Squatting and Vertical Leap

[lolbeast]

Cross posted from sports training

Some background on me:

-5'11
-165-170 lbs
-can hang on official rim
-on SS, squat 205 5x5
-19 years old
-no prior extensive leg strength routines
-jumping ability is from playing basketball, volleyball, etc

My question is this: will I see major increases in my vertical by simply squatting hard and lifting hard at the gym? My goal is to dunk a basketball by the end of summer, and I figure I need another 4-5 inches of vertical to do this. Given that my squat is nowhere near 2x my body weight or even 1.5x, as I am just beginning to do squats, can I attain this goal of 4-5 inches of vertical in 2 months simply as a biproduct of increasing my leg/core and just overall body fitness? I am still on newbie gains and I consider myself pretty athletic in terms of genetics.

I already saw an increase of about 1-2 inches of vertical (went frm grabbing and making the sound, to easily hanging with 2 hands) since I squatted for like 3 weeks. I plan to progress at 10lbs per workout, with about 1.5 squats per week.

What other leg strength workouts should I incorporate to increase my vertical? Is plyo nessecary for me? My standing vertical is very similar to my running, maybe like 0.5 inches less.

[DJAuto]

You will see better increases by practicing explosive vertical "jumping" type movements. Explosive squats with relatively lightweight are common among athletes.

[lolbeast]

You will see better increases by practicing explosive vertical "jumping" type movements. Explosive squats with relatively lightweight are common among athletes.

Is this recommended even though my squat is really garbage? 205 squat at 5x5 at 165-170lbs. Your suggestion seems to lean more towards the plyo and explosiveness/quickness over pure strength.

[sb8160]

jump squats with a good weight helped me vertical by a lot

i did 135x10 of jump squats

[lolbeast]

Will give jump squats a try, where/how do you hold 135 lbs? Im guessing the same as a normal squat? If so, how do you cope with the stress of landing with 135 on your back? Also, how do I incorporate this into my routine that is structured around SS? Do I do this on the same day I squat, or another day?

[Campbell98]

If you go to the sports training forum there is an entire sticky dedicated to increasing an athletes vertical jump.

[DJAuto]

Your suggestion seems to lean more towards the plyo and explosiveness/quickness over pure strength.

You're trying to increase your vertical leap...not squat strength. A vertical leap depends upon effective initial explosiveness.

[Saintsqc]

Power clean > jump squat

Plyo > power clean

[psychiatrist]

Cross posted from sports training

Some background on me:

-5'11
-165-170 lbs
-can hang on official rim
-on SS, squat 205 5x5
-19 years old
-no prior extensive leg strength routines
-jumping ability is from playing basketball, volleyball, etc

My question is this: will I see major increases in my vertical by simply squatting hard and lifting hard at the gym? My goal is to dunk a basketball by the end of summer, and I figure I need another 4-5 inches of vertical to do this. Given that my squat is nowhere near 2x my body weight or even 1.5x, as I am just beginning to do squats, can I attain this goal of 4-5 inches of vertical in 2 months simply as a biproduct of increasing my leg/core and just overall body fitness? I am still on newbie gains and I consider myself pretty athletic in terms of genetics.

I already saw an increase of about 1-2 inches of vertical (went frm grabbing and making the sound, to easily hanging with 2 hands) since I squatted for like 3 weeks. I plan to progress at 10lbs per workout, with about 1.5 squats per week.

What other leg strength workouts should I incorporate to increase my vertical? Is plyo nessecary for me? My standing vertical is very similar to my running, maybe like 0.5 inches less.

Imagine your posterior chains muscles (glutes, hamstrings, low back) as your "engine". You have a weak Toyota Corolla V-4 right now. Get your squat up to 1.5X your bodyweight (you want to shoot for 2x, but 1.5X is a good initial goal) and your vertical will be much better as will be your sprinting speed. When you are squatting 2X your bodyweight, you have upgraded your "engine" to a 350.

Also start doing Bulgarian split squats and pure hip extension exercises (reverse deadlifts with a bar and single-leg reverse deadlifts with a dumbbell). Also do basic jumps during your workouts, for example after a set of heavy squats do 3 jumps (jump squats, regular vertical, broad jump, box jumps etc....).

Get your squat and reverse deadlift weights up and you will see big increases in your vertical. Weighted jump squats are a bad idea, btw. The risk of injury outweighs the benefits.

[ab1992]

Get a hexagon bar, and stand in the middle and grip it, then jump with it... This way you dont have weight on ur back. I saw Chris Johnson doing this once in a video on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_aIX...ailpage#t=378s