adarq, I was looking at the plants thread again and noticed your comment about having the best plants when you were mixing in more plyo type work. What would you recommend throwing in in my case? For jumps I've really just been doing the low-box ankle hops and DLRVJ. Low depth jumps? DJ-to-box-jumps? Bounds of some kind?
well, for you, I would progress slowly on REA squats, that's one of my favorite exercises for vert/power etc.. can't go all out for a while on it, just have to make sure your knee is fine etc, so i'd start off at like 25-30% 1RM for 4x3-5.
low box dj's, 18", I don't even see the need to go above 18 right now, so i'd stick with that height for 3x5 and 2x10.
jump squats, at about 25% originally, working up to 35% over a period of weeks/months.. again, 4x3-5.
so say you're doing:
Sunday:
- DJ @ 2x10
- REA @ 4x3
Thursday:
- DJ @ 3x5
- JUMP SQUAT @ 4x3
something like that..
other than that, just staying consistent, avoiding injury, improving fitness, general strength work, and jumping/general movement (ultimate) will be fine... biggest key is avoiding injury and improving "fitness", you seem to get thrown off with some of these issues that arise, which I completely understand, I had plenty of setbacks (injuries) in my 2 year vert training.
I attribute most of that "reactiveness" to the REA's/dj's/jump squats I was doing during that period, for that vid you saw.. I was REALLY focusing on those 3 exercises, bigtime.. I remember everyone going "damn your plants look way different than previous videos of recent", and it really did.. I was transitioning very well from ecc to con, and my ankles felt so strong.
One other exercise I was doing then, which I don't really recommend, it's more of an experiment, is barbell stiff leg ankle hops for high volume. For example, I was doing 50-100 reps just bouncing nice and easy stiff legged, reflexive pop, seemed to be helping with the ankles for sure but it definitely was bugging my shoulders/back a little.
peace mang