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Vrt4u · #1 (**permalink**) 10-10-2006, 02:01 PM

Here is a free bodyweight program that I am making. I only have the first 4 weeks done right now (should be a 12 week program) but that because I am looking for somewhere that does a good job explaining (anmations hopfuly) how to perfrom the plyos. But I should have the whole program done very soon so even if you start today I will have weeks 5 though 12 done before you even get there.
Please note that I is a job in its self just trying to get this thing formated so that it works on this message board. Also I post links to sites where you can learn how to perform these exercises (as I don't wont to steal others work) but you should just study the desciptions but don't do any workout plans that they tell you to as some of them are for bodybuilder ect.. In other words if they tell you to perform 12 reps and I say 8 listen to ME!

Bodyweight program.

First I just want to say that this is a relatively simple bodyweight program. It should work best for people with little or know vertical jump training but it follows sound principles and should work for everybody to some extent.

I think that it's easier to train with weights but if you don't have access to them then this program might be for you.

Next I want to say that if you don't have access to weights then using Jumpsoles with Propreorciptors CAN GIVE you a compleat leg workout. You can buy them here http://www.jumpusa.com/Merchant2/mer...iate=vert2fear

But I recommend that if you can't use weights you should use this program instead (it has bodyweight and weights plus plyometrics)
http://hop.clickbank.net/?vert2fear/kellyb

That said lets get to my program

First jump and hop around. We are just trying to get the blood flowing here.

Maybe do some jumping jacks and then jump in place a couple of times.
Thats your WARMUP

SKI SQUATS Stand about 18" from a smooth wall with your feet shoulder width apart. Then lean back against the wall. Now lower your self down to a sitting position against the wall (your hips should be about 6" above your knees.
Hold for 10 seconds then slide down another 2 inches hold for 10 seconds and slide down 2 more inches your hips and knees should now be level with each other after 10 seconds go down 2 more inches hold for 10 then slide down 2 more inches hold for 10 and you are done! You can do this with you back to the wall but I prefer to pin a Swiss ball between the wall and my back.

You can buy Swiss balls here
http://www.jumpusa.com/Merchant2/mer...iate=vert2fear
You can read more on Ski Squats and see some pictures here
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/likness23.htm

PISTOLS You won't gain as much leg muscle doing these as you would from Ski Squats but they do a better job improving stability and strengthen the small stabilizing muscles in the legs
Learn more here
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/mahler2.htm

NATURAL GLUTE HAM RAISES Kneel down on the ground. Use a pad (like a pillow or just do it on the grass) and have someone of something pin your feet down. Then just lower your upper body till your chest touches the ground then raise yourself back up.

Your hamstrings should supply all the power for this exercise but if your not strong enough you may use your arms AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE!
This link will show you how to perform Glute Ham Rasies it shows you how to
do them with a machine but it should give you a basic idea of what to do
http://exrx.net/WeightExercises/Hams...eHamRaise.html
More on Natural Glute Ham Rasies
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/renegade10.htm

SINGLE LEG CALF RAISES Find a stair or a small block of wood. Then standing on one leg place the ball of your foot on the object so that you are standing on one leg with the heel of your foot hanging off of the edge.

Then lower the back of your foot as low as you can then stand up on your tip toes for two seconds. Then lower yourself all the way down and repeat.
http://exrx.net/WeightExercises/Gast...CalfRaise.html

CRUNCHES Just do a crunch. Or it works best on the Swiss ball that we mentioned earlier.
http://exrx.net/WeightExercises/Rect...allCrunch.html

PLANKS get down like you were going to do a pushup and then pick up your upper body on your elbows hold your body from your toes to your head stiff like a plank and try to keep this position for 60 seconds. This is one rep.
http://exercise.about.com/od/abs/ss/abexercises_10.htm

Workout routine.

This is a 12 week program broken into 3 four week phases. If you are looking to compleat it in 8 week then you can just start the program from week 5 and work from there.
But it would be optimal to start from week 1 in order to get the most
from the strength and conditioning phase.

I will also make a aditional phase that you can do AFTER you have completed this routine. I advise that when you do finnish this routine and if you are looking to do more vertical training then you should take 10 to 14 days off and get some rest then you can either restart this program or go to my website http://www.vert.2fear.com and look for the next phase that I will write.

This program would also be a good prep for someone that wants to buy a program like this one http://hop.clickbank.net/?vert2fear/kellyb
but is saving there money. Do this program well you save and then when you are able to get the program you will not be a raw beginner.

You should do this three days a week with one day of rest in between
every workout. At the end of the week take two days of. Like this Monday,

Wednesday and Friday or Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Two days a week

will also do. Like Monday and Thursday, Tuesday and Friday or Wednesday

and Saturday. Make sure that you get plenty of rest.

Rest two minutes between every set.

WARMUP 5 minutes
Phase 1 weeks 1,2,3 and 4
PISTOLS 2 sets of 10 per leg. Use the stair step apraoch.
SKI SQUATS 3 sets. Hold for 10 seconds at each of the 5 postitions.
SINGLE LEG CALF RAISES 3 sets of 10 per leg. If you have access to some
light weights then you should hold them well you do these.

