Training advice

Looking for feedback on two training issues.

1)I am now coaching my daughter's basketball team. Same story as with my son's at the beginning of this year for those of you who remember - I signed my daughter up for a league, coach bails and never shows up, so I say I will do it. Anyway - each season they have a coaches game that the youth watch. Last year they had some coaches with some serious game, and a few who could double hand jam with authority. When I played hoop in my teens I could dunk a regular basketball just barely, and slam small things like nerf balls with a slight bit more authority. I am 41 now, and a good bit heavier - but want to get some air back. I can essentially get the finger tips of one hand to the rim, when I jump.
How would you recommend improving my vertical - I hate to prove the "white men can't jump" theory correct during the coaches game.

2)I will have to take some time off from the gym in December - several weeks. I have not taken a full week off in about 3 years, although I periodize and go through periods of light training and then periods of heavy training. Do you think 3-4 weeks off from weights will affect me much? Will I need to start back light and do some conditioning before going heavy on squats and deads again? Remember I am 41. I don't want tendon injuries.

Looking forward to coaching this all girls basketball team. All the girls but 2 have played competitive bball before (my daughter and one other). I have worked with my daughter at home, and today was the first day the other girl had ever touched a basketball - made her first basket today. Several of the girls have ALOT of talent and skill. One of the girls with several years experience could smoke most of guys 2 or 3 years older. I really can see another championship coming out of this team.

[charlie brown]

If you want vert, you'll have to start busting out plyo's. Specifically, box jumps and the like. Explosiveness is more of a muscle innervation thing as opposed to a strength issue (you never see overly muscular high jumpers).

A month off training will probably do your body good (kinda like milk!). You'll most likely come back stronger, though you'll probably want a week or two to ease your body back into routine.

ERTW!

[Curious George]

GW....Plyos will work well, as do glute/ham raises from the floor. Incorperate some snatches and clean and jerks to work on the explosive applications. There are many posts on this subject at Mel Siffs site at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Supertraining

Let me know what you think of it as it is a favorite of mine to look through training archives.

Take Good Care,

Cg

[archive_Flash]

I'll second the plyo's.

Also lift like like a powerlifter. Heavy explosive lifts will put a spring in your step. Concentrate on exploding off the bottom on heavy squats, 5-8 sets of 3-4 reps at 85%-95% of your 1rm. cleans should be a lighter wieght concentrating on speed. When doing plyo's make a conscious effort to concentrate on maximal speed, power, and explosiveness. if you do plyo's without focus, the results will be 1/2 of what they could be.

[hooker]

Plyo's will be good. I'd also reccomend working power cleans, hang cleans, and especially high pulls for sets of 3-5.
Calves should also be done for sets of no more than 5, concentrating on exploding out of a paused bottom position. And, I'd like to add in a really odd exercise as well: Front raises!
Yeah, its true, 10-15% of your vertical jump comes from the momentum generated by swinging your arms upwards while you jump. Wanna test this theory? Jump as high as you can with your hands in your pockets, and then try doing the same thing but this time keep your hands out of your pockets and swing them upwards while you jump. I'm sure you'll notice the difference in height.
So don't forget the front raises in training for improving your vertical jump.

"Computer games don't affect kids negatively; I mean if Pac-Man affected us
as kids, we'd all be running around darkened rooms, munching magic pills and
listening to repetitive electronic music."
-Kristian Wilson, Nintendo, Inc.
1988

Thanks alot guys. Another guy I go to school with said to do pause jump squats - use 40-60% of usual squat weight, go to parallel, PAUSE, then explode upwards with a little jump - what do you think?

I think I am going to incorporate some of the training into the girls practice. I am thinking 10 minutes of leap training done at 6 stations back to back. These are also the rep ranges I am thinking of for the girls : 1) ankle hopping - going as high as possible just using ankle bursts. 15 reps 2)power skipping - a skip but pulling the knees to the chest on each full skip, mimics explosive leap. 30 yards 3) laundry hop - set a paper bag or something on the ground and they leap side to side over it.10 reps 4) Rim touch - leaping as high as the can. Since none of them can touch the rim I will have them leap and touch as high as they can on the wall or the pole. 10 reps 5)back throw - holding a childs ball filled with about 2-5 LBS of water, you squat with the arms low, then throw the arms up overhead as fast as you can while leaping. Teaches throwing the arms up like was mentioned above. 5-10 reps 6) accelerations - 30 yards covered alternating 3/4 speed and full out speed.

These girls are 9-12 years old. Is 6 stations too much to start the season practices with - maybe 3 stations per practice? how much rest do you guys think between stations? How many times per week? We will have 2 practices per week and a game once a week.

I am planning on 1 hour practices devided into 3 parts ; 1)20 minutes of fundementals and new skills (passing, dribbling and shooting in the early practices; setting picks-faking-getting out of the box/double team in mid season practices; full court strategies-shooting off a pass no dribble-etc late season practices) 2)10 minutes conditioning drills 3)30 minutes team scrimmage. I know some coaches do conditioning drills at the end of practices but I like doing them before we scrimmage because I think when you have to perform when already winded and fatigued brings out your best technique. When you are fresh there is alot of wasted motion, when you are really tired you cut out the crap and grandstanding, so I like them to play after they are already a bit winded.

Again what do you all think? I appreciate any feedback.

[archive_Killer]

All suggestions to increase your vert are good. I would throw in some big time stretching.

Also, your workout for the girls looks pretty good. I would say maybe 30 seconds between stations. I think you can have 6 stations, just depends on how many times they go through and what intensity. I think more than anything it will be somewhat trial and error given the age group and different levels of physical maturity. Also, watch for any patellar tendonitis due to all the increased jumping. A great drill to throw in with power skipping (bounding) is heel kicks. Have them run and kick thier heels to their butts.

Have fun! I have down some speed and conditioning with Pop Warner football kids and had a great time

[Curious George]

Gw...For yourself, go read some Louis Simmons articles on box squatting. When you sit down and back on a below parallel box, you break the eccentric/concentric chain. You are coming to a pause for a second and then exploding up using the hips, glutes and hams. For pure strength and explosiveness, it is hard to beat. Check out www.elitefts.com (http://www.elitefts.com) for the articles.

Take Good Care,

Cg