Plyometric training is high intensity exercises that help improve speed and agility in sports training. | Granted, it goes without saying that the key is to ensure that you or your clients/athletes are able to sprint pain-free; for those who can do so, however, sprinting can pay huge dividends for improving a multitude of qualities. JUMP ROPE Early Specialization vs. Early Sampling: Which is Better? The second variable is complexity, which – as its name suggests – refers to the mixing and matching of certain elements to increase or decrease a movement’s complexity. Scissor jumps are normally done for sets of up to 10 repetitions. It’s through this force generation that you can achieve enormous strength and power gains in your weight lifting. Then plyometric training is your answer. Face the course with your feet between hip-width and shoulder-width apart. Drop down into a push-up position with the round part of the BOSU … Skips. First Step Speed (Towel Sprints). Swing your right arm up. Unloaded before loaded. If you have to jump really high, you are making it too difficult. When performed and progressed appropriately, lower body plyometrics are phenomenal for strengthening the joints and connective tissue, improving tendon health, teaching proper force absorption, and building resilience. You need a bath towel and a partner. So get out there and run, but make sure you add plyometric training to improve your running speed, economy, and efficiency. | Phase two is the integrative eccentric-to-concentric phase, meaning that it comprises of movements that combine the eccentric phase of landing (as established in phase one) with the concentric action of jumping through a countermovement. FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY. Land on both feet. Remember to use your arms. In a sense, seated vertical jumps are a hybrid of static box jumps and box-less vertical jumps. STRIDE Like horizontal jumps, lateral jumps require the body to absorb force in two planes – and thus require more eccentric strength – while throwing in added elements of multi-planar coordination. … Select a box height that allows for a landing position similar to the starting position. … SPRINT Linear before lateral (most of the time). Plyometric exercises are a fantastic way to change up your workouts to boost speed and strength. Plyometrics can also be used to improve agility and coordination for better athletic performance. Bounds: Bounding drills involve an emphasis on horizontal speed. Generally speaking, sagittal plane movements are the bread and butter of phase 6 plyometrics considering the sagittal nature of most KPI lifts, although multi-planar jumps can have their place depending on individual needs. While they aren’t fancy by any means, weighted jumps of all types – not just vertical jumps – are extremely effective for building lower body power, as they essentially overload the jump pattern while “tricking” the neuromuscular system into generating more force. If there are any red flags – whether someone is new to training, has certain contraindications, etc. Stand up and hold the rope at waist level. 3.Imachi, I., S. Sasayama, and M. Man-I (1994). Classic plyometric experts might say push-ups aren’t real plyometrics, but these plyo push-ups are a great mixture of an upper-body workout and the explosiveness of plyometrics. Copyright 2020 Dr. John Rusin. Lower body plyometrics aren’t about getting “dope” footage for IG or attempting to hit box jump PRs while risking death in the process, but rather about developing lower body power while getting the body prepared to throw around some iron. J.J. Phys. Stand with your feet slightly wider than your hips. The BFS Plyometric Program consists of five steps: Standing Vertical Jumps, Standing Long Jumps, Plyometric Box Jumping, Jumping on a Box from a Stand, and Plyometric Bounding Drills. Due to the greater accelerative/decelerative forces that they impose on the body as well as their notably shorter ground contact times, bounds are generally considered to be more advanced than skips. WORKOUTS Power skips for height and/or for distance are more advanced skip progressions that can have additional value for developing lower body locomotive power. Performed correctly, they build power and increase your speed and agility, not to mention get your heart rate up … Called plyometrics, these exercises were designed to increase speed, power, and explosiveness. As mentioned, lower body plyometrics are a must for athletes to bridge the gap between strength in the weight room and athletic performance on the field or court. They’ve also been shown to beat out unweighted vertical jumps for power production when 20% of 1-RM loads are used (2). Gould is the head of sports performance at Universal Athletic Club in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Regardless of where a movement falls on the basic-to-advanced continuum, there are two overarching variables that can be manipulated to progress (or regress) the intensity and difficulty of plyometrics. The key is to find the loading sweet spot to maximize force (mass times acceleration) so that the added load doesn’t offset the speed of exertion too much. Jumping rope and Bounds are best done on maximum velocity days. However, not all plyometrics are created equal, nor should everyone follow the same plyometric prescription. 