By: Dr. Squat

Introduction

Here is a program for increasing your vertical jump. It is NOT a complete program for athletes... Even those athletes who need great jumping ability will have to engage in conditioning, sport specific skill training, speed training and even other exercises in the weight room.

The sole purpose of this program is to increase your vertical jump, but if you are an athlete, don't fall into the trap of believing that this program is the only one you need! Instead, look for other programs that will be specifically designed for your sport. Those programs will also improve your vertical jump, but will also give you the tools you need to achieve athletic excellence!

The program is set over quite a long period of time. To do things right, you must acquire a certain level of fitness to use the upper levels of this program... Rome wasn't built in a day, man must crawl before he can walk, and walk before he can run.... The same can be said about plyometrics -- which is the best way to increase your vertical jump! Do not skip workouts or cycles! Otherwise, "The Profits of Doom" who say plyometric training is dangerous may indeed be correct!

So if this program is to increase your vertical jump, why are upper body exercises included? Doesn't a great vertical involve the legs? True, the legs and hips are the main movers, but research suggests that the arm swing can involve as much as 5% of your velocity while jumping. Have doubts about this?

Try this simple experiment: Stand still and swing your arms up hard. Did you feel yourself lift upward at all? Perhaps you didn't get off the ground, but you should've felt some upward movement. Perhaps even some of your body parts jiggled a bit!

That brings up another point: If too much jiggled, perhaps losing some bodyfat is in order! No matter how strong you are or how explosive you are, your vertical jump will always be terrible if you are overweight! Why carry the excess luggage? If this is the case, follow the zig zag diet program and get rid of that excess luggage!

Many of the exercises will not have assigned percentages or weights. Even if they do, please remember the almighty rule of THE LAW OF INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES! Numbers aren't Holy, neither are percentages... What is important is that you are progressing upwards. As a general rule, increase the weight of the exercises which aren't assigned percentages 5 lbs every 3rd week.

OF URGENT IMPORTANCE!!!! See a doctor before engaging in any exercise program! I know you've heard that before, but it is with good reason! EVERY athletic team in the nation has physicals before they allow any athlete to engage in team training. If it's good enough for those folks, it's good enough for you!

Furthermore, if you are an athlete and have a strength coach, I strongly advise you to follow his or her program. They have a plan, and for a plan to work it must be followed. I invite you to show them this program, but your strength coach will have a program suited for you as an individual which must be followed.

Mesocycle 1: Set Your Foundation!

Before you are ready to start training with Plyometrics, you must gain a foundation of strength! Conventional wisdom states that you should be able to squat 1.5 times your body weight before you engage in plyometrics. While this is true, it may NOT be taken for granted that you are ready even if you can squat this weight.

The muscles may be strong enough, but the bones, tendons, ligaments and joints may still not be ready. Mesocycle 1 is designed to prepare you for such training -- in other words, to give you the necessary tools for further training! THIS MUST BE DONE FIRST!

Before you begin, establish your 1RM's for the lifts that require such as well as noting your present vertical jump. See Note 3.


Week 1 / Week 2 / Week 3 / Week 4 / Week 5 / Week 6 / Week 7 / Week 8 / Week 9 / Week 10 / Week 11 / Week 12 / Week 13 / Week 14 / Week 15 / Week 16 / Week 17 / Week 18 / Week 19 / Week 20 / Week 21

Week 1

Monday

Exercise	Weight	Rep	Set	Comment
Warm Up - Stretch				See Note 1
Power Clean		5	5	Practice Form and Technique
Squat	50% 65%	6 6	1 3
Bench	50% 65%	6 6	1 3	Warm Up Your Shoulder First -- See Note 2
Dips		10	2
Calf Raises		12	4
Prestretch Crunches		15	3
Cool Down
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Wednesday

Exercise	Weight	Rep	Set	Comment
Warm Up - Stretch				See Note 1
Push Press	75%	5	5
Glute Ham Raise		10	3
Dumbbell Bench Press		6	3
Front Dumbbell Raise		8	3
Calf Raises		12	4
Side Bends		15	3
Cool Down
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Friday

