Need Help - Sports Training Routine - Jumping Focus

[surreel]

I've been working out regularly (lifting 5 days a week) for 6 months now. I've found that I've gotten in to fairly good condition. I'm 5' 10", 183 lbs, perhaps 12 - 16% body fat ( I haven't had an accurate test) and I can bench 225 x 6, deadlift 218 x 8, and squat 205 x 10. I just recovered from a shoulder injury about a month ago, and thats when I started to work out my legs more. I don't really want to have big legs, but I'd like to be able to dunk a basketball. I'd like to be overall athletic.

What I wanted to know is if anyone knew any good weekly routines where I could train to increase my vertical by about 10 inches while still doing some strength conditioning for the rest of my body?

My goal right now is to be at 6% - 8% body fat, be able to dunk a basketball with two hands, and bench 225, 20 times by the end of April of next year. So I have quite a bit of time to train. I don't need instant results.

[mitchcumstein]

Plyometrics should be your focus. But i think adding 10 inches to your vertical is not a realistic goal. 3 or 4 inches would be more likely. Need to lose more bodyfat too.

[vassille]

I agree, as u lose more body fat you will be able to jump higher since is less weight to drag around.

[surreel]

10 inches does seem like a lot, but I believe I have the build for it. I used to be able to jump about 7 inches higher than I can jump right now, but after I got married I gained 50 lbs. I've lost 30 since then, but I'm still working on it. My big concern is building up my jumping ability without sacrificing any upper body muscle.

[mitchcumstein]

If you have a sh!tty vertical to begin with then its more likely. For example going from 10 to 20 inches then yeah, its possible. But not from say 20 to 30 inches. Not gonna happen.

[surreel]

Ya, I'm not sure what my vertical is now. I do know that it is nothing like what it used to be when I was still a teen.

[BiggerGuns=LongerDrives]

Originally Posted by surreel

10 inches does seem like a lot, but I believe I have the build for it. I used to be able to jump about 7 inches higher than I can jump right now, but after I got married I gained 50 lbs. I've lost 30 since then, but I'm still working on it. My big concern is building up my jumping ability without sacrificing any upper body muscle.

I used to be able to dunk a volleyball, but what I did 15 yrs ago I surely cannot do now.....
It's called GETTING OLD. I can barely touch the rim now.

Good luck man, but 10 inches isnt happening....

[Eighth Wonder]

I can grab rim...is it realistic that adding some plyos and explosiveness training would enable me to throw it down? I've always wanted to dunk on a regulation rim.

[BiggerGuns=LongerDrives]

Originally Posted by Eighth Wonder

I can grab rim...is it realistic that adding some plyos and explosiveness training would enable me to throw it down? I've always wanted to dunk on a regulation rim.

Yeah, but you are what, 19 or 20 right? At 28, 30 or at may age (35), it's alot less likely to happen.

In my Senior year of High School I was able to dunk off an alley oop in front of the rim - or - if I had a volleyball I could dunk it with ease. My only problem was grip, just couldnt quite palm a basketball at that time.

I was best going off 2 feet.

[Eighth Wonder]

almost 22, never did any jump training though other than squatting. This summer I'm gonna add some plyos and sprints into my training, it can only help.

[BiggerGuns=LongerDrives]

I had a friend who picked up maybe 4-5 inches over the course of a summer using these....



And they work! He was about 19 maybe and he used them as directed with the video they came with (they were around $100).
He went from toucing the rim (not being able to grab and hold on) and less than 3 months later and he was just about dunking....not quite, had same issues with palming so he too needed an alley oop to get one down.

But the shoes work...I'm not sure if they do what the maker says they do or to as much as they say (see below), but I know my friend got at least 4-5 inches

* Add 5-10 inches to your vertical leap.
* Take 2/10 of a second off your 40 yard dash
* Increase anaerobic power 500%.

.

