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WEEK 32
5 Oct
4 Core supersets
6 Oct
Stability Drill – 3 sets
Hopping Drill – 4 sets
Lateral Drill – 3 sets
Skipping Drill – 3 sets
Step Up Variation – 5 sets
Weighted Jumps – 4 sets
Tibialis Raise – 25 reps7 Oct
Knee Strength Drill – 3 sets
Hang High Pull – 4 sets
Clean Variation – 3 sets
RLESS – 5 sets
Nordic Curls – 4 sets10 Oct
Phase 1 Jump Mechanics Drills – 2 x 1 set
Full approach – 12-15 attempts
4 Core supersetsI had an Epsom Salt bath on the 8th and gave my legs 48 hours to recover. I almost didn’t do the session because I was so short on time but I managed to do one set of drills and some approach jumps. The surface was wet so it wasn’t max. effort, I was at a new court which had a 9’9 rim I managed to touch. I prefer my regular court as it’s almost always empty, so will go back to that next time.
11 Oct
Stability Drill – 3 sets
Hopping Drill – 4 sets
Skipping Drill – 3 sets
Step Up Variation – 5 sets
Weighted Jumps – 4 setsI wasn’t feeling it at all today, this was a real chore and I skipped the lateral drill.
12 Oct
Knee Strength Drill – 3 sets
Hang High Pull – 4 sets
Clean Variation – 3 sets
RLESS – 5 sets
Nordic Curls – 4 setsAgain not the best session, I’ve had poor sleep this week and it showed.
This is where I stop Vert Code Elite. I’ve looked at phase 9 and I don’t feel like I’m missing out by stopping now. My technique is holding me back more than my strength/power right now, so for me the best thing is to write my own program, prioritise technical drills, and also give my body a rest. I know how to peak when it’s muscle soreness but a lot of this is CNS which takes 3-4x as long. I’m going to do two weeks of low intensity maintenance plyo’s and test my vert a few times along the way.
After that I have the exposure to enough programs to know what I should be including and I’m confident I can write up a nice program that’s tailored to my own weaknesses. Phase 9 had sprints and bounding, and as it rains most days I know I’ll only get frustrated about not being able to go flat out on tarmac.
I’ll leave you with the 9’9 rim touch, it didn’t make a noise and I didn’t celebrate so when I was reviewing the video I could only narrow it down to one of these two jumps.
WEEK 31
28 Sept
4 Core supersets
29 Sept
Stability Drill – 3 sets
Hopping Drill – 3 sets
Lateral Drill – 3 sets
Skipping Drill – 3 sets
Step Up Variation – 5 sets
Weighted Jumps – 4 sets
Tibialis Raise – 25 reps30 Sept
Knee Strength Drill – 3 sets
Hang High Pull – 4 sets
Clean Variation – 3 sets
RLESS – 5 sets
Nordic Curls – 4 sets1 Oct
Phase 1 Jump Mechanics Drills – 2 x 3 sets
2 step approach – 5 x 2
4 Core supersetsI felt like I was getting good spring on my 2 step approaches but I also ditched the plastic ruler so I wasn’t obsessing over height. I’m really glad that I chose to add these jumps in as the more recent phases do feel like an ‘in-season’ program where additional jumping is almost expected of you.
3 Oct
Stability Drill – 3 sets
Hopping Drill – 3 sets
Skipping Drill – 3 sets
Weighted Jumps – 4 setsI had minor discomfort in my right hamstring and almost concluded that I shouldn’t work out today, but then I remembered he offers a trimmed down version for those short on time that might suit me. I did skip one of the “do not skip this” exercises because I thought that was the highest risk to further hamstring damage. I got through the session with no problems.
4 Oct
Knee Strength Drill – 3 sets
Hang High Pull – 4 sets
Clean Variation – 3 sets
RLESS – 5 sets
Nordic Curls – 4 setsI breezed through this one. I haven’t been increasing weight because the focus was on maintaining a minimum execution speed. For the Nordics I tried a few without the resistance band and was pleased with my progress.
Here’s one of my 2 step approaches from the extra technical session I’ve been adding in
WEEK 30
21 Sept
4 Core supersets
22 Sept
Stability Drill – 3 sets
Hopping Drill – 3 sets
Lateral Drill – 3 sets
Skipping Drill – 3 sets
Step Up Variation – 4 sets
Weighted Jumps – 4 sets
Tibialis Raise – 25 repsI have a new exercise that I saw kneesovertoesguy demonstrate so I put that at the end of the session.
23 Sept
Knee Strength Drill – 3 sets
Hang High Pull – 4 sets
Clean Variation – 3 sets
RLESS – 5 sets
Nordic Curls – 4 sets
Tibialis Raise – 25 repsI tried a few nordics without the resistance band and I am improving, so that’s good to know. Hang high pull is good too, I had been doing a hang pull but by switching to a barbell the hang high pull feels quite natural.
