Box Jumps

As noted above and many times previously, box jumps are MUCH easier on the knees, which is relevant for bigger or older guys and those who are new to plyo training. 

However, further to Sean's point, there is no real training advantage to jumping on an extra-high box and (hopefully) sticking an extra-deep squat landing.  Other than for the challange, fun, and bragging rights involved in jumping on a high box, the same or possibly better training effect can be obtained by jumping on a somewhat lower box and landing confidently in a half squat.

For those who are not interested in jumping on anything, overhead shot tosses accomplish much the same thing in a more specific manner.

Finally, while I really enjoy box jumps and think they are useful, a much bigger training effect can be obtained from hurdle hops and the like. However, these can be VERY hard on the lower-body joints for those who are bigger, older, or inexperienced and need to be approached in a very cautious and conservative manner.

Rick,

I should preface my answer with a (long) post from a previous thread (that contained lots of excellent discussion btw):

Posted: 16/12/10 at 10:09am | IP Logged

Craig,

With respect to your second question I have included overheads more than actual putting during the past year for a few specific reasonsthat would not generally apply, namely:

1) You are conflating stone/shot putting and overheads, simply because they use the same implement. Overheads are a general exercise to improve explosiveness/dynamic strength, not a specific shot putting drill. They are used almost as much by some discus throwers and hammer throwers.

2) I knew I was not going to be competing for a while, and later at all during the season. Given this, I wasn't too worried about my stone technique and preferred to focus on maintaining/improving my explosiveness and training in a time-effective manner. Keep in mind that I am 44 and explosiveness is one of the first things to diminish as one ages if one does not utilize this capacity. So far, I am doing fine in that area and I only see myself improving for the next year or so.

3) I have (or have had/can have) pretty good stone technique but I was not throwing with a coach or even using a video camera (need to change that). Therefore, there was a fair likelihood that I might pick up a bad habit or two, which would be harder to change in the future(when I might be able to work with my old coach) than if I had never practised in that manner. This is not typical or generallyrecommended, and might be a bit of an excuse, but there you have it.

With respect to your third point, I would disagree and say that for a given individual, at a given level of strength and a given level of throwing technique, improvements in the SLJ WILL result in improvements in putting distance. I don't think too many throwing
coaches would disagree with that position. The SLJ at a given bodyweight is a basic test of power. Do you not believe a more powerful athlete will throw farther, everything else being equal???

BTW, this brings up a related point - for throwers, the point of increasing strength is to increase POWER. If your strength training is not actually making you more POWERFUL then you are not training in an effective manner for a thrower. This is the bottom line - whether you do hip snatches or box squats or max deadlifts, if you are
getting more POWERFUL, as evidenced by basic tests of POWER (as opposed to strength) then you are on the right track. If not, you need to try something else.

end of quote

Entire thread: http://www.nasgaweb.com/forums/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=114 69&PN=2

Anyway, assuming I were using overheads within the context of a more well-rounded throwing session, they would generally form a bridge between the warm-up and the actual throwing with the implement, priming the body and the CNS for throwing.  Since I am already pretty fast/explosive, I haven't bothered doing these much with lighter implements and stick mostly to the 16 lb. shot and to a lesser extent a 20 lb. shot.  I have experimented with alternating these or starting with the 20, but haven't really noticed a huge difference. 

I have also done some work with heavier stones and even a 40 lb pud, which I think is probably a useful form of training for the Heavy Events but would really consititute a "special strength" session as opposed to a warm-up or anything like that.

The point is that overheads teach you how to explode and to do so in a manner that is very transferable to throwing since it is actually a form of throwing.  Guys who can squat or deadlift a lot but are not that "explosive", that is, not that good at turning on or utilizing their strength very quickly, would benefit from making these types of exercises a much bigger part of their training.

I jumped onto a 40" wall for a # of years,5 to 6 sets of 5-7 reps.

2 years ago the tip of the sole of my shoe just touched the wall.

hit just under my patella tendon,hurt like a mother,blood was running into my shoes,i had a quarter mile walk back to the truck

now i jump upand try to touch something,overhead shot or that med-ball pushpress Sean Betz talks about in his training posts

On a side note-as i layed over the wall in pain,i looked down and saw 2 clumps of skin and hair ...........not to funny at the time