Mar 28 2008
Power Explosion Squats: Top 5 jumping vertical jump exercise.
For this exercise you may use a squat rack (make sure you have a spotter) or you may use a squat machine or leg press machine. I recommend using a leg press machine which is better on your back. A true squat will work your back more but we will isolate your back in other exercises.
Load enough weight so that you can do no more than 8 reps. WARNING: This is very heavy. If you have not squatted before I highly recommend doing 15 reps for your first workout to avoid injury. If you do not know how much weight you need err on the light side for a warm up set and judge how much weight you need to add. Keep your feet as high up as possible and away from your body. Allow the weight to rest mostly on your heals. Smoothly and slowly lower the weight (you should never feel that the weight is falling, it should always be under control.) When your knees reach your chest EXPLODE back to a starting position with the intensity of a jump. Repeat this 7 more times. If you are able to do more than 8 you need to adjust the weight DO NOT DO MORE REPS. Make the necessary adjustments.. but do not do extra reps. Give yourself 2 minutes or more to completely recover so you can do it with just as much intensity. Stretch you muscles during the interim. Repeat for another set. On the forth set add more weight than normal and ask a spotter to help you. If you are using a leg press machine you can push your own legs to spot yourself. Repeat this exercise with the heavier weight and the same intensity.
On you 4th set lower the weight considerably and do 8 slow and steady reps. Do not allow the weight to either fall or get thrown up as before. Feel the weight pushing down during the entire contraction. The 5th set you will want a partner, or move very quickly. During this set we are going to completely fatigue the muscles so we can strain every last fiber of the muscle. Do the first 8 reps as before… if you can do more go to complete failure. As soon as you are finished take off a little weight off each side and do 8 more set or to complete failure as before. As soon as you finish take off more weight from both sides and go to failure… then have your spotter help your force out 3-4 more reps.
Your legs should be completely toasted after this workout. Remember the muscle burn you feel during this will be different from the HIGH repetition exercises that are less effective for training explosion. It may feel counter-intuitive… and it is.
Tags: jump higher, increase your vertical jump, exercises for jumping higher, free vertical jump training, increase vertical leap
You cannot recommend a leg press machine over squats. I’m afraid you have just completely lost credibility. You negelct stability, balance, and coordination when your sitting down in a leg press machine. That’s for bodybuilders, not athletes.