24 Sept
Phase 1 Jump Mechanics Drills – 2 x 3 sets
2 step approach – 5 x 2
4 Core supersetsI decided against doing this on both core days but once a week is certainly worthwhile. I felt flatter this week and made the mistake of setting up a target to try and touch. I need to focus on technique and not fall into the trap of trying to get the most height, because I may have to sacrifice a few cm until my body is familiar with the new movement pattern.
26 Sept
Stability Drill – 3 sets
Hopping Drill – 3 sets
Lateral Drill – 3 sets
Skipping Drill – 3 sets
Step Up Variation – 5 sets
Weighted Jumps – 4 setsThese sessions are really solid, I feel like each one is contributing something to the end product that is my vert and it’s a shame my technique isn’t allowing me to put it all together.
27 Sept
Knee Strength Drill – 3 sets
Hang High Pull – 4 sets
Clean Variation – 3 sets
RLESS – 5 sets
Nordic Curls – 4 setsThis one was a bit of a grind, I have a 9-10 hour shift and need to squeeze it in before breakfast. At one point I went higher with the RLESS (27.5kg per hand) but having dialled it back down to 25kg I can focus on exploding up to standing.
Here are the RLESS, possibly my very first session as I’m using about 22.5kg. It’s not meant to be so heavy you have to grind out reps and I’m happy with the weight I do now.
11 Sept
Vert Test – RL = 66cm, LR = 70cm
I didn’t expect to PB, phase 7 felt like a strength phase so if anything I thought I’d be a bit sluggish and flat. It’s nice to test it anyway as a measure of how I’m progressing.
PHASE 8
14 Sept
4 Core supersets
My weekly layout suited starting with day 3, so I opened phase 8 with the ab exercises.
15 Sept
Stability Drill – 3 sets
Hopping Drill – 3 sets
Lateral Drill – 3 sets
Skipping Drill – 3 sets
Step Up Variation – 5 sets
Weighted Jumps – 4 setsThis took longer than I expected but I like the exercises.
16 Sept
Knee Strength Drill – 3 sets
Hang High Pull – 4 sets
Clean Variation – 3 sets
RLESS – 5 sets
Nordic Curls – 4 setsOhhh I really like this day. The rep ranges make me feel like there’s at least some sort of taper or a transition from strength to power.
17 Sept
Phase 1 Jump Mechanics Drills – 2 x 3 sets
2 step approach – 5 x 2
4 Core supersetsI was reading the YouTube comments and I’m tired of having a flawed jump technique that everyone focuses on, so I added in the phase 1 drills to help. I don’t know whether twice a week is excessive load but I plan to do the same next week for the other core day. I didn’t measure the 2 step but I will do next time as I was getting some quite good height.
19 Sept
Stability Drill – 3 sets
Hopping Drill – 3 sets
Lateral Drill – 3 sets
Skipping Drill – 3 sets
Step Up Variation – 5 sets
Weighted Jumps – 4 sets20 Sept
Knee Strength Drill – 3 sets
Hang High Pull – 4 sets
Clean Variation – 3 sets
RLESS – 5 sets
Nordic Curls – 4 setsMuch better second time round. The first session is always a tester where you get a feel for what amount of weight to use but now I have it dialled in already and can load appropriately.
Here are the weighted jumps, it’s only 20kg because as I say it seems to be more about power in this phase
WEEK 28
3 Sept
Lateral Drills – 2 x 3 sets
Bound/Sprint – 9 runs
Depth Jump variation – 3 sets
Jump Complex – 3 sets
Eccentric Calf Lower – 11 x 10 secs w 29kg
Copenhagen Plank (full) – 3 x 15 secsGreat to be able to build up to a full Copenhagen plank over the last four weeks.
4 Sept
Clean Variation – 3 sets
Pistol Squat Variation – 4 sets
Nordic Curls – 4 sets
Calf Raise – 3 setsI went heavier on the cleans and it felt better, usually if it’s too light you can end up using your arms too much to raise the weight.
5 Sept
3x Core/Mobility supersets
The barefoot walking was good for foot strength and arches but aggravating my Achilles so I backed off for now.
6 Sept
Lateral Drills – 2 x 3 sets
Bound/Sprint – 8 runs
Depth Jump variation – 3 sets
Jump Complex – 3 setsI’m backing off my accessory lifts so no adductor or Achilles work, just giving my body a rest.
8 Sept
Clean Variation – 3 sets
Pistol Squat Variation – 4 sets
Nordic Curls – 4 sets
Calf Raise – 3 setsNot in the mood for this one, I can sense the accumulated fatigue once again and look forward to taking a few days off. Previously there’s been plyo’s and lots of CNS taxing workouts, this time I have the more familiar feeling of tired muscles from more traditional exercises like Nordics and pistol squats.
9 Sept
3x Core/Mobility supersets
I’m ready to move on now, those were a good four weeks but having done 8 of each session the odd exercise that I don’t enjoy has become quite a chore (I’m looking at you “rolling cross touch”).
I will probably take an Epsom salt bath this evening, then test my vert on the 11th. I would have tested later but the morning of the 12th is tattoo removal and I’m incapacitated for 48 hrs after that, meaning I have to start phase 8 on Monday 14th.
