Air Alert: The Responses

Screen shot 2012-03-06 at 4.33.54 AM

The other day I responded to C.Yih’s 20 step box jump challenge with a 22 step box jump of my own. I upped the previous challenge by 2 steps thinking it’d be enough to settle the dispute for a while.

The response came back swiftly and en masse. Screenshots below…

D.Tong: 22 step box jump

C.Yih aka Staked: 22 step box jump


M.Lau: 24 step box jump!

24 steps * 2 in/ step + 4 in. platform = 52 inches

Air Alert: 6 months later

This is so stupid. We’re not even really testing verticals anymore, this is just macho bravado in its dumbest form. One of us will eventually get hurt…most definitely me.

3 months ago, 19 steps:

C.Yih’s response: a clean 20 step box jump:

I’m trying to end this madness.

Air Alert: 3 months later

19 purple thingies and a green plank

This was an experiment that started 3 months ago and is continually on the back of my mind. I’ve hacked away at it haphazardly but it’s been fun feeling that burn in my legs that I haven’t had in years. As a result, my first step is a bit quicker and my game time endurance is a better. But still no dunk.

In the process, I found that it’ll stress the weakest part of my body. Whether it’s a weak core (yup), less than strong knees (1 surgically repaired), or weak ankles (yup and yup), I found that I was hitting a plateau until these areas were addressed and working properly together. It probably doesn’t do any good to jump on shaky objects either (video below).

One day I’ll proudly be able to capture and post about a legitamite dunk. Until then…the quest continues.

yes, it’s not a true vertical test…i didn’t have a chance to gather final metrics, I’ll do that as soon as I’m back from HK!

Air Alert: Week 6 Update

standing reach = ~ 90.25 inches.
jumping reach = 119 inches.
vertical = ~29 inches.

3 more weeks and only 0.5 inches in improvement?! Time to step it up! No more horse play.

I figure if I want to dunk cleanly I’ll need to hit 10’10” (130inches). only 11 inches to go. On the other hand, observing a noticeable spring in my first step again so that’s been helpful while playing basketball.

C.Yih recommended the following videos for stretching and I like them, as I think they’ll offset some of the muscle, skeletal, and lumbar stress I’m experiencing. Thanks C!

www.mobilitywod.com

Air Alert: Week 3 Update

Air Alert: Week 3 Update

Taking on all challengers. I’ve been fairly lackadaisical in my training and thought maybe a challenger will help me get going. Today my standing reach is ~90.25 inches and my vertical at week 3 of my air alert training is 118.5 inches…giving me a rough vertical of 28.5 inches. Yup not much. Unfortunately, I didn’t take a reading at t=0 so I don’t have a true baseline. Oh well.

I took a step before my jump, you can have a running start if you’d like just keep your approach consistent while tracking from week to week. If you wore shoes in week 1, use shoes ever week to test…and so on. You can use whatever training program you’d like; strength training, air alert, jump soles, polymetrics, whatever. Just be safe, do not over train, and in 10 weeks let’s see where we can get!

Leave me your standing and vertical jump and give me an update from time to time. Let’s see what you got!

**edit**

first responders!

C.Yih:

  • standing reach = 8’0″ or 96 inches.
  • jumping reach = 118 inches.
  • vertical = 22 inches.
  • methodology of training: crossfit

J.Wu:

  • standing reach =7’6.25″ or 90.25 inches
  • jumping reach = 116 inches
  • vertical = 25.75 inches
all measurements +/- 1 inch