goergen1
08-20-2007, 10:19 AM
Box jumps
by Bert Sorin
This concept is very simple, but is often over looked by people who powerlift, and some who even olympic lift. The name of the game is speed. The faster you can move a weight, the more horse power you create. This ties back directly with all sports, for at this time I cannot think of any sport where speed/power and coordination are not an advantage to the athlete.
This brings me to box jumps and other plyometrics. I like to do box jumps right after a heavy squat workout. I feel it reinforces the fast twitch or "white" muscle fibers, while also bringing some balance, coordination and kinestetic awareness back to the lifter. I feel these components are sometimes lost during a heavy set of squats or deadlifts, where the body is having to gind out these lifts in low gear. The body's natural feel and athletism is temporarily hindered because of the enormous load on the spine, hips and knees. This is in NO WAY to say that heavy squats are not advantageous, for they are wonderful for building size and strength. But...a speed and strength athlete must use the squats as a tool for strength, in order to compete at a higher level of their respective sport.
With that being said, let me give you a portion of my workout this week. Squat 4x10 w/ 340lb. (no belt or wraps for conditioning supportive muscles in trunk -will go to belt/wraps later in year.) Good mornings 3x10 w/ 25 lb. plate held in front of me at arm's length (great for stretching out back and hams.) Box jumps on 20" box 4x10 fast as possible. Between sets of box jumps, do 20 hanging leg raise. This will work the heck out of your legs, hit the core muscle groups of the torso, and bring everything back into sync with the jumps. Afterwards I feel energetic and light on my feet, as opposed to slow, sluggish and tight from the volume of squats.
by Bert Sorin
This concept is very simple, but is often over looked by people who powerlift, and some who even olympic lift. The name of the game is speed. The faster you can move a weight, the more horse power you create. This ties back directly with all sports, for at this time I cannot think of any sport where speed/power and coordination are not an advantage to the athlete.
This brings me to box jumps and other plyometrics. I like to do box jumps right after a heavy squat workout. I feel it reinforces the fast twitch or "white" muscle fibers, while also bringing some balance, coordination and kinestetic awareness back to the lifter. I feel these components are sometimes lost during a heavy set of squats or deadlifts, where the body is having to gind out these lifts in low gear. The body's natural feel and athletism is temporarily hindered because of the enormous load on the spine, hips and knees. This is in NO WAY to say that heavy squats are not advantageous, for they are wonderful for building size and strength. But...a speed and strength athlete must use the squats as a tool for strength, in order to compete at a higher level of their respective sport.
With that being said, let me give you a portion of my workout this week. Squat 4x10 w/ 340lb. (no belt or wraps for conditioning supportive muscles in trunk -will go to belt/wraps later in year.) Good mornings 3x10 w/ 25 lb. plate held in front of me at arm's length (great for stretching out back and hams.) Box jumps on 20" box 4x10 fast as possible. Between sets of box jumps, do 20 hanging leg raise. This will work the heck out of your legs, hit the core muscle groups of the torso, and bring everything back into sync with the jumps. Afterwards I feel energetic and light on my feet, as opposed to slow, sluggish and tight from the volume of squats.