JMac31's Quest to Dunk

6/24/2014 - 5/3/1 Bench

Lying Med Ball Throws: 12 x 5, 12 x 3, 12 x 1

Bench: 175 x 5, 205 x 3, 225 x 1, 235 x 1, 245 x 1
Face Pull: 65 x 12, 65 x 12, 65 x 12, 65 x 12, 65 x 12

Incline: 155 x 5, 175 x 5, 195 x 5
Pendlay Row: 135 x 5, 155 x 5, 175 x 5

Dips: BW x 25, BW x 25
Neutral Grip Chin-up: BW x 12, BW x 12

Shoot Around
Running Verticals: 4

Notes: Shot around after lifting. Wanted to run some 5 on 5, but the gym was crowded. Did not have time to get into a game. Did a few running verticals and was getting between first and second knuckle to the rim like last week.

Hey bud, Google “Kelly Baggett Ultimate Split”. Think it’s exactly what you’re looking for. Never ran it but it looks great. Dunking was my thing and at 32, 5’9" and three major knee injuries deep I can still punch it. If I can help in any way, holler.

[quote]WhiteFlash wrote:
Hey bud, Google “Kelly Baggett Ultimate Split”. Think it’s exactly what you’re looking for. Never ran it but it looks great. Dunking was my thing and at 32, 5’9" and three major knee injuries deep I can still punch it. If I can help in any way, holler. [/quote]

Thanks WhiteFlash! I have read a lot of Kelly Baggett’s stuff, but I have never seen “The Ultimate Split” before. It was a good read and crazy how close it is to what I am currently doing! Basically I have 2 upper sessions and 2 lower session cycled through 3 days a week and I start each with a speed/jumping movement. I found that out about a year ago that a single plyo exercise at the start of the session is best for me. Even a lot of Kelly’s stuff in VBJ has too many plyos in my opinion. Maybe it works for some people but not me.

WhiteFlash just curious do you like jumping off one foot or two feet?

I always used to jump off one foot because of all the lay-ups I did growing up playing basketball, but I recently switched to two foot jumping. I think this works better for me, I am more of a “strength jumper”.

[quote]JMac31 wrote:

[quote]WhiteFlash wrote:
Hey bud, Google “Kelly Baggett Ultimate Split”. Think it’s exactly what you’re looking for. Never ran it but it looks great. Dunking was my thing and at 32, 5’9" and three major knee injuries deep I can still punch it. If I can help in any way, holler. [/quote]

Thanks WhiteFlash! I have read a lot of Kelly Baggett’s stuff, but I have never seen “The Ultimate Split” before. It was a good read and crazy how close it is to what I am currently doing! Basically I have 2 upper sessions and 2 lower session cycled through 3 days a week and I start each with a speed/jumping movement. I found that out about a year ago that a single plyo exercise at the start of the session is best for me. Even a lot of Kelly’s stuff in VBJ has too many plyos in my opinion. Maybe it works for some people but not me.

WhiteFlash just curious do you like jumping off one foot or two feet?

I always used to jump off one foot because of all the lay-ups I did growing up playing basketball, but I recently switched to two foot jumping. I think this works better for me, I am more of a “strength jumper”.
[/quote]

Yeah, noticed it was similar but saw that you do your explosive stuff separate from lifting. If my knees weren’t hamburger I’d run something like that to get my old hops back, but sadly I left 'em in '07, haha.

My first ever dunk (was 16) was off of one foot, but as I grew and got stronger I became solely a two foot jumper. I coupd probably get higher with two even when I caught that first dunk was just skinny as a rope and didn’t have the strength to confidently go up with the ball. Honestly man, getting stronger was the biggest thing for me. Never did any plyo’s or dedicated jumping before the injuries, just got stronger and played 1-2 a week and that seemed to take me to that next level.

Do you have any vids of your jumping? Maybe we could look at your setup and approach and see if there’s anything to tweak to get you more comfortable gettin’ off the ground. Not saying you need it, just offering, if you’re down.