[Eighth Wonder]

I've seen them, seems like a calf injury waiting to happen...

[surreel]

Well, I'm 24 years old now. So I'm hoping that I'm not too old to dunk.

[Snaplifter]

If you want to dunk just adding plyo is not going to get you there. First off you need to be able to squat atleast 1.5 x your body weight, by that i mean be able to rep that weight not just max. Second you need to switch to a more explosive style of leg weight training by doing this you will put more focus on the fast twitch muscle in your legs which is what makes you jump.

[BiggerGuns=LongerDrives]

Originally Posted by Snaplifter

If you want to dunk just adding plyo is not going to get you there. First off you need to be able to squat atleast 1.5 x your body weight, by that i mean be able to rep that weight not just max. Second you need to switch to a more explosive style of leg weight training by doing this you will put more focus on the fast twitch muscle in your legs which is what makes you jump.

So to be able to dunk, YOU MUST BE ABLE to squat 1.5 times your body weight? Is this mandatory to sign up for the club or what? LOL

[blmoore1892]

Originally Posted by mitchcumstein

Plyometrics should be your focus. But i think adding 10 inches to your vertical is not a realistic goal. 3 or 4 inches would be more likely. Need to lose more bodyfat too.

i agree. 10 is impossible. how long do you have to get to this point. a great workout is the plyo, i agree alot. also try explosive squats. take a weight that is real heavy but also not light. do squats. i would do a 5 sec squat and push up as fast as you can. as this gets easier add a little more weight. you will be suprised. also build up the calve. it plays a important part in your vertical.

[Eighth Wonder]

Originally Posted by BiggerGuns=LongerDrives

So to be able to dunk, YOU MUST BE ABLE to squat 1.5 times your body weight? Is this mandatory to sign up for the club or what? LOL

LMAO, I'd like to see some twig legged black kid rep 1.5 x his weight for squats.

[BiggerGuns=LongerDrives]

Originally Posted by Eighth Wonder

LMAO, I'd like to see some twig legged black kid rep 1.5 x his weight for squats.

LOL, exactly my point!

[Snaplifter]

That twig legged black kid is a natural jumper obviously the op is not. If you are not a natural jumper you need to train your body to jump higher by making your legs stronger and putting extra focus on your fast twitch muscle. Your not going to make gains in your vert if you squat slow and try and grind ten reps out a fast explosive 3 to 5 reps will be much more benificial. Also i would recomend no long distance running interval training would be much better for you and also do some interval training on the bike.

[BiggerGuns=LongerDrives]

Originally Posted by Snaplifter

That twig legged black kid is a natural jumper obviously the op is not. If you are not a natural jumper you need to train your body to jump higher by making your legs stronger and putting extra focus on your fast twitch muscle. Your not going to make gains in your vert if you squat slow and try and grind ten reps out a fast explosive 3 to 5 reps will be much more benificial. Also i would recomend no long distance running interval training would be much better for you and also do some interval training on the bike.

I agree to a point, but when you talk about "having to do squats" or "you must be able to squat 1.5 times your bodyweight", well thats where you lose me. I never squated a day in my life until after I became an adult, my vertical was increased by plyometrics and basketball drills.

So it's just foolish to ever offer up advice with a "sole reason for success" or to preach a "one way method for all"

Because we should all know that there are numerous avenues to get to ones destination and your only advice in your first post to the guy was "YOU MUST BE ABLE TO SQUAT 1.5 TIMES YOUR BODYWEIGHT."

If you really knew about increasing ones verticle leap, then you would undertsand it has nothing to do with the amount of force one can generate with their legs. Other wise the next dunking champion would be Maruis Pudznowski....And before you go onto slow twitch, fast twitch, MARIUS DOESNT SQUAT SLOW, HE TRAINS LIKE A BEAST IN FAST SUCCESSION...So maybe someone should hit him up, throw him a ball and let him start doing 360 tomahawk dunks

.