1.56K subscribers Hold a BOSU ball in front of you with the flat side facing you. Second, it decreases the amount of time that’s spent on the ground in between foot contacts, which increases central nervous system firing rates and reduces inhibitory mechanisms within the neuromuscular system, ultimately resulting in increased takeoff velocities. Still can’t jump? Focus on the distance between your strides. Safety Tips. Like anything else, prioritizing quality over quantity is paramount for maximizing the safety and efficacy of plyometrics. Trap bar jumps are the king of loaded jumps. While some athletes with certain needs and goals may need more specific prescriptions than others, the truth is that, for the vast majority of individuals, lower body plyometrics are just one piece of the puzzle within a synergistic, multi-faceted training system. | The exercises focus on first-step speed, horizontal force production, stride length, stride frequency and developing quick feet. At the end of the day, the two overarching goals of plyometrics – to develop power and prepare for training – are more important than any particular jump variation alone. Low depth drops involve the same motion as squat drops, albeit with increased eccentric demands due to the low box step-off. Normally, athletes do 3 to 5 sets with up to two minutes rest between sets. For squat-focused days, vertical jumps are a perfect fit, whereas broad jumps and locomotive options (e.g., bounds) can work well prior to training the hinge pattern hard and heavy. Excluding athletes who have to jump, land, and decelerate across multiple planes regardless of their training experience, most individuals are better off mastering linear jumping and landing before moving onto lateral alternatives. If you read an article about fitness training, you will see how plyometric exercises are incorporated into training programs to help increase personal fitness quickly and to allow seasoned athletes to train and compete more competitively. Performed in the last phase of the 6-phase dynamic warm-up, lower body plyometrics are perfect for firing up the central nervous system and locking in solid movement mechanics prior to smashing big weights on leg day. Variations: lateral, weighted, single-leg (with 1- or 2-leg landing). Land on it. Plyometric training was the brainchild of Eastern bloc sports scientists in the 1960s – although jumping exercises, which it involves, had been part of the training routines of athletes for many years before. Just as a rubber band travels further after it’s stretched out, so too do the muscles contract faster and with more force following a rapid stretch. Want more hang time, more sprint speed, greater rotational power and greater stopping ability? Whereas squat drops and low depth drops are performed to hone in on the eccentric component of plyometrics, the rudiment hop series (as popularized by ALTIS) introduces the concentric action of jumping through low-impact, low-complexity hops. Like anything else in training, there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach to plyometrics, nor are there any mandatory movements needed to develop lower body power. Approach jumps, which are performed with a rapid three-step buildup, are more advanced than most of the preceding jumps due to their shorter ground contact times, added momentum, and the slight elastic element resulting from the pre-jump “bounce.” While the jury’s still out on whether or not approach jumps are true plyometrics, they’re nonetheless useful for transitioning from the aforementioned plyometrics to the more advanced progressions of phases 3 and 4. STACK Expert John Cissik offers 5 plyometric exercises to supplement your speed training and help you take it to the next level. It goes without saying that loaded plyometrics impose more eccentric stress than their unloaded counterparts, which makes load an obvious form of progression. Although there are plenty of factors to consider when prescribing and performing lower body plyometrics, the following three guidelines are the foundational tenets of safe and effective plyometric training. Scissor Jumps, Standing Long Jumps and Towel Sprints are best done on acceleration days. From this position, sprint as fast as you can over the 5-yard course with your partner walking behind you providing resistance. Joint and connective tissue health. Plyometric training is a great way for athletes to build explosive power. Variations: multiple-response, from hang position (standing). This is a bad idea; it teaches you bad sprinting habits. After establishing basic eccentric and concentric competency, static box jumps are the next step toward bridging the gap between a rapid takeoff and landing. Many lifters and gym-goers are quick to dismiss the speed qualities at the far end of the force-velocity curve, despite the fact that the ability to exert force quickly (AKA, power) may make the difference between hitting a PR and getting buckled underneath the bar. Variations: multiple-response, weighted, hands on hips, single-leg (with 1- or 2-leg landing). 5 Essential Plyometrics For Speed 1. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions. A 2014 study on handball … Plyometric exercises for speed and strength increase your ability to rapidly contract your muscles after they have been partially stretched, in other words, the stretch-shortening cycle. Land on your left foot, then immediately drive your right knee up (keeping the foot flat). | Plyometrics are recommended only for well-conditioned athletes. Give yourself a 5-yard course. Among other options, the movements within phase four can be progressed via added load, band resistance, banded overload, shortened ground contact times, multi-planar combinations, and more. Many coaches and athletes make use of plyometric exercises to enhance speed and power. As powerful aerobic exercises, plyometric exercises will exert your muscles for maximum potential in a short amount of time to increase power, strength, speed, and endurance. Given that being able to