[quote]WhiteFlash wrote:
Yeah, noticed it was similar but saw that you do your explosive stuff separate from lifting. If my knees weren’t hamburger I’d run something like that to get my old hops back, but sadly I left 'em in '07, haha.

My first ever dunk (was 16) was off of one foot, but as I grew and got stronger I became solely a two foot jumper. I coupd probably get higher with two even when I caught that first dunk was just skinny as a rope and didn’t have the strength to confidently go up with the ball. Honestly man, getting stronger was the biggest thing for me. Never did any plyo’s or dedicated jumping before the injuries, just got stronger and played 1-2 a week and that seemed to take me to that next level.

Do you have any vids of your jumping? Maybe we could look at your setup and approach and see if there’s anything to tweak to get you more comfortable gettin’ off the ground. Not saying you need it, just offering, if you’re down.[/quote]

I usually do my jumping before lifting because I have a place to jumping at the gym, but I sprint separately just because I have no good place to sprint near where I lift.

I definitely hear you about getting stronger that seems to be the biggest thing for my jumping too. I just need a little jumping/plyos to practice using that strength. If I switch to something that is all plyos no lifting after about a month my jumping goes down.

The other thing is my running vertical is not that much higher than my standing vertical. So, that is definitely something I want to practice. I do not have any videos, but I would like to get some. I will definitely post them once I have some. It may be a while since I train alone. I’m just going to have to make my wife come to the gym and tape someday lol.

Thanks WhiteFlash! And sorry to hear about the knees.

6/27/2014 - Jumping and 5/3/1 Squat

Single-legged Box Jumps: 3 x 5 each leg

Hang Power Clean: 135 x 5, 155 x 3, 175 x 1

Squat: 225 x 5, 265 x 3, 295 x 1, 305 x 1, 315 x 1, 335 x 1, 345 x 1

Snatch Grip Deadlift: 205 x 5, 235 x 5, 265 x 5, 275 x 5
Incline Sit-up: BW x 40, BW x40, BW x 40, BW x 40

Standing Calf Raise: 150 x 15, 150 x 15
Russia Twist: 25 x 15, 25 x 15 each side

Notes: Added belt for squats at 315.

6/29/2014 - Sprinting

Sprints: 100m x 3

6/30/2014 - Jumping and 5/3/1 Press

Single-legged Box Jumps: 3 x 10 each leg

Overhead Med Ball Throws: 12 x 5, 12 x 3, 12 x 1

Press: 115 x 5, 135 x 3, 145 x 1, 155 x 1, 165 x 1
Pull-ups: BW x 12, BW x 12, BW x 10, BW x 10, BW x 8

Close Grip Bench: 155 x 5, 175 x 5, 195 x 5
Seated Cable Row: 60 x 12, 60 x 12, 60 x 12

Alternating DB Curls: 35s x 10, 35s x 10
Unilateral DB Triceps Extension: 25 x 10, 25 x 10

Notes: Single-legged box jumps done on very low box, concentrated on minimal ground contact.

7/1/2014 - Jumping and 5/3/1 Deadlift

Broad Jumps: 10
Clean: 135 x 5, 155 x 3, 175 x 1

Deadlift: 265 x 5, 305 x 3, 335 x 1, 355 x 1, 375 x 1, 405 x 1

Front Squat: 155 x 5, 185 x 5, 205 x 5
Hanging Leg Raises: BW x 12, BW x 12, BW x 12

Back Extension: (BW 45) x 20, (BW 45) x 20
Supported Leg Raises: BW x 20, BW x 20

Notes: Better deadlift session than last time. Did the 5’s pro front squats I was supposed to do last week.

7/1/2014 - Basketball

Notes: In the gym for about 90 minutes. Shot around and played one pick-up game.

---------- START CYCLE 2 ----------

I am overall pleased with my first cycle and am making the standard 5/10 lbs increases in all 5/3/1 and 5’s Pro lifts except the front squat. I missed a week of front squats and am going to redo last cycles numbers. The only change in assistant will be that I am dropping Pendlay rows and pull-ups. The barbell rowing and straight bar pull-ups are aggravating my elbows. I will replace them with some pulling exercises which do not hurt.

