Working on vertical and explosiveness while cutting?

[Bills10]

Just to make this as easy to explain as possible. I am thinking about doing a 5x5 strength routine for the next 5 months or so. Following the 5 months I would like to cut for summer for 2 months to shed some fat. My overall goal is to increase my vertical and get my squat up. So I was thinking if I work on strength for 5 months and get my squat to 2x my bodyweight or more then take 2 months and cut while working on jumps and sprints that it would be the best route. My question is can I improve with plyos and sprints while cutting and eating less calories than I need to perform at my best. I would probably do a WS4SB3 program with a heavy leg day and a dynamic day while cutting.

[daveshit]

Just to make this as easy to explain as possible. I am thinking about doing a 5x5 strength routine for the next 5 months or so. Following the 5 months I would like to cut for summer for 2 months to shed some fat. My overall goal is to increase my vertical and get my squat up. So I was thinking if I work on strength for 5 months and get my squat to 2x my bodyweight or more then take 2 months and cut while working on jumps and sprints that it would be the best route. My question is can I improve with plyos and sprints while cutting and eating less calories than I need to perform at my best. I would probably do a WS4SB3 program with a heavy leg day and a dynamic day while cutting.

Yeah, it's possible. Your goal should be to avoid strength loss, or minimize it. If you're novice lifter and don't have great squat numbers you could stay at your strength level due to nervous adaptation and generally less muscle fiber recruitement.

Just keep lifting near maximum on max effort days and you will be good.
Your vertical will be better, it's easier to jump without excess fat. Think of it as a dead weight that just hangs on you, you cant activate fat to fire you up, less fat=bigger jump. Just keep lifting and you will stay at or near your strength level.

[Bills10]

Yeah, it's possible. Your goal should be to avoid strength loss, or minimize it. If you're novice lifter and don't have great squat numbers you could stay at your strength level due to nervous adaptation and generally less muscle fiber recruitement.

Just keep lifting near maximum on max effort days and you will be good.
Your vertical will be better, it's easier to jump without excess fat. Think of it as a dead weight that just hangs on you, you cant activate fat to fire you up, less fat=bigger jump. Just keep lifting and you will stay at or near your strength level.

Ok well let me ask you another thing. Do you think that my original idea is better then just doing ws4sb3 for 5 months and then just continue it during the cut. By better I mean would it more optimal from an athletic standpoint. With the 5x5 I would put on more fat and get a little stronger during the 5 months and with ws4sb3 I would be able to still get stronger while working on speed and those two months of cutting wont be so hard because I won't have as much fat. I guess what I am asking is if you had to train someone who wanted to be in the best shape they could be in which route would you take. I can currently squat 1.5x my bodyweight and have a running 29 inch vertical. My goal is to dunk by summer and I can touch the rim right now. Thanks

[blitz042000]

Ok well let me ask you another thing. Do you think that my original idea is better then just doing ws4sb3 for 5 months and then just continue it during the cut. By better I mean would it more optimal from an athletic standpoint. With the 5x5 I would put on more fat and get a little stronger during the 5 months and with ws4sb3 I would be able to still get stronger while working on speed and those two months of cutting wont be so hard because I won't have as much fat. I guess what I am asking is if you had to train someone who wanted to be in the best shape they could be in which route would you take. I can currently squat 1.5x my bodyweight and have a running 29 inch vertical. My goal is to dunk by summer and I can touch the rim right now. Thanks

Are you cutting for the ladies or to be more athletic? If you feel you are overweight than your vertical should improve when you lose weight from the fact that you are having to exert less power to achieve the same velocity.

[Bills10]

Are you cutting for the ladies or to be more athletic? If you feel you are overweight than your vertical should improve when you lose weight from the fact that you are having to exert less power to achieve the same velocity.

Both reasons.

[vb66]

I would say go with your first plan, especially if you already have some lifting experience already. Unless you are very new, it's difficult to improve multiple qualities at the same time (ie. strength and hypertrophy at the same time as speed and power). You may also burn out if you're doing a full west side program while trying to cut calories.

[daveshit]

Ok well let me ask you another thing. Do you think that my original idea is better then just doing ws4sb3 for 5 months and then just continue it during the cut. By better I mean would it more optimal from an athletic standpoint. With the 5x5 I would put on more fat and get a little stronger during the 5 months and with ws4sb3 I would be able to still get stronger while working on speed and those two months of cutting wont be so hard because I won't have as much fat. I guess what I am asking is if you had to train someone who wanted to be in the best shape they could be in which route would you take. I can currently squat 1.5x my bodyweight and have a running 29 inch vertical. My goal is to dunk by summer and I can touch the rim right now. Thanks

If you don't play any sport and are basically offseason then 5X5 is the way to go. It's more stressfull and recovery demanding but with some plyometrics in it it will give you great results.

Main problem with performance training is the fact that you need to reduce everything when in-season, that's why most of athletes must stay pretty lean year around and have short blocks of training for specific goals.
If you're not bothered with that you can do 5X5 and when you cut you will still be pretty strong and will definitely get your athleticism up.