Ballistic Training, What is this?

[Citruscide]

depth jumps - step off a 20-24inch box and then jump upon landing, minimise contact time. Not to be done until you have ample leg and tendon strength ie - full squat at least 1.5 times your BW. Very stressful on the CNS and tendons
These are usually done towards the end of a long training plan.

well, I think I would agree with this on a general level... but I don't even think I did more than 135lbs on squats (back when I weighed 160-165) and I did all kinds of jumps like this... of course, I also did many many sprints and other exercises that kept me honest.

C-ditty

 

[coolcolj]

the thing is, the stronger your legs are the more you benefit from depth jumps

No point in doing them if your legs crumple under the impact and then it takes you half a second to reverse the force and jump again

 

[crew9]

depth jumps - step off a 20-24inch box and then jump upon landing, minimise contact time. Not to be done until you have ample leg and tendon strength ie - full squat at least 1.5 times your BW. Very stressful on the CNS and tendons
These are usually done towards the end of a long training plan.

I'm not sure I agree with this statement completely. I think depth jumps would be great for his vertical leap irregardless of his leg strength. I'll use myself as an example. Depth jumps were a staple of my teams jump training for volleyball. My, and for the most part my entire team's, squats were not strong in the least. I also had both my ACL's blown out at the time but the depth jumps still helped my vert quite a bit. The full squat at 1.5 your bodyweight would be ideal but I wouldn't be so quick to say do not do these if you can't hack that weight.

 

[coolcolj]

he's gonna have to squat and deadlift anyway to get his vert up, might as well leave the depth jumps to latter. You still need a good power to weight ratio - of which high strength levels are a requirement. I can't think of a single elite sprinter, triple jumper etc right now that can't squat twice his own bodyweight

just squatting will make anyone jump higher . I'ved added a solid 5 inches already in the last 7 months just from squats and olympic lifts, even though my bodyweight has climbed from 180 to 194lbs.


its all about foundation.

 

[crew9]

I didn't mean that squatting wasn't a necessity to jumping well. He should definitely squat and deadlift if he wants to up his vert. I was just simply stating that I think he'd be fine to do depth jumps even if his squats weren't strong.

 

[Citruscide]

I think what Crew is trying to say is that you don't have to wait until you can squat 1.5x your body weight on squats.

I did the depth jumps in Track back when I only squatted 30lbs less than my body weight (for reps)

C-ditty

 

[coolcolj]

My feeling is that if you do wait, you will benefit more

 

[ThePolishHammer]

well.

How much leg work can you pull off in one week?
Plyometrics/Depth Jumps, Deadlifts, Squats, 2-3 light tumbling practices, and potetnially two sprinting sessions.

how much training is advisable? Any suggestions on a split? How should these drills/exercises be periodized?

 

[ThePolishHammer]

Checked out that video. Pretty impressive. Im still a little unclear on how the bands help the lifter continuosly explode up. How does the resitance they provide differ from the resitance of the weight?

 

[crew9]

I could be wrong so somebody please correct me if I am, but I think the point of the bands is to provide a consistently greater load. Like when you start off the band's aren't applying much if any force against, but as you get farther into the movement they'll provide greater and greater resistance. With the weights no matter what point your at 135 is 135.