Hey Andrew, I have a question for you. I know your big into depth jumping. Going through the literature it doesn't seem to be clear and I wanted to get your input on this question. Clearly the literature suggests that:
1) A program involving depth jumping AND practice of the CMJ (running or standing) yields better results than one that only includes practice of CMJ.
This seems to be well supported by the evidence. However...
Do you think that the same is true in so far as:
1) A program that involves practice of CMJ and rebound jumps (eg repeated vertical jumps to a target, repeated horizontal jumps (double leg bounding, etc)
2) The same program + depth jumping. Given that the rest intervals for depth jumps were insignificant (15sec, vs 30,60) does it not seem that depth jumps would provide a lot less advantage to a program that already involves repeated jumps (of course repeated jump spacing is far smaller (1-2 seconds) and you can't depth jump with such intervals unless you have a strange stair setup...
Interested in your thoughts. Personally, I believe depth jumps provide limited help in a program that already involves a multitude of multiple jumps.
hey T0ddday. I think DJ's would still be effective in scenario 2. But it depends on what kind of volume/box heights we're using. If we incorporate DJ's with high volume (30-40 total jumps) from a high box (30-40 inches), CMJ & rebounding jumps/bounds would need to play more of an assistance role and as part of a progressively more intense warmup/build up for max intensity depth jumps. Depth jumps in this case would become the entire focus of the session. This form of incorporating depth jumps would yield the best results IMHO, but it's also the most intense & requires far more preparation/safety precautions.
If we incorporate them at lower volume, say 5-15 (3x3, 3x5 etc) total jumps from moderate to fairly high boxes (12-30"), I think they still would provide some benefit but obviously not as much as the scenario above. Instead they would serve as "prep work" if our athletes are not too experienced with them (low boxes) and a tool for strength gain (higher boxes, 24-30"). We could just inject these into a session for the most part.
The DJ itself just represents another level of intensity, so that's why I think it could still be effective in the scenario you posted. It's a method which Verkhoshansky stated would call to action the strength reserves that are protected from conscious recruitment (special and/or innately defended). By providing the supramaximal stimulus of depth jumping from high boxes, you tap into these reserves. A quote from supermethods (dammit can't copy+paste):
So, when an athlete lifts a barbell or executes an ordinary vertical jump, the effort is entirely volitional. Everything depends on his concentrated effort and the mobilization of motor potential. If the sportsman conducts a vertical take-off after a depth jump with the aim of flying up as high as possible or runs down a slight incline at maximum speed, these conditions force his central nervous and physiological systems to exceed the ordinary boundaries. The creation of such conditions in the training process is the forced intensification of the work regime which becomes a potent training stimulus.
Apparently, under these conditions, the body mobilizes any innate mechanisms designed by nature to be available for these and even more complex, extreme situations.
- reserves employed in reactive movements (15%)
- physiological reserves employed under conditions of elevated motor activity (20%)
- special reserves mobilized only under conditions of muscle performance of great intensity or long duration (35%)
- innately defended reserves mobilized only in extreme, life-threatening situations (30%)
The special and innately defended reserves are distinguished by their mobilization barrier, inhibited by the central nervous system. Overcoming this barrier under normal living conditions is precluded by a protective inhibition, which forces the body to reduce the intensity of work, or cease it.
...
Experiments conducted in my lab demonstrated that the aforementioned "protected" functional reserves of the body are inaccessible regardless of the intensity of the volutional effort without special long-term training.
...
Consequently, it is necessary to create the training conditions that will force the body to mobilize the hidden (concealed) functional reserves and to form central-nervous system mechanisms for their application, ie. to make them accessible for mobilization from a strength-of-will impulse.
-- http://www.verkhoshansky.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=bBhPjzgn%2B0A%3D&tabid=92&mid=426
So, he says you can tap into the "special reserves" through years of specialized training, which is what bounds and various jumping drills are. But, to tap into these "innately defended" reserves, you need "Super Methods", ie depth jumps or downhill sprints etc.
So, DJ in my opinion (and experience) is a much more intense tool than pretty much all of the reactive work. Incorporating it as prep work or in lower volume should provide some benefit. I've seen studies claiming benefits in a variety of protocols, but not sure if some of those studies showed benefits simply from supplementing them into an existing program full of beneficial reactive work.
Also, He never mentions single leg bounding in the same area as depth jumps, ie a super method.. if it isn't, it has to be creeping close to that spectrum though, single leg bounds are very intense.
I don't think it should be prescribed high volume + high box height in combination with lots of other work. Then I think it would actually be very detrimental & extremely risky.
On another note, i've done sessions with TONS of reactive work. Overdoing it to the max, all kinds of different varieties of things. I don't recall any of that being as intense as 4x10 depth jumps from 30". 40 total DJ's from 30" had my CNS destroyed and next-day ligaments/tendons feeling wrecked. Performing DJ's towards the second half (reps 5-10) of a set required some serious focus; it felt on the level of a max effort single in terms of how I would have to dial in. I havn't experienced that from lower volume protocols such as 3x3, 3x5 etc.
Finally.. My body is afraid of depth jumping until it's actually prepared. I can go do double leg bounds, kangaroo hops, attempt single leg bounds right now with my severe lack of prepardness.. However, if someone told me to go perform some DJ's from 30" i'd have some serious inhibition. I'd actually be afraid to do it. I could do a depth drop from 30" but I wouldn't even try a DJ from 30" right now (without prepping for several weeks). I find that interesting.
pc!!!
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