The goal of any exercise regimen involving explosive squats workouts is to get faster and jump higher by doing them. It is not just about squatting with heavy weights, but you will be adding jumping with heavy weights into the mix. You want to get to the point where you are jumping higher as you use light weights to squat with. For the speed aspect, the most important part is when you begin your movement. This factor is called the starting speed. The second factor is the explosive strength needed to get airborne, just like all those basketball stars. Reactive strength, on the other hand, plays the role of least importance with these squats workouts. Following these exercises will get you jumping higher by focusing your attention on applying that explosive strength that is needed for liftoff.
The first of the squats workouts is called the Box Squat. You will sit on a box, with your legs wide. Between each rep you will pause. The amount of weight you use is based upon your best back squat weight. When you determine that weight, you will use 50-60% of that weight for your box squats. Once you have the weight secured, you will explode up off the box, using just your hamstrings and your hips. Do from 2 to 5 reps for your Box Squat sets.
Moving on to the paused Jump Squat, you are going to use 16-30% of your best squat weight. Move your body down to just above parallel. Here you will wait three seconds, then explode upward, jumping as high as you can. You are going to do 5 to 10 reps here. The paused Jump Squat is a fun and helpful exercise to help you jump higher.
The Jump Shrug is next in your Squats Workouts. With this you are going to begin from the floor. Explode upward using just your legs and your hips. As your feet lift off the floor, shrug your shoulders. Come back down and start again. You'll do this 3 to 6 times.
This is a good start to your Squats Workouts. Have a good time with them, and you'll start to see a vast improvement in your vertical jumps.
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