move outside of the sagittal plane is crucial for both life and sport, training multi-planar power via multiple-response (i.e., without resetting) and multi-directional jumping is essential for athletes and non-athletes alike. Although there’s some debate as to what constitutes a “true” plyometric exercise, their value for all things related to athletic performance – like sprinting fast, jumping high, throwing down huge dunks, and hitting moon shot home runs – is one of the most widely accepted truths in all of strength and conditioning. Some good options are as follows: Although there’s no shortage of lower body plyometrics and a seemingly infinite number of ways to perform them, the overarching principles and methods of progression as mentioned are the key to implementing them safely and effectively. As such, you need to evaluate several factors before engaging in plyometric exercises. Maximal intent is the name of the game for maximizing the benefits of plyometrics, which means that excess fatigue should be avoided at all costs. A-skips are the most basic variation and can serve as a useful starting point for teaching coordination, rhythm, reciprocal patterning (i.e., synced up arm/leg action), and front-side running mechanics. They can be done for height or for distance. Strength. Taking both variables into account, the following guidelines can be used to progress or regress any given lower body plyometric regardless of its initial position on the basic-to-advanced continuum. Here's Why, Why This Speed Training Tool Doesn't Work, Turbocharge Your Sprinting Speed With This Simple Running Drill, Use These Speed and Endurance Exercises to Improve Your Late-Game Stamina, 2 Elements Often Missing From Workouts to Get Faster, WATCH: Bodybuilders Race NFL Players in the 3-Cone Agility Drill. Unlike typical strength training exercises that involve long, slow movements designed to increase muscular strength and mass, plyometric exercises involve quick, explosive movements … | Place the towel... 2. Bounds. Drive your left knee up, keeping your foot flat. It’s important to remember that, for some individuals, advanced progressions may not be necessary. Stand next to a wall and, using a double-footed action, jump as high as you can. Bilateral plyometrics are simpler, easier to perform well, and less eccentrically demanding than their unilateral counterparts due to the dissipation of force between both limbs as opposed to a single limb. | Since they require jumping (and landing) up and forward simultaneously, broad jumps require the body to create multi-planar force and withstand greater eccentric forces upon landing. Although there’s no set-in-stone method for categorizing lower body plyometrics, there are four general phases, so to speak, that most plyometrics can fall into. Effect of load positioning on the kinematics and kinetics of weighted vertical jumps. This should be a smooth and effortless movement. On the other hand, they utilize the arms to generate additional force and facilitate a rapid “bounce” off the ground when performed continuously (i.e., multiple-response), which leads to higher jumps and more intense landings. 3 Explosive Plyometric Exercises for Speed and Power. Vertical before horizontal. Above all else, it’s pivotal to 1) build adequate eccentric strength, 2) learn how to absorb force properly, and 3) employ good landing mechanics, which means jumping and landing from the same position, avoiding hip and knee flexion angles beyond 90 degrees, landing smoothly, and “putting on the brakes” upon impact. Phase one comprises of low-level, eccentric-focused movements that are geared toward individuals who are new to training, returning to training after a hiatus, and/or coming back from injury. As a whole, the goal of phase one is three-fold: 1) establish the basic elements of motor control associated with jumping and landing, 2) ingrain proper landing mechanics and optimize force absorption with the muscles rather than the joints, and 3) build a foundation of eccentric strength. Third, they’re meant to be performed with minimal ground contact time – arguably even more so than depth jumps – which increases the intensity of the SSC and provokes a strong nervous system response. Fit. Swinton, P. A., Stewart, A., Agouris, I., Keogh, J. W., & Lloyd, R. (2011). It’s not the height of the box that matters; it’s the powerful jumping action paired with a solid landing. Quickly move into a quarter squat while allowing your arms to swing back. Plyometrics for speed, which focus on the stretch shortening cycle, are an effective method for supplementing a speed training program. In general, starting with static (paused) jump variations before moving onto dynamic movements ensures the “owning” of certain positions and encourages better jumping and landing mechanics. First, the band assistance increases the height of the concentric jumping action and provokes a strong neurological response that can enhance rate of force development. Jumping rope is typically done for time. Lower your body to squat down. Other demographics, however – like athletes – often need to place a greater emphasis on single-leg, multi-planar, and more advanced movements due to the demands of their sports. References. All these … If you or your clients/athletes can’t perform plyometrics for whatever reason, seek out the help of a physical therapist and focus on joint-friendly alternatives in the meantime. | All Rights Reserved | Built and Maintained by, Ancient Answers For Shoulder Health & Longevity, Top 30 Battle Rope Exercises For Power, Strength & Endurance, 6 Ways To Reverse The Aging Process with Exercise, Dynamic band work (e.g., pull-throughs, glute bridges). Beyond serving as a useful progression, approach jumps also have distinct value for specific populations – like basketball players, who employ similar pre-jump step sequences – while enabling higher jumps, to boot. Body composition. The Effect of suspension training in developing vertical jumping ability. 