Get Strong, Get Fast, Get Vertical!
Getting your "ups" up with this
special program from the North!
by Christian Thibaudeau

Big Ups

I get asked a lot of questions from trainees. Here are the four most frequent:

1. How can I improve my bench?
2. How can I lose fat while gaining muscle?
3. How can I improve my vertical jump?
4. Coach, why does it burn when I pee?

Okay, I'm kidding about that last one, but the first few really are the "big three" of all training questions! I've covered the first two in past Testosterone Nation articles, so today I'm going to tackle the third: how to increase your "ups."

There are several things to consider when designing a program aimed at improving your vertical:

1) Exercise selection: You want to pick the exercises which will be the most helpful in improving your jumping capacity. These are:

Back squat

Jump squat

Jump lunges (or jump split squat)

Romanian deadlift

Olympic lift variations (power clean from hang or power snatch from hang or blocks)

Depth jumps

Vertical jumps

Bulgarian squat

2) Physical capacities required: When it comes to jumping high, the two most important qualities are strength and power (speed-strength). The need for power is self-evident, but few understand that strength is also an important key. Strength is the basis on which power is built. Without a fair amount of strength, power can't be increased by much as you'll always be limited by your muscles' capacity to produce force.

3) Training parameters: Now that we know which capacities need to be developed, we can select the proper training zones. These are: relative strength, limit strength, speed-strength, and strength-speed. These zones are characterised by the following parameters:

Relative Strength

Reps per set: 1-3
Load: 90-100%
Type of exercises: Basic compound movements

Limit Strength

Reps per set: 4-6
Load: 85-90%
Type of exercises: Basic compound movements

Speed-Strength

Reps per set: 8-10
Load: Body weight (plyometric) or 10-30% (ballistic movements)
Type of exercises: Plyo and ballistic exercises

Strength-Speed

Reps per set: 3-5
Load: 45-55 (regular lifts) or 70-80% (Olympic lift variations)
Type of exercises: Basic compound movements and Olympic variations

4) Training frequency: The lower body should be trained twice per week, which is optimal to develop the capacities without causing excessive fatigue or recovery debt. The upper body is also trained twice per week; one session is for basic strength lifts while the second one is more for auxiliary exercises (easier workout).

5) Type of contraction: It goes without saying that explosive exercises are necessary for the development of jumping capacity. However, you shouldn't neglect the importance of isometric and eccentric strength in jumping capacity.

Jumps involve a pre-stretch/eccentric phase and a transition phase (isometric phase just before the switch from eccentric to explosive concentric). Without proper eccentric strength, you can't make maximal use of the pre-strength phase of a jump. And without proper isometric strength, the switch from eccentric to explosion will be slower, thus decreasing jumping power.

The Program

Here's a six week plan to get your ups up. If you follow it to a "T" you'll undoubtedly increase not only your vertical jump, but also your running speed and lower body strength!

DAY 1

A. Back squat

Weeks 1-3: 4 x 4-6 reps
Weeks 4-6: 5 x 1-3 reps

B. Romanian deadlift

Weeks 1-3: 4 x 4-6 reps
Weeks 4-6: 5 x 1-3 reps

C. Speed squat

Weeks 1-3: 5 x 2 @ 45% (45 sec. rest)
Weeks 4-6: 5 x 2 @ 55% (60 sec. rest)

D. Jump squat

Weeks 1-3: 3 x 8-10 @ 20% bodyweight
Weeks 4-6: 3 x 8-10 @ 30% bodyweight

As the name implies, go light and jump at the top of the movement!

E. Vertical jumps

Weeks 1-3: 3 x 8-10
Weeks 4-6: 3 x 8-10

DAY 2

A. Bench press

Weeks 1-3: 4 x 6-8
Weeks 4-6: 5 x 4-6

B. Bentover barbell rowing

Weeks 1-3: 4 x 6-8
Weeks 4-6: 5 x 4-6

C. Push press

Weeks 1-3: 4 x 6-8
Weeks 4-6: 5 x 4-6

D. Weighted chin-ups

Weeks 1-3: 4 x 6-8
Weeks 4-6: 5 x 4-6

DAY 3

A. Depth jumps

Weeks 1-3: 3 x 8-10 (50cm box)
Weeks 4-6: 3 x 8-10 (70cm box)

B. Jump split squat

Weeks 1-3: 3 x 4-5/side (hold a dumbbell that's 10% of your bodyweight)
Weeks 4-6: 3 x 4-5/side (hold a dumbbell that's 20% of your bodyweight)

C. Power clean from blocks

Weeks 1-3: 4 x 3-5 reps
Weeks 4-6: 5 x 1-3 reps

D. Bulgarian squat iso-contrast

Weeks 1-3: 3 x 4-5/side (5 sec. isometric pause when the knee is at 90 degrees)
Weeks 4-6: 3 x 4-5/side (7 sec. isometric pause when the knee is at 90 degrees)

E. Top squat, overcoming isometrics

Weeks 1-3: Press against pins, 3 sets of 5 reps of 6 sec. each (3 sec. pause between reps)
Weeks 4-6: Press against pins, 4 sets of 5 reps of 3 sec. each (3 sec. pause between reps)

DAY 4

A. Incline press

Weeks 1-3: 4 x 10-12
Weeks 4-6: 4 x 8-10

B. Incline dumbbell rowing

Weeks 1-3: 4 x 10-12
Weeks 4-6: 4 x 8-10

C. Close-grip bench press

Weeks 1-3: 4 x 10-12
Weeks 1-3: 4 x 10-12
Weeks 4-6: 4 x 8-10

D. Barbell curl

Weeks 1-3: 4 x 10-12
Weeks 4-6: 4 x 8-10

E. Decline dumbbell triceps extension

Weeks 1-3: 4 x 10-12
Weeks 4-6: 4 x 8-10

F. 2/1 machine curl

Weeks 1-3: 3 x 4-5/side (lift explosively with 2 arms, lower in 5 sec. with 1 arm)
Weeks 4-6: 3 x 4-5/side (lift explosively with 2 arms, lower in 5 sec. with 1 arm)

Conclusion

This program should yield impressive gains in vertical jump capacity, as well as in lateral agility and sprinting speed. It would also allow you to maintain or even increase your muscle mass, especially if a proper muscle-gaining nutrition program and the right supplements are used.

I strongly suggest using Biotest's neural boosters Spike and Power Drive alternatively on the lower body workouts. Surge should be used after all workouts; a single dose after the power workouts and a double-dose after the hypertrophy workouts.

If speed and power are what you're looking for, this is the plan for you!

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