Exercise	Weight	Rep	Set	Comment
Warm Up - Stretch				See Note 1
Power Clean		5	5	Practice Form and Technique
Squat	50% 65%	6 6	1 3
Bench	50% 65%	6 6	1 3	Warm Up Your Shoulder First -- See Note 2
Dips		10	2
Calf Raises		12	4
Prestretch Crunches		15	3
Cool Down
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Week 2

Monday

Exercise	Weight	Rep	Set	Comment
Warm Up - Stretch				See Note 1
Power Clean		5	5	Practice Form and Technique
Squat	50% 65%	6 6	1 3
Bench	50% 60% 70%	6 6 6	1 1 3
Dips		10	2
Calf Raises		12	4
Prestretch Crunches		15	3
Cool Down
Printable Version

Wednesday

Exercise	Weight	Rep	Set	Comment
Warm Up - Stretch				See Note 1
Push Press	80%	5	5
Glute Ham Raise		10	3
Dumbbell Bench Press		6	3
Front Dumbbell Raise		8	3
Calf Raises		12	4
Side Bends		15	3
Cool Down
Printable Version

Friday

Exercise	Weight	Rep	Set	Comment
Warm Up - Stretch				See Note 1
Power Clean		5	5	Practice Form and Technique
Squat	50% 65% 70%	6 6 6	1 1 3
Bench	50% 65%	6 6	1 3	Warm Up Your Shoulder First -- See Note 2
Dips		10	2
Calf Raises		12	4
Prestretch Crunches		15	3
Cool Down
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Week 3

Monday

Exercise	Weight	Rep	Set	Comment
Warm Up - Stretch				See Note 1
Power Clean		5	5	Practice Form and Technique
Squat	50% 65%	6 6	1 3
Bench	50% 65% 75%	6 6 6	1 1 3	Warm Up Your Shoulder First -- See Note 2
Dips		10	2
Calf Raises		12	4
Prestretch Crunches		15	3
Cool Down
Printable Version

Wednesday

Exercise	Weight	Rep	Set	Comment
Warm Up - Stretch				See Note 1
Push Press	90%	3	5
Glute Ham Raise		10	3
Dumbbell Bench Press		6	3
Front Dumbbell Raise		8	3
Calf Raises		12	4
Side Bends		15	3
Cool Down
Printable Version

Friday

Exercise	Weight	Rep	Set	Comment
Warm Up - Stretch				See Note 1
Power Clean		5	5	Practice Form and Technique
Squat	50% 65% 75%	6 6 6	1 1 3
Bench	50% 65%	6 6	1 3	Warm Up Your Shoulder First -- See Note 2
Dips		10	2
Calf Raises		12	4
Prestretch Crunches		15	3
Cool Down
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Week 4

Monday

Exercise	Weight	Rep	Set	Comment
Warm Up - Stretch				See Note 1
Power Clean		5	5	Practice Form and Technique
Squat	50% 65% 75%	6 6 6	1 1 3	Compensatory Acceleration!
Bench	50% 60% 70% 80%	6 6 4 4	1 1 1 3	Compensatory Acceleration! See Note 2
Dips		10	2
Calf Raises		12	4
Prestretch Crunches		15	3
Cool Down
Printable Version

Wednesday

Exercise	Weight	Rep	Set	Comment
Warm Up - Stretch				See Note 1
Push Press	85%	4	5
Glute Ham Raise		10	3
Dumbbell Bench Press		6	3
Front Dumbbell Raise		8	3
Calf Raises		12	4
Side Bends		15	3
Cool Down
Printable Version

Friday

Exercise	Weight	Rep	Set	Comment
Warm Up - Stretch				See Note 1
Power Clean		5	5	Practice Form and Technique
Squat	50% 60% 70% 80%	6 6 4 4	1 1 1 3	Compensatory Acceleration!
Bench	50% 65%	6 6	1 3	Compensatory Acceleration! See Note 2
Dips		10	2
Calf Raises		12	4
Prestretch Crunches		15	3
Cool Down
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Week 5

Monday

Exercise	Weight	Rep	Set	Comment
Warm Up - Stretch				See Note 1
Box Jumps		6	2
Power Clean		5	5	Practice Form and Technique
Squat	55% 70%	6 6	1 3	Compensatory Acceleration!
Bench	55% 65% 70% 85%	6 6 4 3	1 1 1 3	Compensatory Acceleration! See Note 2
Dips		10	2
Calf Raises		12	4
Prestretch Crunches		15	3
Cool Down
Printable Version