5/3/1 Cycle 2:
Press TM = 160
Bench TM = 240
Squat TM = 315
Deadlift TM = 365

Clean TM = 195

5’s Pro Cycle 2:
Close Grip Bench TM = 210
Incline TM = 210
Snatch Grip Deadlift TM = 285
Front Squat TM = 225

7/4/2014 - Jumping and 5/3/1 Bench

Lying Med Ball Throws: 12 x 3, 12 x 3, 12 x 3

Bench: 165 x 3, 195 x 3, 215 x 9
Face Pull: 65 x 12, 65 x 12, 65 x 12, 65 x 12, 65 x 12

Incline: 140 x 5, 160 x 5, 180 x 5
Kroc Rows: 60 x 15, 70 x 15, 80 x 20

Dips: BW x 25, BW x 20
Neutral Grip Chin-up: BW x 10, BW x 8

Shoot Around
Running Verticals: 18

Notes: Switched out Pendlay rows for Kroc rows, felt better on elbow. Pull-ups down from last time, I think due to the switch in rowing movement. Shoot around after lifting and did running verticals. Jumping a little lower than last week and felt slow off the ground. I did not sleep the best last week and have set new maxes in both squat and deadlift in the past week. I’ll make sure to sleep and recover.

7/8/2014 - Sprinting and Bounding

Alternating Single-leg Bounding + Sprinting: (20m + 80m) x 4

Notes: Alternated with a left, left, right, right, etc. pattern.

7/8/2014 - 5/3/1 Squat

Hang Power Clean: 135 x 3, 155 x 3, 175 x 3

Squat: 225 x 3, 255 x 3, 285 x 10

Snatch Grip Deadlift w/ extended ROM: 185 x 5, 215 x 5, 245 x 5
Incline Sit-up: (BW 10) x 30, (BW 10) x 30, (BW 10) x 30

Speed Skater Squats: 40s x 10, 40s x 10 each leg
DB Side Bends: 40 x 20, 40 x 20 each side

Notes: Hit 275 x 10 last cycle on PR set; so, I am happy with the 285 x 10 squat PR today. Stood on two plates to extend ROM on snatch grip deadlifts.

7/8/2014 - Basketball

Notes: Shot around for about 90 minutes. Waited forever to get in a pick up game, but by the time I was up to play everybody decided to leave. A little frustrating.

7/11/2014 - Jumping and 5/3/1 Press

Overhead Med Ball Throws: 12 x 3, 12 x 3, 12 x 3

Press: 115 x 3, 125 x 3, 145 x 7
Pull-ups: BW x 15, BW x 12, BW x 9

Close Grip Bench: 140 x 5, 160 x 5, 180 x 5
Seated Cable Row: 60 x 12, 60 x 12, 60 x 12

Alternating DB Curls: 35s x 10, 40s x 10
Unilateral DB Triceps Extension: 25 x 10, 25 x 10

Depth Jumps: 5 x 3

Notes: Depth jumps at end of session since I had a hard time loosening up the my hamstrings. Spent time between upper body work doing mobility/flexibility work.

7/11/2014 - Basketball

Notes: Shot around for about 60 minutes and played 3-on-3 for about 20 minutes.

7/12/2014 - Sprinting

Sprints: 40m x 4, 80m x 2

7/12/2014 - 5/3/1 Deadlift

Clean: 135 x 3, 155 x 3, 175 x 3

Deadlift: 255 x 3, 295 x 3, 335 x 6

Front Squat: 135 x 5, 165 x 5, 185 x 5
Hanging Leg Raises: BW x 12, BW x 12, BW x 12

Notes: Cleans felt a little slow and deadlifts felt heavy, but I did have a good sprinting session earlier.

7/12/2014 - Basketball

Notes: Shot around for about 30 minutes, then played 5-on-5 for about 30 minutes.