THE WHAT:
Contexts for developing capacity & coordination in the foundational vertical-jump. For optimal progressive-measurability it is ideally practiced using a plyo-box and then stacking weight-plates above when establishing one’s max, however seeking out an area with different height ledges & walls in the outdoor environment also serves perfectly well for a session.

Resource contents:
0:05 - Vertical-jump (mid-pause)
0:41 - Vertical-jump (deep-pause)
1:17 - Vertical-jump (full-range)
1:55 - Vertical-jump (max-height)

As the ultimate objective is increasing height of the landing platform, focus in these drills is essentially toward developing maximal power-output, the product of force x velocity. This is supported by the addition of simple 'pause' variations in the 'mid-squat' (ca. 90° knee-angle) and 'deep-squat' (deepest possible whilst maintaining a neutral spine) which effectively serve to eliminate the SSC (the body's 'stretch-shorten cycle' mechanism, where a quick muscle stretch followed by an immediate contraction uses stored elastic energy & neural activation to increase force & power).

By eliminating this natural phenomenon, training focus shifts instead toward increasing rate of force-development (RFD) through faster motor-unit recruitment to improve raw, concentric explosive power through both the partial (ca. 90°) and full-range squat. When plugged back into the 'full-range' and max-height vertical jumps, which then express the SSC of the arms (their rapid 'loading' and 'explosion' swing- phases) and legs (adding the eccentric which loads elastic energy for explosive take-off), the ceiling of maximal force-production is increased.

THE HOW:
As the 'pause' variations essentially begin from a "dead-start", optimal joint-position and structural alignment become critical for force-production. Whilst nuances of degrees (namely in knee, hip, and back-angle relative to the ground) can and do make significant differences, simply keeping the chest & head UP (eyes on the landing platform) and ensuring a straight/"neutral" spine (force optimal force-transfer) will help cue the body into and auto-regulated posture. Ensure the arms are extended MAXIMALLY behind the body, and keep weight even between and over the arches of the feet, when in the loaded, paused position.

When jumping, swing the arms forward & fully/RAPIDLY overhead in a trajectory which leads up and over the landing platform - do so as QUICKLY as possible and imagine that the arms LEAD the jump and the body is then PULLED behind. This should elicit a FULL 'triple-extension' in the 'explosion' phase at the level of the ankles, knees, and hips, meaning the body has reached its mechanically optimal joint-configuration for force-transfer & propulsion. Whenever the jump feels "stunted" or "short", this is most commonly because full triple-extension was not reached. In some cases, this can be due to not swinging the arms full overhead or pulling them back too quickly. Rather, keep the body (including arms) as LONG as possible, FOR as long as possible.

In approaching maximal heights, the sensation & intention on landing, then, is one of PULLING the feet UP and OVER the landing platform and into a deep-squat position (the feet can even be seen meeting the platform BEFORE one's center of mass arrives). This then adds the final & unique quality to the 'vertical-jump' in its maximal expression - after a full triple-extension, the lower-body RAPIDLY recoils into FLEXION to pull the legs upward and maximise vertical-reach during flight & landing.

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