Understanding the Mechanics

There are three phases to a muscle contraction or a jump; eccentric, isometric, and concentric. Eccentric loading a controlled lengthening of the primary muscle group. An isometric contraction is the period of stoppage between lengthening and shortening of the primary muscle group. A concentric contraction is the shortening of the primary muscle groups.

Let’s look at this in terms of jumping… The eccentric phase is the downward or loading phase of a jump. The isometric phase of a jump is the 0-velocity point between the downward and upward movement. The concentric phase is the upward movement!

Spring-Loaded!

Look at the muscles and tendons as a spring. Let’s say compressing the spring would be like the eccentric (loading) phase. Now, say you have two separate springs; one spring is very hard to compress, and one spring is very easy to compress. Which one will decompress faster?

Simply put – eccentric strength is positively related to vertical jump height!

Most of the “explosive” exercise work with athletes is focused on the concentric (upward) phase. When training to run faster or jump higher, athletes need to train all phases of a muscle contraction.

What’s missing?

The Solution

One of the best tools that may be missing in your program is what we call TEMPO SQUATS. This is not just one single exercise, rather a constant progression of building the strength of your “springs”.

This is a quick 3-week progression for you to squeeze into your program that will help increase speed, power, and strength!

Perform 1A & 1B as one superset. Rest for :90 to :120 seconds between sets

Week 1

1A] 52X Back Squat – 4×5

Preform a 5-second downward phase, 2-second hold at the bottom of the squat, and “X”-plode upwards!

1B] Non-Countermovement Hurdle Jumps – 4×5

Load to the bottom of your jumping position, hold for a 1-second count, jump over the hurdle!

Week 2

1A] 32X Squat – 4×4

Preform a 3-second downward phase, 2-second hold at the bottom of the squat, and “X”-plode upwards!

1B] Countermovement Hurdle Jumps – 4×4

Load and jump with no pause BUT reset your position between each hurdle.

Week 3

A] 12X Squat – 4×3

Preform a 1-second downward phase, 2-second hold at the bottom of the squat, and “X”-plode upwards!

B] Continuous Hurdle Jumps – 4×3

Load and jump over each hurdle in a consecutive fashion.

What’s your thoughts? Drop us a comment!

3 Comments

1. 

   Gabe

   June 23, 2022 at 11:13 pm

   Thanks for this article.

   Understanding the mechanics behind jumping is pretty important, and you guys managed to explain it in a way that’s easy to understand. Great job.

   Reply
   • 

     Mark Roozen

     June 24, 2022 at 9:28 am

     Gabe –
     Thanks – Coach Kyle does a great job breaking complex down into the simple to understand. Try to do the same with our athletes; get them to understand the why behind the what. Seems to lead to higher intensity in the drills and workouts – they understand the method behind the madness!

     Reply
2. 

   Daniel

   September 22, 2023 at 4:39 pm

   Fantastic breakdown of the muscle contraction phases about jumps! I’ve always focused primarily on the concentric phase during my training, but your article has also shed light on the importance of the eccentric and isometric phases. Would incorporating plyometric exercises alongside tempo squats, like box jumps or depth jumps, further enhance the benefits? Additionally, it might be worth exploring how nutrition and recovery play a role in optimizing these muscle contractions. Thanks for sharing this valuable information!

   Reply