[quote]fisch wrote:
I am doing a program that has me do 3-4 leg lifts a day twice a week. I always have squats or deadlifts on leg days (never both), plus calf raises and 1 or 2 other leg lifts (usually leg curls or lunges). The sets are 4x8 for the first 3 weeks, 4x6 next 3 weeks, then 4x4 the last 3. Calf raises are 4x20 almost all weeks. I know this isn’t very clear, but I want you guy’s opinion on whether you think this seems to be a good program or not.
This program is supposed to help improve my vertical. I do add 2 upper body days a week for overall body strength.[/quote]
If I followed all that, you’ve got two strength-focused upper body workouts each week, plus two workouts each week that look like:
Squat or deadlift 4x8
calf raise 4x20
1 or 2 other exercises (lunge or leg curl) 4x8
It’s not horrible, but toss the calf raises to the end of the workout, not the middle. And why are you dropping the set/rep volume as the cycle progresses? Just wondering.
I’d include some lower rep work, sooner. 4x8 is much more hypertrophy work, and 4x6 is just-borderline strength work. It’s only in those last three weeks that we really focus on getting stronger/faster.
For the exercise choices, I’d focus more on single leg lifts, while still including some bilateral work. Lunges are good, but so are reverse lunges, step-ups, Bulgarian split squats, 1-leg deadlifts, etc.
Maybe consider Chad Waterbury’s idea of using a single-leg variation of squats or deads and a bilateral variation of the other type each day. Something like front squat and 1-leg dumbbell deadlift on day one, sumo deadlift and step-up on day two. Just a possibility.
Also, leg curls are definitely second (or third)-best compared to things like stiff-leg or Romanian deadlifts and good mornings.
Check out this article by Joe DeFranco:
http://www.T-Nation.com/article/performance_training/dirty_tricks_for_higher_jumps&cr=
There’s a squat variation and a calf raise variation you’ll want to incorporate.
Also read what Defranco’s written here:
“Top 15 Exercises for Higher Vertical Jumps”
www.defrancostraining.com/articles/archive/article_fab15.htm
Choose the bulk of your movements from that list, and you can’t go too far wrong.
As for the upper body training, it’s no biggie. A vertical day and a horizontal day won’t really negatively effect your lower body training.
Just for fun, or what? Is is sport-related, or totally recreational?