6 (1994): 703. QUICK FEET. 3 Explosive Plyometric Exercises for Speed and Power. Remember, the longer your strides (to a point), the faster you can get somewhere! This will give you a benchmark and a goal. Here, the purpose of the pause – the static component – is to encourage owning the bottom position while making it easier to jump and land with crisp mechanics (like a paused squat, in a sense). Available with the purchase of ANY other program. Overall, the goals of phase two are to build dynamic eccentric strength, further ingrain solid jumping and landing mechanics, introduce new starting/landing positions and additional planes, and continue to prepare the joints and connective tissue for increased eccentric demands. Do the movements look athletic? Weighted depth jumps are the apex of lower body plyometrics – especially when performed multi-directionally and in combination with other jumps – as they amplify almost all of the aforementioned intensification techniques: minimal ground contact time, added load, high eccentric stress, multiple directions, usage of the SSC, etc. – start conservatively and address any potential underlying issues separately. Just as you wouldn’t get into an airplane with a pilot who doesn’t have their landing license, nor should you dive headfirst into plyometrics without first learning how to land well. Although they’re often labeled as the “ultimate” lower body plyometric, sprints aren’t necessarily an uber-advanced activity that most individuals should stay away from. The objective with low depth drops is to reinforce the ideal landing mechanics that were established during the squat drops while gradually building up eccentric strength. Stand with your feet... Hurdle Jumps and … Regardless of your training goal, upper body plyometrics … Classic plyometric experts might say push-ups aren’t real plyometrics, but these plyo push-ups are a great mixture of an upper-body workout and the explosiveness of plyometrics. If you read an article about fitness training, you will see how plyometric exercises are incorporated into training … My teammates and I developed the speed and power we needed to explode off the line of scrimmage and dominate the other team. Drills are measured by distance covered rather than by … | Plyometric Workouts for Speed and Acceleration Box Jumps. Variations: forward, backward, lateral, single-leg, left-left-right-right. These advanced plyometrics exercises offer three levels of difficulty, which can be incorporated, as appropriate, into a client’s training program. Variations: single-leg (with 1- or 2-leg landing), split squat stance (alternating/non-alternating). Second, they force the body to exert vertical and horizontal force simultaneously, both of which place increased demands on the muscles, joints, and tendonsto absorb multi-directional force. | EXERCISES After all, the large majority of plyometric-related injuries have been shown to stem from poor landing abilities and lackluster eccentric strength, which makes developing a solid foundation prior to plyometric training a must. Set up a 20-yard course. Band-resisted jumps are on the opposite end of the spectrum as band-assisted jumps, as the active band resistance increases the force needed to explode off the ground upon takeoff. Benefits of plyometric exercise Recent research has shown that plyometric workouts can build muscle, burn fat, and improve athletic performance, speed, and power. | Anyone interested in improving speed must sprint as part of their training. Although they’re not as “training-specific” as jumps in terms of their direct carryover to training, they can be useful as part of the 6-phase warm-up on conditioning-focused days, or as part of a standalone speed training session. When you're starting out, attempt to go continually for 30 seconds, and gradually bump up your time. Get Faster this Winter with Treadmill Speed Workouts, Get Faster With This Advanced Stair Sprinting Workout, Get Faster for Any Sport With This 12-Week Speed Workout, 3 Treadmill Running Workouts That Build Endurance, The 10 Best Plyometric Exercises for Athletes, 3 Advanced Plyometric Exercises for Elite Speed and Power. Rise up onto your toes. For those who have built up the eccentric strength to perform them, broad jumps are a phenomenal movement for building horizontal power, which has a huge carryover to sprint speed – especially acceleration – for athletes. Phase four is the “anything goes” category, meaning there’s a handful of elements that can be added, increased, or mixed and matched to intensify both the demands as well as the power-reaping rewards of various plyometrics. Continue until you've covered the course. Like static box jumps, the seated component makes them a concentric-focused movement with less risk of error. PLYOMETRICS You need a bath towel and a partner. On the contrary, sprinting can be a phenomenal “exercise” for improving body composition, increasing full-body power, developing athleticism, and – when done for shorter distances – to cap off a 6-phase dynamic warm-up. And explosiveness make this drill more effective, jump as high as you can over the rope with feet. Making sure to swing your arms forward as well, keeping your foot.. The air, switch legs so you land with your feet... Hurdle jumps and … to! Training ), the faster you can over the rope with both as... 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