Wednesday

Exercise	Weight	Rep	Set	Comment
Warm Up - Stretch				See Note 1
Push Press	90%	4	5
Glute Ham Raise		10	3
Dumbbell Bench Press		6	3
Front Dumbbell Raise		8	3
Calf Raises		12	4
Side Bends		15	3
Cool Down
Printable Version

Friday

Exercise	Weight	Rep	Set	Comment
Warm Up - Stretch				See Note 1
Box Jumps		6	2
Power Clean		5	5	Practice Form and Technique
Squat	55% 65% 70% 85%	6 6 4 3	1 1 1 3	Compensatory Acceleration!
Bench	55% 70%	6 6	1 3	Compensatory Acceleration! See Note 2
Dips		10	2
Calf Raises		12	4
Prestretch Crunches		15	3
Cool Down
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Week 6

Monday

Exercise	Weight	Rep	Set	Comment
Warm Up - Stretch				See Note 1
Box Jumps		6	3
Power Clean		5	5	Practice Form and Technique
Squat	55% 70%	6 6	1 3	Compensatory Acceleration!
Bench	55% 65% 70% 85%	6 6 4 3	1 1 1 3	Compensatory Acceleration! See Note 2
Dips		10	2
Calf Raises		12	4
Prestretch Crunches		15	3
Cool Down
Printable Version

Wednesday

Exercise	Weight	Rep	Set	Comment
Warm Up - Stretch				See Note 1
Push Press	95%	3	3
Glute Ham Raise		10	3
Dumbbell Bench Press		6	3
Front Dumbbell Raise		8	3
Calf Raises		12	4
Side Bends		15	3
Cool Down
Printable Version

Friday

Exercise	Weight	Rep	Set	Comment
Warm Up - Stretch				See Note 1
Box Jumps		6	3
Power Clean		5	5	Practice Form and Technique
Squat	55% 65% 70% 85%	6 6 4 3	1 1 1 3	Compensatory Acceleration!
Bench	55% 70%	6 6	1 3	Compensatory Acceleration! See Note 2
Dips		10	2
Calf Raises		12	4
Prestretch Crunches		15	3
Cool Down
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Week 7

Monday

Exercise	Weight	Rep	Set	Comment
Warm Up - Stretch				See Note 1
Box Jumps		6	3
Power Clean		5	5	Practice Form and Technique
Squat	55% 70%	6 6	1 3	Compensatory Acceleration!
Bench	55% 65% 75% 90%	6 6 4 3	1 1 1 3	Compensatory Acceleration! See Note 2
Calf Raises		12	4
Prestretch Crunches		15	3
Cool Down
Printable Version

Wednesday

Exercise	Weight	Rep	Set	Comment
Warm Up - Stretch				See Note 1
Push Press	90%	3	3
Front Dumbbell Raise		8	3
Calf Raises		12	4
Side Bends		15	3
Cool Down
Printable Version

Friday

Exercise	Weight	Rep	Set	Comment
Warm Up - Stretch				See Note 1
Box Jumps		6	3
Power Clean		5	5	Practice Form and Technique
Squat	55% 65% 70% 90%	6 6 4 3	1 1 1 3	Compensatory Acceleration!
Bench	55% 70%	6 6	1 3	Compensatory Acceleration! See Note 2
Calf Raises		12	4
Prestretch Crunches		15	3
Cool Down
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Week 8

Monday

Exercise	Weight	Rep	Set	Comment
Warm Up - Stretch				See Note 1
Box Jumps		6	3
Power Clean		5	5	Practice Form and Technique
Squat	55% 70%	6 6	1 3	Compensatory Acceleration!
Bench	55% 65% 75% 90%	6 6 4 3	1 1 1 3	Compensatory Acceleration! See Note 2
Calf Raises		12	4
Prestretch Crunches		15	3
Cool Down
Printable Version

Wednesday

Exercise	Weight	Rep	Set	Comment
Warm Up - Stretch				See Note 1
Push Press	95%	3	3
Front Dumbbell Raise		8	3
Calf Raises		12	4
Side Bends		15	3
Cool Down
Printable Version

Friday

Exercise	Weight	Rep	Set	Comment
Warm Up - Stretch				See Note 1
Box Jumps		6	3
Power Clean		5	5	Practice Form and Technique
Squat	55% 65% 70% 90%	6 6 4 3	1 1 1 3	Compensatory Acceleration!
Bench	55% 70%	6 6	1 3	Compensatory Acceleration! See Note 2
Calf Raises		12	4
Prestretch Crunches		15	3
Cool Down
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Week 9

Active Rest! Test the vertical jump and bench on Monday, the push press on Wednesday, and the Power Clean (before you squat) and Squat on Friday.