NATRUAL GLUTE HAM RAISES 3 sets or 8. If you want to use your hands
to assist you for a warmup set thats fine but try to limit cheating for the regual sets as much as possible.

CRUNCHES 2 sets of 15, Works best on a Swiss Ball.
PLANKS 2 sets try to hold each set for 1 minute.
When you have finished you should stretch and consume about 25 grams each of protein and simple carbs. Also try to intake some potassium and take it easy for about an hour.

youngtricker · #2 (**permalink**) 10-10-2006, 08:41 PM

do you have any experience in making programs, or any reasoning behind this one? seems like you just threw together a bunch of bodyweight exercises. If that's what you did, then don't advertise it as a program..
No offense or anything, but what the hell are you throwing crunches in there for (or even planks, for that matter)? Is this a jump workout or full workout?
3x10 one leg calf raises? That will probably barely do anything, in my opinion. I do 3x10 one leg calf raises with 100 lbs, and my vertical/leg strength isn't so amazing either. and 2x10 pistols for beginners??!!?? No way, the form and technique, thus the benefits of the exercise would go way down, would they not?
Also for beginners, no way in HELL will they be able to "limit the cheating" for GHR's. I'm still using my hands for them.
I'm not that experienced with critiquing programs, but it seems like this is not very promising. By all means please explain it to me, though, I don't mean any of this offensively (some people can't take criticism).

Vrt4u · #3 (**permalink**) 10-10-2006, 09:37 PM

Well you come acrossed pretty strong but I think that I can take it

First I think that you can always learn more but I have studied the science of improving your vertical jump quite a bit over the last 10 months (I have been doing it for a 1 1/2 years now but at first I was just using the Jumpesoles program and then I had alot of stuff to do and quit for awhile)

The Ski Squats are to improve leg strength. I had never even heard of them till I bought the Vertical Jump Bible but I started doing them for awhile and I don't think that kind of static type exercise would be as good as squating with bands but obviously you can't do that without equitment.

The Pistols were what I used to use and I believe that they will give good strength although I think that I explained they are mostly for stabilization. Also you will notice that Pistols is the only exercise that I didn't even try to explain. I did that to MAKE SURE that everybody would go to the link and read about the stair step method. Which I then tell people to do. I know that if they use this method they can do 2 sets of 10 because I was once a begginer at Pistols and using the stair step method I did 3 or 4 sets of 10 three times a week.

Same with the Glute Ham Raises I was once at begginer and I just used alittle help from my hands (I actual grabed the back of my legs just a little to cheat) I have only been doing them for 6 to 8 months (and I had a few breaks from training in there as well ) and I now do them with a 10 pound plate held just behind of even just ontop of my head and I sometimes use a strength bands AS WELL so that I have progressive resistance.

Those three exercises work the upper leg which is probally the most important thing for jumping although if you are serious you need to train your whole body which this program by the way doesn't! Because I didn't think that most of the people using this program would be advanced enough to do that many exercises and so I wanted to give them the most important.

As for the Calf Raises you must really suck at Glute Ham Raises but are probally better then average at Single Leg Calf Raises. Regardless I do not have them on a very difficult calf workout. But as the upper leg was much more important to work and as the calf is the most dense (I belive) muscle in the human body it's not real easy to work without weights. Still This should give them some calf work if they are so weak there that it's hindering there performce that significantly.

Now you are just sounding dumb when you bash the ab work. The abs (espeacily the plank work) is very important when jumping or anyother activity (even sitting). This is true just to jump but becomes more so when you are really getting up there because you can really put alot of force on your midsection.

Quote:

Your “core” (abs & low back) is the link from your lower to upper body. It is also responsible for the transference of force from your lower to upper body. Basically, your arms and legs can be strong as hell but if you have a marshmallow in the middle you will never completely benefit from your limb strength. The vertical jump is one of the ultimate examples of this. So don’t sell yourself short by only training your arms and legs. Hit the abs hard, too.

http://www.defrancostraining.com/art...icle_fab15.htm

Quote:

All great natural athletes: past athletes such as Willie Mays, Jesse Owens, Rafer Johnson, and Dr. J, and present athletes such as Tracy McGrady, Kobe Bryant, and Vince Carter have one thing in common: low percentage of body fat, abs of steel, and strong backs. This is because ab and back muscles are crucial to running and jumping ability.

http://www.jumpusa.com/plyoabspecial.htm

Fact of the matter is that as abs are used for everything they are also strengthened by just alot of things. If you are squating that will do quite a bit for your abs. But as these people aren't doing regual barbell squats I wanted to supplement there workout with some ab work.

