Adarq.org

Are you right now at the level where you can "break in" copyrighted software and crack it (if you were to put your mind to that)?

Maybe you should alternate in between the best (4 steps in LBSS's case) run-up and the "little bit worse" run-up, 5 steps in LBSS's case. So that you can kind of progress towards the longer, more reactive run-up (hopefully).

I'm of the same opinion about depth jumps. I would use a box that gives you the best jump, but also use a SLIGHTLY higher box (maybe by 10% or so) so that I can get used with the higher stimuli.

So I would alternate say a 20 inch box with a 22 inch box depth jump. Go with a 4 step run-up 5 times and with a 5 step run-up 5 times, repeat etc.

But in scooby's case, definitely what LBSS said about progressing is the best way right now.

Yeah, what I meant is that you're still getting some benefit. Of course you should work to get the maximum amount of benefit with the minimum injury risk from the bounds, but it takes time to perfect them. It's good that now you're aware of what to do.

Do you purposefully keep the belt that high? I've read about keeping the belt that high for deadlifts somewhere, but I forgot where. Maybe it was in a video by babyslayer or something.

But how do we define "reactive ability"?

To me, reactive ability means the ability to:

1) Do quick consecutive jumps without too much muscle contribution (explosive muscle isometrics, tendon contributions);
2) Coordinate yourself at high speeds generating high amounts of power;
3) Generate good triple extension in a jump after a significant prestretch has occured;
4) Generate a ton of power quickly (same as 1) - quick voluntary power generation + accumulated involuntary power (tendon deformation + additional neural activation) = a high jump = a powerful movement = win);
5) Not collapse in high speed plants (quickly lock up, similar to 1)) / make use of your calves;

And there must be others but this is what came up in my head in 20 seconds.

If you can show me how squatting accomplishes 1), 2), 3), 4) and 5), then yeah, go for squatting only.

If not, but you want to focus on strength training now since it's winter anyway, then at least do a bunch of plyos/jumps before the strength work, and stop beating yourself to death with maximal failed attempts. That's all I'm saying.

Anyway, I've talked way too much already so... whatever you choose to do, good luck.

And to add to that - what you're doing in the weightroom does not really promote hip extension and DOESN'T promote hip hyperextension AT ALL. And these two things are paramount to jumping and being athletic (and even healthy).

Could you do stuff for the actual hip extension and hyperextension in the gym? Well, yeah, you could do hip thrusts, you could do KB swings, you could do cleans and snatches.

But you could also do hip dominant plyo work (bounding, off both one and two legs) and jumping and sprinting in general. These also promote actual triple extension instead of the deceleration that occurs with squatting at the top.

So, the thing with the squat is yes, it's the best muscle builder exercise. But it's not THAT specific to jumping. It's an assistance exercise to jumping, running, sprinting etc. These are all displays of reactivity.

You don't get athletes going to a spot, taking 10 seconds to pause and take a standing vertical jump in a real life, based 100% on their squat strength. If you were training like Kingfish specifically for the standing VJ (although I don't know why, but still) - then yeah, squatting alone would kinda make sense.

But if you want to be an athlete, if you want to be able to USE all that strength in a "functional" manner - that is - jump and dunk in games, get past your defender, be able to change directions etc etc etc - then you gotta do reactive work. It's not that complicated to understand.

This is very interesting as well:

http://inno-sport.net/Get%20Your%20Bound%20Out.htm