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silverback584
02/16/04
04:43 AM
Indiana, USA
Trench,
While there is something to be said for having a high insertion point for your calf, it usually isn't the answer... just a sorry excuse to explain years of neglect in terms of training and activity.
A high calf does provide you with a greater stretch reflex (theoretically) when it is performing any counter-movements. But, in force generation during the vertical test jumping movement, I am pretty certain that most force is generated in your rear chain and quads. I am almost positive that there have been some studies done about this during the JumpSoles period. What JumpSoles did for most kids was to prepare the unprepared. Ex: the most common injuries in lower level athletics in college (ie. sports that involve athletes who never miss a night out at the bar during the off-season, sports who have scholarships in the name of equity, but whose athletes start training for the sport a mere 6 weeks prior to the season, etc.) are soft tissue injuries. Tendonitis, achilles strains, foot strains, ankle problems. All of these issues can be avoided by not getting out of shape, and by maintaing a high level of activity.
So, JumpSoles helped dopey kids get stronger soft tissues through overloading them. That is why many kids who jumped right into the program outlined (no pun intended, hehe) would hurt themselves.
But, if you didn't overdo it, the gains were phenomonal due to your newfound ability to transfer the force from your legs into the ground quickly.
Your calves are already far stronger mechanically than the rest of your leg, and if you stay in shape, and have an efficient jumping motion, then very little jumping is needed. My best vertical test came at a Gus Macker in 93, I believe. It was 42", and I am 5'11". And yes, I could vertically dunk a basketball two-handed, no step. The funny thing is that I can't jump really well off of one foot, due to my jump training coming from volleyball. This vertical followed a period of 1/4 squats (very heavy), good mornings, box squats, and Cleans.... these are the lifts I was emphasizing. Plus, I was playing V-ball twice a week, but very little basketball. Oh, I was also doing 20 minutes of core work 5 nights a week (pick an exercise, do it hard for 40 seconds, rest for the next 20 seconds, and repeat 20x)
I always jumped my highest when I limited V-Ball and B-Ball to 2-3 times per week... although I played for hours. This allowed my knees to handle heavy lifting.
Most kids play pick-up constantly, and I believe they have very efficient jumping motions, but never develop strength.
Like Numba pointed out, his power carries him in the 30, and helps his vertical, but he cannot achieve top speed efficiency due to the weight. I was the same way. In college, I gained weight for football, and my 40 was great, but I could no longer triple jump, and my 100 and 200 were crappy. ( I was alao no longer doing max speed or special endurance work.)
So, TrenchDawg, if you are still with me, a high achilles is good, but not critical. A high achilles is more important if you are jumping on the move, because the stretch reflex plays a far more critical role. During a vertical test, you try to invoke the stretch reflex by having a fast decent, but it nowhere near matches the forces on your achilles and calf region during a triple jump or lay-up type jump. Does this make sense? When you are running, the forces into the ground are equivalent to 5 or 6 times your body weight, when you dip for a vertical, you just cannot create that type of force.
I would guess that if you focused on being lean (do you have veins along your abs and chest, and are your cheekbones apparent?), getting your squat eqaul to AT LEAST twice your body weight. That is top of the thigh parallel... get a beeper from BFS if you need one... we always used one when we squatted in high school, although we didn't do the BFS system.
Work on being able to fully extend your ankle. I say this due to my wife's background in ballet. She is no small lady, havng played V-ball for UCF,but had a great vertical, and she could grab the rim in high school and was a three time state high jumper due to a life in ballet... and some very strong legs. She really gets a full extension when she jumps, and her toe is points traight down into the ground... mine cannot do this... no training. Funny thing is, she went almost unrecruited due to us living in a small area in Florida.
Really work on your core, and your low back. This is huge... I have seen very few good jumpers without a strong core... maybe not great abs due to diet, but a stomache that you could punch when it is flexed, and the person could take it. And, a low back that looks like two thick tree roots.
Then, work in some quarter squats.... AFTER getting your full squats strong. I have worked with a number of high jumpers who can only full squat 2 times their weight, but quarter squat for reps 4-5 times their weight.... obviously this is after a long period of core training.
And of course, you must be doing RFD training, whether it be box squats, claens, snatches, push-jerks, etc.
Then maybe some soft tissue work, like calf raises, seated calf raises, etc, but only if time permits.
Achilles: Important for stretch reflex, yes. Straight vertical?.. less important, but yes.
Rear Chain: Ultra important. End of story. And I would go so far as to say that if you are spending more actual time doing extra rear chain stuff than squatting movements (ie. you are doing good mornings, pull-throughs, and reverse hypers for more time than squats), then you are missing the boat.
Quads: important for final protion of press into the ground, and in stabilizing the knee during landing, but, less important than a strong back and butt.
BTW: Two of the best jupers I have ever seen in high school were two kids with long Skinny Calves. One was name Lonnie Anderson, and the other was name Shawn Larson. Both were incredibly strong for their weight (porbably 150-160 lbs at the time), and both could jump throught the roof. I do not know whatever happened to these two guys, but they were exactly the opposite in terms of calf form than what people desire. Both had mid-30's verticals in high school, and could jump amazingly off the move.
Trench, when you can legitimately squat twice your body weight, can clean 1.5-1.75 times your weight, and can see your abs clearly due to activity level more than just dieting, then you will start pinning the B-Ball against the backboard regularly. Until then, keep working.
And Trench- a 28" vertical is good... for a white guy...hehe.
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