Adarq.org

Craig,

I didn't fully do all the sprints because I thought it would lead to overtraining.   I started talking to Lance before I got into weeks 6-10 because those weeks looked like they would lead to further overtraining.  Luckily he is helping me.  Lance really hasn't commented on the numerous sprints in the vertfreak program, so I'm not really sure what he thinks, but he currently doesn't have me sprinting before workouts.  I would say that it almost certainly leads to overtraining.  As far as Vertical Mastery is concerned,  I think Jack will be a great resource for you.  I think you should ask for a refund from Adam and also explain the sprinting volume to Jack and see if he thinks that leads to overtraining.  Forget it if Adam doesn't' like you, it's his job to sell a quality product.  Secondly, I would be mad at him if I wasted 12 weeks of my training life on a program that just overtrains you.  I noticed a number of grammatical errors in the vertfreak program as well as broken links to exercises.  I don't really mind that so much, but  I am eventually going to get some more feedback on the sprints and ask for a refund if it is clearly out of line.  If there is some sort of disagreement on the topic then I will not ask for a refund.  However,  every single vertfreak copy sold has 10x100 meter uphill sprints with a "jog back recovery" before a full workout that includes max effort squats, deadlifts, and split squats.  Some talented athletes on this forum seem to think that it is clearly overtraining.

Finally, you should realize that your other accomplishments were endurance based activities.  I am not trying to discount what you have done, I am just saying that I think becoming more explosive involves a different kind of workout.  There are girls who don't train very hard who run marathons, for example.  How many girls do you know who can dunk?  Probably none.  Make sure you tell Jack how much cardio you are doing, as if you are playing pickup games too often it could ruin your results. 


I cannot clearly define what is reasonable to gain over a period of time, but gaining 1/4 an inch over 12 weeks means there is something going on with your training, diet, rest, or a combination of the three.  I cannot definitively say that the sprinting and lifting volume was the sole reason for your overtraining because I was not there to see you train, but I think that at least the sprinting portion of the program is overdone.  As you progress the inches will not come as fast, but if you train explosively (not necessarily hard) for 12 weeks then the results will come.  I think it sucks that Linkenauger isn't accessible, he didn't answer 3 of my emails.  He only answered my first email. 

Were you able to put any weight on your squats during your workouts?

JoeJoe,

She may have said that but it wasn't to me.

Hi Craig,

I wasn't trying to discount your accomplishments at all, I was just trying to say that explosiveness vs. endurance is a big issue. I was just suggesting that if you are feeling sore or tired, just take an extra day off and move everything in your workouts up a day.  Pushing through a workout will have negative effects.  One way to determine if you are overtraining is if your squat is not improving either in reps or in weight (you need not increase a 1rm, it can be a 5rm, for example).

As far as the squat is concerned, that is going to be one of the leading predictors of whether or not your vertical will increase.  If at a loss as how to increase your vertical, you can always increase the strength of your prime movers (glutes, hamstrings, posterior chain) and then the rate of force with which the strength can be applied.   Basically, improving your vertical jump comes downs to strength x quickness.  If you are moving up your squat max and then increase how quickly you can produce that force (doing olympic lifts, plyometrics, etc.) you will increase your vertical.  Obviously the optimal level on how to increase these things and the technical nature of the exercises is a much more complex matter...

However, if you aren't moving up your 1rm, 3rm, or 5rm on your squat and other lifts (deadlift, hang snatch, etc.) the base to increase your vertical isn't really there.  Your strength is the foundation for vertical jumps (like a motor in a car) and explosive and plyometric exercises are the expression of your newly found strength (like getting a tune up).  Lifting too often or being fatigued will just further break down your muscles and make recovery impossible and ruin your progress.