference when I do lunges for example, I can feel the right glute work so much better functionally than the left glute.

As for my knee - haven't done an MRI yet. Costs a lot. But it just "clicks" in the lateral side when I go from ~10 degrees to ~25 degrees of flexion. Probably (I think it is) some sort of ITB syndrome. Not sure if it is though. I can't squat high bar since after 1 or 2 reps my knee hurts like hell. But I can squat low bar.

Yesterday was my test after the first phase. I was able to get my bodyweight down to 143 from 146-147.  It felt good to be a bit leaner but I def could have been even leaner and stronger. I jumped about 1.5 to 2 inches higher than ever but I am still at least 3 to 5 inches from the rim. I think the program is effective but think it is very quadricep dominant.  I am sure that was part of the intention since much of the ability of the single leg jump is the absorption of high speed at the plant. However, I really felt it in only quads after awhile.  I followed the program to a T but last sunday I did way too much fitness stuff. I had to help a lady whose electric wheel chair broke and I pushed her about a mile. It was a helluva a workout and helped with weight loss but not ideal the week before peaking. Not sure how much that affected things since I did not jump until Friday. Legs felt it though and on the same day I did a lot of extra fitness stuff.

Any advice? I just dont have the power yet off of one leg at my weight and structure. Thanks.

Hey Matt, I can help you with switching the format around to cater to your needs, just PM me or something,.  Glad to hear about the gains you are making!  I think that training format is one of the best out there!  I am at 100 pages on my new book which is focused on that specific training block (and a ton of other things) should be done within a month!

Raptor, we need to get that knee of yours fixed up!  You can just bound on your off good leg, and maybe do a bunch of double leg stuff aside from that on the plyo days.  Honestly, you don't even have to bound a ton on the plyo days, just substitute speed work in instead, like 2x20m, 3x30m, 2x40m, and then do a bunch of double leg stuff and use the power jumper from time to time.  You can also do med ball or shot throws with powerful hip extension, that is great too.  It is more the format of the days the exercises are presented, and not quite as much the exercises themselves. 

J

I would recommend pumping up that sprint volume a bit, most american acceleration development days involve about 200-300m of total work.  I had been doing about 250m of work twice a week prior to that VJ pr I hit on video. 

I say this mostly because it will be some good training you can do without bothering your knee so much.. and break you out of the 90m training you typically do...... and I do need to also take your advice and get my squat up to 400lb

Here are the "depth jumps" off aerobic boxes:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajdhZV2ji1U" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajdhZV2ji1U</a>

not at all, I did upper body on the plyo days the last two years I did it and had no problems.  i would usually split my day up though, and do lifting in the morning and plyos in the evening or vice versa