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  The vmo can definitely be an issue, especially dependent on the training background.  Single leg squats can help if they dont aggravate the injury due to the instability, forcing the vmo to work harder and contribute more, even with reduced rom.  However, most of the time the vmo issues tend to show up in guys that have been deadlifting/box squatting/squatting high or parallel in my experience and not nearly as frequently in athletes that have been full squatting for the majority of their training.

 Its fairly rare to see someone who has been squatting full have much of an issue with the vmo, and much more common for them to have a hamstring issue, especially at the knee end of the spectrum.  High rep hamstring curls done with a high frequency are unbelievably effective for this, giving both a tonic blood flow effect to the knee and prehab as well. Doing things like rdl's and deadlifts dont work as well in this case as it tends to hit more at the hip joint rather than the knee end.


lbss brings up a good point too, be careful taking random advice on injuries from someone on the internet.  Its always good to hear different peoples experiences with similar situations, but there are a lot of people who go around reading different articles/forums online, then state what they read as fact, without any prior experience or knowledge of what they are speaking about.

 
As far as dreyth in this case, if you dont remember a specific time and place you felt the knee "give" or "shift", or any type of acute pain/injury, the odds are in favor of a tendonitis issue but thats definitely not fool proof.  The way you squat would definitely favor the vmo and overall quad development if I was making an educated guess at it, and you may very likely need to do some remedial hamstring work at the KNEE END.  If money is an issue then trying that while making sure mobility and soft tissue work is up to par first, if not then getting a professional to look at it is always a good idea.

Great info lance its much appreciated, il choose from measurable jumps like DLRVJ's, SVJ's bounding variations. and some low level pogos, hops etc. and il make sure to push them hard when i do them twice a week. if i incorporate something like hang cleans etc. what kind of set and rep range should i use?

  Something like 5 x 3, ramping weight so that the 5th set is the heaviest will work well until gains start to taper off and youre not hitting a pr each week on the last set.  Then, transition into ramping up to a daily max single, then back about 20 lbs and do 3 x 3.  The latter part of that will work for almost any lift and push the numbers up faster than just about anything you can do, but doing the triples to begin with will help you build your technique and get used to the movement.

Thanks lance, by the way my rvj is roughly 33 inches at the moment, with a 7 ft 3 standing reach i guess il need a 40-42 inch rvj to dunk so i have a long road ahead of me, but im going for it so we will see what happens. if you have any further advice it would be much appreciated. take care mate

  The thing to remember if jumping high is important to you is to keep progressing your jumps just like you keep progressing your lifts.  Its not as easy sometimes but a lot of people approach the jumps sessions with the mindset of just getting it done, and not using progressive overload in the same manner they do in the weight room.  You have to MAKE yourself go a little higher and a little higher sometimes, but its doable.

  Over time those small increases add up and turn into big increases.  As you become more and more advanced in your training you can raise the intensity of the exercises as well, but for now thats not needed and youll do well with just lifting + jumps. 

 
  You can add jumps before your workouts, if you cant get to a court you can improvise and do something indoors like svj or 2 step jumps, etc.  Low level reactive work like single leg hops, pogos, etc. are easy to do in the weight room and can be done prior to leg work or in complexes.  Try to get at least 30 jumps in regardless, 2-3 x a week.  If youre doing things like low intensity hops, the volume can be much higher, if its all out jumps then ~ 30 should do the trick.

 
  It depends vag, there is never really a "need" to learn a power clean from the floor if jumping is what you are targeting.  The first pull is just getting the bar into place for the more explosive second pull, which along with the catch, is what you are after in the exercise to begin with.  It really depends on the athlete and which one they are better at.  Its easier for a lot of guys to learn to "jump" the bar up using the hang position, in a short period of time.  Starting from the floor, youre going to see lots of jerking the bar up without getting to the positions and joint angles you want, to put them in the actual jumping position.

  You also have the option of dipping down to load the legs from the hang, that you dont get with the floor versions.  There is still a double knee bend if done correctly from the floor, but its not in the same vertical/downward vector, and is still a different movement pattern.  Both are good exercises, but a power clean from the floor is more specific to olympic lifting than it is to jumping, starting from the floor is a rule for them. 

  As long as you are jumping (explosive strength) and catching (reactive strength), a WEIGHT, a set and constant distance, any differences will be minimal.  Both are good exercises, just have to factor in what youre trying to accomplish and what the athlete is doing the exercise for in the first place.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1lYDKbkpd8" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1lYDKbkpd8</a>

Quote from: LanceSTS on January 02, 2012, 01:57:17 pm

  Avishek, you can never "drop" or "pull" yourself down into the squat as fast as you can do it with the addition of bands.

I know, I said that already.

Quote from: LanceSTS on January 02, 2012, 01:57:17 pm

  You can purposely go down faster, but if you added band tension you would increase the speed regardless, thats why reactive squats with bands are called "overspeed" squats.

Reverse band set up is also overspeed, but in the other direction. ANd because you can add more weight. So in the regular set up, the eccentric part is overspeed, concentric is... underspeed, but overforce..

Quote from: LanceSTS on January 02, 2012, 01:57:17 pm

and any time you use a reverse band set up, youre TAKING AWAY tension at the bottom, regardless of you ATTEMPTING to drop down faster, the bands are pulling upwards. 

That's why you can add more weight, and turn it into an overspeed exercise, or overforce. Furthermore, tension is not the only variable here. Power output is. Tension is simply force. Force and power training is what we are after. So jumping faster with a lighter weight produces more power output, but not necessarily more tension. Both types of training can help depending on the athlete's needs

Quote from: LanceSTS on January 02, 2012, 01:57:17 pm

 And no, I meant "tendo" when I said tendo, you need to look up words before you try and tell me what you think I meant.

Well since you're the boss you can post a link. In fact you should always post links all the time.

Quote from: JackW on January 02, 2012, 08:57:36 pm

Just some thoughts about bands and the power jumper.

I use bands in both a lightened setup with them connected to the top of the power rack, and also for accomodating resistance/increased eccentric with them connected at the bottom.  I use them in conjunction with chains and regular weights. How I use them is depends on what the person needs but in the weight room I tend to use them more in the lightened fashion (i.e. hooked to the top so they assist at the bottom of the lift and that assistance decreases as you come up).

Explain to lance why you use the reverse set up more often? I personally would use that set up more often because I like the neural aspect, it teaches you to jump faster at the top, rather than slower from the regular set up.

So instead of attaching it to your feet, you attach it to the top of the rack right? What aboutt he part that slings around your neck, how do you attach that? I'm thinking of getting one and manipulating it so I can do this.

Im lol'n so hard right now Im crying.  Maybe he puts it under their chin, you know, so they keep their head up better. llmfdsllasloaoo

The bands try to compress you while in the air i don't think that should help that much might just help you stretch to full potential thats it.

 They compress you in the air prior to a svj?  The bands are applying resistance similar to a weight vest, with the addition of kinetic energy on the eccentric. 

@lancests: what was that website you told me where i could buy cheap bands, i forgot to bookmark it very good bands and cheap it bulk.

thanks

www.westsidebarbell.com