I actual should have probally given them some lower back and shoulder work as well but I guess I was lazy and I didn't want to take the time to research any exercises for them. (something you accused me of not doing.)
I use a Swiss Ball for my lower back but I figured that people that are using a free bodyweight program probally aren't going to buy a Swiss Ball so I though enough of preaching about the Swiss Ball. And The only bodyweight shoulder work I have ever done was quite intense and probally wouldn't be safe for a begginer (once again you bashed me for making some of the exercises to hard but I did put time into them and think about what people could do and I did relise that some people might be stronger then me in some areas and weaker in others)

youngtricker · #4 (**permalink**) 10-11-2006, 05:29 PM

i agree with you on some of this stuff, thank you for actually taking the time and typing a whole response. Some guys would be like "I hate you Youngtricker!!" lol

now..

Of course all of these exercises are great, but I'm just saying not sure if they are fit together correctly in a fair enough pattern to be considered a good program. For example, I realize that this is only for beginners, but I still think that it could have been put together a little better. I commend you on making it, but I will also say that it still needs work. There are many training-specific sites that you could go to and get more specific help (thesportselite.com forum has squat dr., jtrinsey, peter mundy, etc. and they know their sh*t!) Sorry I can't give you more specific help, but I'm fairly sure that this program needs....work.

Now, as for the abs.... Please please please, understand that ABS are not CORE MUSCLES. Developing abdominals (six pack, for instance) does absolutely zero, zip, nadda, NOTHING for you in life, let alone jumping. It is a "human made muscle" of course not literally. We saw that it looked good, so it became a goal. Of course, get abs for looks, but it does nothing for you. Think about it like this. When do you EVER use the motion of situps or crunches in life/jumping? What part of a jump would use the motion of a situp that it gives you proficeincy at? All situps do is make it so you can do more situps, to be summed up.
Now, core strength is a completely different factor. Planks work core strength well, and I don't knock those for what they do, I just think there are other (better?) ways of working your core. Core Strength is literally the muscles of your core. Deeper than your stomach, really the inside muscles holding your body together. Without core strength, you wouldn't be able to stand upright, jump, run, etc. Working your core strength helps balance, jumping, and just about everything you'll ever do. Working core strength is fantastic, but ABS are not CORE STRENGTH.

Again, I appreciate all the work that must have gone into it, but try and develop it to its max potential before posting it.
-Youngtricker

Vrt4u · #5 (**permalink**) 10-11-2006, 09:33 PM

I don't totaly understand your abs/core line. But anyway the planks are proablly one of the best exercises for that region.(by the way there is a big difference between situps and crunches.)

As for the makeup of the program. There is allways room for improvment but one of my favorite things about this program and the thing that I really wished I would have known 6 months ago when I was only doing bodyweight stuff is the great way the exercises are combinded. I was either doing to much stuff and overworking myself. Or I was not working enough stuff. This program touches on the key body areas without doing several exercises for each one. I have a decent knowledge of this stuff and I really think that this program breaks things down pretty nice. I have actual been working on this since about the time that I started doing my own bodyweight thing about 6 months ago but I could find a mix that I liked and then I finaly put together the right strengthbuilding exercises mentaly and then I just needed to get it on the computer and actual make sure that users would be able to figure out how to perform each exercise.

I am still working on the plyos part. Mainly because I need to make sure that I do a good job explaining how to perfrom them.

youngtricker · #6 (**permalink**) 10-12-2006, 06:51 PM

About the abs thing, just think about it like this. Jumping doesn't involve abs, because you can jump the highest you can and not even flex your abs. Try it out. Energy is transferred from the ground through your core up, not through your abs. Sorry I'm not able to explain it further, if you're really serious I could ask some people who are more knowledgable than me to explain it to you.

but keep up the good work, develop it more, and it'll be good to go.

Vrt4u · #7 (**permalink**) 10-13-2006, 08:59 AM

What I don't understand is first you seem to say planks are a waste of time then you say they work core strength better. Also I don't agree with eveything that you say regarding abs and core mucles. Plus situps don't just help you perform situps they can also work the hip flexors. But I am not using situps anyway it's just something you mentioned.

youngtricker · #8 (**permalink**) 10-13-2006, 02:59 PM

i never said planks are a waste of time. i said some stuff is better, but planks are not a waste. How do you not agree with everything I said? Explain please, because I can't really explain unless you tell me what you don't agree with. Yes, no point in arguing about situps because they aren't in there.
-Youngtricker

Vrt4u · #9 (**permalink**) 10-14-2006, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by youngtricker

i never said planks are a waste of time. i said some stuff is better, but planks are not a waste. How do you not agree with everything I said? Explain please, because I can't really explain unless you tell me what you don't agree with. Yes, no point in arguing about situps because they aren't in there.
-Youngtricker

This is a busy time of the week for me. I work Wednesday, Thursday and Friday night then I have to turn around and get up at 3:35am and go to work on Saturday. But I will elaborate more later. Maybe Monday. I am tired.

Just a quick note I show a very good six pack when I am jumping. I mean jumping really brings it out.

youngtricker · #10 (**permalink**) 10-15-2006, 11:02 AM

I think flexing abs is extraneous, but if it works, by all means keep it up.