What is your opinion of this program

[bigpopparob2000]

I was considering trying this plyometric program (https://www.theverticalproject.com). I was curious to hear the testimonials of someone not posted on this website. Has anyone tried it out? Is it any good?

[Sohan]

The world's undisputed #1 vertical jump expert!!!! He'll help you gain 16 inches on your vertical jump!!!

"Failure is impossible!!!!" For the low, low price of $247! And it's not even hardcopy, but a DOWNLOAD! Ooh, that reeks of legitimacy!

Um, you can get a good book on plyometrics at Amazon for about $20. "Jumping into Plyometrics" with Donald Cho is well-respected and is easy to use and understand, and you will have money left over to buy me a latte for steering you away from this guy.

With respect,

Sohan

[NeoMstrSgt]

I personally have never tried a plyometrics program, so my opinion on that one is pretty useless, however, I have a good friend who swear plyometrics is the greatest workout plan ever. Taking a look at the website it looks like a scam, big flashy words and letters, guarantees that no professional trainer would make, as they say, "if it sounds too good to be true it usually is." What exactly would your goal be for this program, if I may ask?

[bushido_man96]

Go with Sohan. I have that book, and it has all you will probably ever need in it.

[bigpopparob2000]

What exactly would your goal be for this program, if I may ask?

My goal is simply to increase my jumping ability. I've been wanting to learn aero kicks for a while. I'm not out of shape by any means, but I feel like lead weight sewn to the ground.

I've been doing plyometric exercises since last summer. Mainly jumping rope and frog jumps (Jump as high as I can and bump my knees into my chest for as many reps as I can. I've been doing 76 frog jumps in a row, but lately my knees have started hurting. I suspect it may be a combination of overuse and building imbalanced muscles. It has helped increase my vertical jump, but only by a few inches. I want my vertical leap to increase, but not at the cost of destroying my knees.

[Aodhan]

What exactly would your goal be for this program, if I may ask?

My goal is simply to increase my jumping ability. I've been wanting to learn aero kicks for a while. I'm not out of shape by any means, but I feel like lead weight sewn to the ground.

I've been doing plyometric exercises since last summer. Mainly jumping rope and frog jumps (Jump as high as I can and bump my knees into my chest for as many reps as I can. I've been doing 76 frog jumps in a row, but lately my knees have started hurting. I suspect it may be a combination of overuse and building imbalanced muscles. It has helped increase my vertical jump, but only by a few inches. I want my vertical leap to increase, but not at the cost of destroying my knees.

http://www.powerbasketball.com/jump_revised.html

That's a review of a few of the net products.

Excellent vertical ability comes from a few different things. Momentum blocking (Taking motion in one direction and redirecting it), driving up with the opposite leg, and calf muscle strength are the main components. Unless you are taking off from a squatted position, the hamstrings and quads will little effect.

Plyometrics are your best bet to increase vertical jumps and power. Since frog jumps are starting to hurt your knees, I would go with seated calf raises, and get someone that can teach you how to "block", or take forward motion and turn it into vertical. I know of very few people that can just toss a 540 from a standing position, most everyone I know takes a couple steps. This produces forward motion, then you "block" and turn it into upward motion, which should give you enough height to complete the kick.

Look at gymnastics, specifically the vault and parts of the floor exercise. These guys get hauling down the floor, jump off a small spring board, and then use their hands to plant, block and push up from the horse. This transfers most of their momentum into a vertical plane. (There are some videos around of gymnasts that transferred too much into vertical and came down on the horse, and a few that miss the board and slam into the end of the horse. Amusing. Painful, but amusing.)

Also, you absolutely need to have the mechanics of the kick down first. For a 540, that means having an absolutely rock solid jump spin inner crescent. If you can't do that, then you probably won't be able to do a 540.

Aodhan

[AnonymousOne]

I use plyometrics as an integral part of my training and have done so for the last 20 years.

They are excellent for developing explosive power for kicks, punches, blocks, lunging attacks etc.

My question is why do you want to jump?

How will jumping help you in a real life fight?

Or are you more interested in acrobatics?

[bigpopparob2000]

My question is why do you want to jump?

How will jumping help you in a real life fight?

Or are you more interested in acrobatics?

I've been wanting to learn aero kicks for quite a while. If I can jump high, then I should have plenty of time to through the kick and/or spin properly before I land. Right?

[wolfen]

i do athletic training and enjoy reading a study here and there. when doing plyometrics, it is helpgul (and not just a little) to wear ankle weights...

before i get raped by people who have read other studies...

1 - this is from GSSI (GOD among athletic research institutes)

2 - you start at a half pound per ankle and workup a half pound per week (and stop at 2.5 lbs in the study(I personally stopped at 5))

in other news, plyometrics does more than give jumping height. the entire purpose of plyometrics is to increase explosive power in the legs. ever since my coach (for crew; not my sensei for toushi kan karate) assigned me a little over 1500 jumpies (like frog jumps but stationary) for being late a half hour during a regatta (never made that mistake again); I have seen a great increase in my speed and kick power.

the point is plyometrics work for more than one thing (same goes for eccentric contraction excersises).

personally, when i do concentric excersises, i use a cross-wise motion (there is an official term but it excapes me right now) this is more practical and works muscle groups as opposed to muscles individually or dually

edit: the crosswise thing is "Proprioceptive ??? ???" ("???" denotes an unkown word that i won't lok up)

edit2: first blank IS neuromuscular. second blank is probably contraction.

[bushido_man96]

Propioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation?