0113 Vertical Jump Training

After finishing lunch with Zhao Jianguo, Chen Jue drove back to his apartment.

Since his arms were still sore from practicing archery that morning, he applied some medicated wine and ointment, then crawled into bed for a nap. Winter in Hangzhou is damp and cold; even on sunny days, the rooms retain a chilly, humid feeling. In such weather, staying tucked under the covers is a natural inclination. Had it not been for the unexpected awakening of his attribute panel, Chen Jue would have spent the entire weekend in bed, just as he did when he was still working. He would have lived on takeout and only left the bed for basic necessities.

After waking up from a nap of over an hour, he discovered that Coach Li Rui had sent a long voice message along with a large compressed file.

"The customized training plan is finally here!"

Chen Jue let out a howl of excitement and scrambled out of bed. He changed into his sportswear, sat down at his computer, and downloaded the file, which was nearly eight gigabytes in size. Upon extracting it, he found several neatly organized folders.

The reason for the large size was the sheer variety of the content, which covered professional training tutorials and videos for running, jump rope, swimming, equipment, and much more. There were dumbbell and barbell training tutorials for upper-body and core strengthening, as well as explosive power and jumping drills for the lower body. One folder was specifically marked as containing cutting-edge sports theories and tutorials imported from abroad, such as yoga fascia stretching, blood flow restriction for muscle growth, and methods for improving cardiovascular endurance and metabolic rates. It even detailed which supplements to take and which protective gear to wear for specific types of exercise.

"Coach Li Rui is truly incredible!"

Chen Jue took a quick look and saw many sports disciplines he had never even touched before. In addition to the tutorials, there was a daily training schedule tailored specifically for him. It wasn't the standard weekly plan used by sports schools, but a detailed schedule based on a 28-day cycle. According to Li Rui's notes, this 28-day cycle was based on the most advanced physiological theories from both home and abroad. A person’s physical condition does not stay at a constant level; it fluctuates like a wave, with daily peaks and valleys.

In the notes, Li Rui mentioned factors like cell renewal, metabolism, and emotional states, as well as protein digestion and absorption, all of which directly affect how the body changes after exercise. Since things like skin cell renewal and emotional cycles happen to follow a 28-day rhythm, a training plan structured around this cycle was, at present, the most suitable approach for Chen Jue to adopt.

Because the plan was so extensive and covered such a wide range of subjects, Chen Jue decided to study it over the course of several nights. He first sent a message of thanks to Coach Li Rui on WeChat. After all, the coach had put in a lot of unpaid effort to compile all this material, so Chen Jue felt it was only right to express his gratitude. This verbal thanks was just the first step; once Haohao was discharged from the hospital, Chen Jue planned to buy some toys or practice test papers as a gift to show his appreciation. If he encountered any confusion during training later on, he would need to turn to Li Rui for answers, so maintaining a good relationship was essential.

He printed out all 28 pages of the schedule and used tacks to arrange them in order across his wall.

"A bit dramatic," he chuckled, looking at the dense sheets of paper covering the room. It felt like walking onto the set of a crime thriller, facing a wall full of clues and intelligence.

As for his training that afternoon, since some of the specialized equipment hadn't arrived yet, Chen Jue selected a segment from the plan focused on lower-body strength and jumping ability.

"Jumping power, huh? My lower body is indeed a bit weak. I'll work on this today." Chen Jue thought to himself. He saved a photo of the plan to his phone, went to the courier station to pick up a dozen packages, and after unwrapping them, followed Li Rui's instructions to drink a bottle of pre-workout "nitric oxide pump" before starting. He also packed a bag with electrolyte powder and several energy gels for post-workout recovery.

He put on his sports bag and jogged nearly three kilometers without extra weight to the Jiang University track and field stadium. Chen Jue noticed that after taking the nitric oxide pump, his body felt exceptionally energized; he didn't feel the slightest bit of fatigue from the jog.

Even the panel popped up a brand-new notification:

——————
[Ding~]
[Under the stimulation of special substances, your muscular endurance, explosive power, and cardiovascular function have been enhanced. Your physical stamina has been temporarily boosted, your mental state is heightened, and your athletic performance is at a high level.]
[Temporary Physique +0.15]
[Temporary Strength +0.10]
[Temporary Spirit +0.05]
——————

"Temporary attributes? It has this kind of effect?"

Chen Jue quickly checked his panel:

——————
[Name: Chen Jue]
[Strength: 1.60 (+0.10)]
[Physique: 2.02 (+0.15)]
[Spirit: 1.30 (+0.05)]
[Skills: Omitted]
[Available Free Attribute Points: 0.03]
(Character Assessment: You are a strong ordinary person. Having shed low-level interests and the pressures of survival, you have begun to pursue physical health, as well as psychological freedom and stimulation.)
(Temporary attribute expiration countdown: 01:59)
——————

Seeing his three-dimensional attributes suddenly jump, Chen Jue finally understood why athletes would risk taking performance-enhancing drugs. Under the influence of the supplements, not only was his body temporarily strengthened, but his mind also felt sharper. In such a competitive state, one could often achieve results far beyond what was possible in normal training.

"Thankfully, the side effects of the nitric oxide pump aren't very strong, or Coach Li Rui wouldn't have recommended it," Chen Jue thought. Every medicine has its toxicity; many stimulants used by athletes have severe side effects that are harmful to both the mind and body. For instance, the "juicing" frequently mentioned in the bodybuilding world involves injecting anabolic steroids; excessive use can lead to hormonal imbalances and abnormal organ enlargement. In the Olympia bodybuilding competition, one often sees contestants with abnormally protruding abdomens—the so-called "Olympia gut"—caused by excessive drug use and visceral fat buildup. Some bodybuilders have even died because of it. There have also been scandals in Olympic history involving deaths from stimulants or athletes suffering mental breakdowns.

The "nitric oxide pump" Chen Jue was using was a major international brand recommended by Li Rui. The dosage was controlled to the safest range, and the side effects were negligible. Plus, with his panel, Chen Jue wasn't worried about any negative consequences.

He went to the small shop as usual, bought a large bottle of mineral water, poured in the electrolyte powder, shook it, and walked over to the long jump pit. Since it was Sunday afternoon and the university athletes were on their usual day off, the stadium was mostly empty.

Chen Jue put down his bag and began his lower-body training according to Li Rui's plan. He started with stretches to warm up his joints and ligaments, followed by bodyweight squats and frog jumps. After completing five sets of 50-meter frog jumps, he moved on to jumping drills.

He performed five sets of 30 vertical jumps, three sets of 30 alternating lunges with knee drives, and five sets of 20 touch-the-ground jumps. Including rest, the entire workout took over an hour. Once he finished, the panel displayed a notification:

——————
[Ding~]
[You have completed a high-intensity comprehensive workout. Your leg muscle groups have been fully exercised, your muscular endurance and explosive power have been effectively improved, and your leg joint strength and ligament flexibility have been slightly enhanced.]
[Strength +0.02]
[Physique +0.01]
——————

"Whoo! This efficiency is incredible! As expected of professional coaching." Chen Jue felt the three small attribute gains and bounced twice on the spot, feeling quite excited.

He realized that with the aid of the nitric oxide pump, his stamina was exceptionally high. Even after finishing the half-day training plan, he still had energy to spare, so he decided to test himself at the long jump pit.

He took a short sprint, hit the takeoff board with a powerful push, and launched himself into the air, his body forming a "greater than" sign. Chen Jue had previously practiced high-difficulty L-sit pull-ups, so he was well-versed in controlling his core to lift his legs while in mid-air. Combined with the explosive training he had just completed, he soared through the air.

When he landed in the pit, he looked back and realized he had jumped 7.5 meters! That was over a meter further than when Li Rui had tested him!

"Damn! Is this the level of a first-tier athlete? The temporary attribute boost is this powerful?" Chen Jue was shocked. While the temporary effects were still active, he drank some electrolytes and ate another energy gel.

When he arrived at the university basketball court, he found an empty hoop, set down his bag, and tried a running jump toward the rim. To his surprise, the rim—which he had never been able to reach before—was easily within his grasp. He hung from the hoop with both hands!

When he finally let go and dropped to the ground, the metal rim let out a loud "bang" and shook violently, causing a group of students playing nearby to stare at him in amazement.

"Holy cow! A standing grab?"

"That jumping power is insane!"