Mesocycle 2: Improve Explosive Strength And Starting Strength!

The foundation of limit strength has been set! Still you are not ready for advanced plyometric training. This cycle will further prepare you for such activity. This will be a shorter cycle -- and the most fun!

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Week 10

Monday

Exercise	Weight	Rep	Set	Comment
Warm Up - Stretch				See Note 1
Box Jumps		6	4
Power Clean	50% 65%	4 4	1 3
Squat	50% 65%	6 6	1 3	Compensatory Acceleration!
Bench	50% 65% 75%	6 6 6	1 1 3	Compensatory Acceleration! See Note 2
Close Grip Bench	40%	12	2
Front Dumbbell Raise		6	2
Calf Raises		12	4
Prestretch Crunches		15	3
Cool Down
Printable Version

Wednesday

Exercise	Weight	Rep	Set	Comment
Warm Up - Stretch				See Note 1
Push Press	80%	5	5
Romanian Deadlifts		6	3
Dips		8	3
Calf Raises		12	4
Side Bends		15	3
Cool Down
Printable Version

Friday

Exercise	Weight	Rep	Set	Comment
Warm Up - Stretch				See Note 1
Box Jumps	10 lbs	6	3
High Pulls	70% 90%	5 4	1 3	Use Your Power Clean 1 RM
Squat	50% 65%	6 6	1 3	Compensatory Acceleration!
Bench	50% 65%	6 6	1 3	Warm Up Your Shoulder First -- See Note 2
Front Dumbbell Raise		10	3
Calf Raises		12	4
Prestretch Crunches		15	3
Cool Down
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Week 11

Monday

Exercise	Weight	Rep	Set	Comment
Warm Up - Stretch				See Note 1
Box Jumps	10 lbs	6	3
Power Clean	50% 60% 75%	4 4 3	1 1 4
Squat	50% 65%	6 6	1 3	Compensatory Acceleration!
Bench	50% 65% 80%	6 6 4	1 1 3	Compensatory Acceleration! See Note 2
Close Grip Bench	40%	12	2	Use Your Bench 1 RM
Front Dumbbell Raise		6	2
Calf Raises		12	4
Prestretch Crunches		15	3
Cool Down
Printable Version

Tuesday

Exercise	Weight	Rep	Set	Comment
Warm Up - Stretch				See Note 1
Strides	80%	4		40 Yards - See Note 4
Cool Down
Printable Version

Wednesday

Exercise	Weight	Rep	Set	Comment
Warm Up - Stretch				See Note 1
Push Press	85%	5	5
Romanian Deadlifts		6	3
Dips		8	3
Calf Raises		12	4
Side Bends		15	3
Cool Down
Printable Version

Friday

Exercise	Weight	Rep	Set	Comment
Warm Up - Stretch				See Note 1
Box Jumps	10 lbs	6	3
High Pulls	70% 80% 90%	5 4 4	1 1 2	Use Your Power Clean 1 RM
Squat	50% 60% 70%	6 6 6	1 1 3	Compensatory Acceleration!
Bench	50% 65%	6 6	1 3	Warm Up Your Shoulder First -- See Note 2
Front Dumbbell Raise		10	3
Calf Raises		12	4
Prestretch Crunches		15	3
Cool Down
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Week 12

Monday

Exercise	Weight	Rep	Set	Comment
Warm Up - Stretch				See Note 1
Box Jumps	10 lbs	6	3
Power Clean	50% 60% 75%	4 4 3	1 1 4
Squat	50% 65%	6 6	1 3	Compensatory Acceleration!
Bench	50% 65% 80%	6 6 4	1 1 3	Compensatory Acceleration! See Note 2
Close Grip Bench	40%	12	2	Use Your Bench 1 RM
Front Dumbbell Raise		6	2
Calf Raises		12	4
Prestretch Crunches		15	3
Cool Down