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i edited your post by accident but it's fixed! heh

This post is going to be a little long.

At this point I think I really need to get into a jumping-dominant focus because my explosiveness and movement efficiency suck ass. My strength could be better, too, but I've been working on it as a primary focus for the past, what, six months. Some okay gains in that time. I'm going to retest everything this weekend and then start the next phase. Basically looking at 4-6 weeks. Will still do max strength work once a week just to maintain (and maybe gain, who knows?).

well with the routine you posted, i don't think you really have a 'strength maintenance' portion in it.. instead, you're basically reducing fatigue & pushing those singles, so I'd assume you will experience some strength gains in those singles. you're coming off months of strength work and then doing MSEM stuff for two weeks, so that's more like a transition into 'peaking' than a maintenance stage.

most people are surprised how strong they get doing MSEM, the weight just starts flying up.

expect some gains.

Here's what I'm thinking for the next month, starting next week based on the power block from the MSEM article. Your thoughts are appreciated if you can make it through the whole thing:

Week 1
Monday upper body
warm up
SLRVJs x6-8
footwork (e.g. agility ladder)
bench 5x165, 5x175, ?x185
weighted pullups 4x3
SS1 clapping pushups 3x10
SS2 fast rope climb x3
core

Tuesday
ultimate

Wednesday lower body
warm up
SS1 KB swing 3xheavy
SS2 max-effort DLRVJ x4-6
LLLRRR bounds x5x20y
jump squats 3x3x95, max effort each rep
squat 5x245, 5x265, ?x275
DL 5x310
core

love the KB swing + ME DLRVJ complex.. i've always had good success with swing + jump complex.

the only thing I would be "wary" of in that session is the combined squat + DL.

Thursday
ultimate

Friday
total rest

Saturday lower body
warm up
max effort DLRVJ xdropoff
sprints xdropoffx40y
lots of rest (walk to gym)
squat 3x255, 3x275, ?x285
walking lunge 3x10x110
core

one of the best ways to monitor dropoff on those two exercises, would be to rotate them... ie, after a good warmup on both:

rotation:
DLRVJ's x 3
40YD-SPRINT x 1

that way you aren't training _in dropoff_ during your sprints, and then experience a further dropoff... if you get what I mean.. say you dropoff 3% on dlrvj's, then goto sprint and dropoff another 3%.. well then you're probably dropped off 6%.

with a rotation, you'll be sure you're dropping off at 3%.

that rotation is doable because 40 yard sprints aren't really going to wreck your CNS like a 100 would... so 4-5 minutes rest following the 40, would give you about 3-4 rotations, ie, 9-12 jumps, and 3-4 40's.. which is pretty optimal, especially since the sprints would be done fresh.

Sunday
warm up
low-intensity cardio (REALLY low, like a long walk or something)

Week 2
Monday
same as W1 except
bench 3x175, 3x185, ?x195

Tuesday
ultimate

Wednesday
same as W1 except
squat 3x265, 3x275, ?x295

Thursday
ultimate

Friday
total rest

Saturday
same as W1 except
squat 5x255, 3x285, ?x315

Sunday
same as W1

Week 3
Monday
same as W1 except
bench 3x5x165
bw pullups 3x3

Tuesday
ultimate

Wednesday
same as W1 except
squat jumps 1x3x95
squat MSEM 2x3

Thursday
Warm up
Steady-state cardio x30-40 mins

Friday
total rest

Saturday
same as W1 except
cut jumping/sprinting volume in half
squat MSEM 2x3

Sunday
same as W1

Week 4
Monday
test bench and weighted pull ups

Tuesday
rest

Wednesday
same as W1 except
squat MSEM 2x3

Thursday
warm up
footwork, maybe some low-intensity hops and stuff
core

Friday
total rest

Saturday
Test RVJ, SVJ, squat, DL

I think it looks pretty good... the 2 weeks of MSEM at the end prior to re-testing should work very well with how that routine is going..

even though the singles are heavy in MSEM, push them with speed, maximal acceleration.. i don't really give a guideline on the eccentric phase, as people have different preference there, but if I did it would be moderate tempo down and right before transition just blast the hell up

peace man

Thanks for the feedback. Any thoughts on adding in depth jumps, maybe replacing a squat day with moderate-intensity depth jumps? Or am I just overthinking it.

i think trying to fit them in at this point is going to make it all cluttered.. instead, you mentioned this routine might go on for "4-6 weeks", well i'd introduce low box dj's (~18") in at week 4, and intensify them through week 6.. combining MSEM + dj's, svj/rvj/sprints could be done prior (in low volume) or during other sessions.. for example:

week 4: DJ's, 2x/week: 2x5 + MSEM
week 5: DJ's, 2x/week: 3x5 + MSEM
week 6: DJ's, 2x/week: 4x5 + MSEM
week 7: test

Like I said, my calves are hurtin' from the run on Saturday and discipline on Sunday was bad. But that's okay, I can't beat myself up as bad about that as about what happened at work this morning: I had edited this research paper and it was really a godawful mess, so I made all kinds of comments (in Word) to myself like "WTF?" and "this makes my head want to explode." Then I took them all out and just left in the constructive comments. Or so I thought, because I got the response back from the person who wrote it and apparently I left in "this makes my head want to explode." Oh and that comment was selected to apply to like three entire paragraphs. In my defense, they were, and still are, totally incoherent.

Still, how fucking embarrassing is that for everyone involved. Oof.

wow, that's like a bad dream... that completely sucks.

Workout today:

Warm up
throw
not really

Work
frisbee game x2x60mins

Cool down
stretch
really

Gassed. Played inconsistent but made some sick plays, skied a lot of fools. Even if my vertical still sucks, I feel more confident and so I've been playing more aggressive, which is really good. And a dude I had been matched up against in the second game came up to me after and paid me a nice complement, basically called me a great player (which I'm not, but still, was nice) and said I was way better than him, then gave a little bit of constructive criticism. And my team won both our games. First in a walk (by like 30 points) and the second by 6 but it got real chippy in there for a while. The dudes-who-suck-but-think-they're-good got all huffy. Oh well, fun times.

Knees felt janky in the morning but no pain or soreness now, so that's good. Plus the DOMS is finally gone from my calves/soleus. Still undecided whether I'll play ultimate or hit the gym tonight. Leaning gym so I can get some LISS cardio and make up for the core work I skipped yesterday. And foam roll.

Also I scheduled a massage for next week  . Place seems super legit: http://www.pthands-on.com/. Gonna ask about my toe, trigger-point and ART in particular. And my lack of foot flexibility. Here's to having kick-ass health insurance that will pay for that shit without even a prescription from a doctor. I might not make bank working for a nonprofit, but I sure do have good benefits.

I don't know, I guess I'll find out next week. Today, instead of working out, I got drunk with coworkers. Good night everybody.

Given that I had no workout yesterday, I figured I'd go get one in tonight.

Warm up
usual

Work
jog @ easy pace x5mins
row @easy-to-moderate pace x10 mins
jog @easy pace x18mins
core circuit x3

• MB OH slam x10x14# ball
• hyper x5
• Pallof press x20x60# (10 ea side)

Cool down
stretch

Also, I figured out what's wrong with my toes. I mean, I have a name for it now. Hallux limitus. Basically my big toes have been super stiff ever since at least high school. Not sure why but it sucks, I can't do lunges or anything without shoes on and even then I have to land on the point of the shoe. I'm sure it changes my gait and how much push I can get off my toes at the end of a stride or jump. The left one hurts sometimes when I walk. And apparently it can get worse and become arthritis and even require surgery eventually. Definitely gonna bring that up with the massage therapist next week. And maybe start thinking about a podiatrist visit.