Also known as jump training, plyometrics involve stretching the muscles prior to contracting them. Add them to your workout today
Also known as jump training, plyometrics involve stretching the muscles prior to contracting them. This type of training strengthens muscles and decreases impact forces on the joints, reducing risk of injury.
Plyometrics mimic the motions used in a variety of sports, however, because this type of training is so intense, it results in a high calorie expenditure so is valuable in weight management and general fitness.
The Eastern Europeans first used Plyometrics in the 1970s to develop greater strength and power in their Olympic athletes. They based their programmes on scientific evidence that stretching muscles prior to contracting them recruits the stretch reflex of muscle to enhance explosive power.
This pre-stretching of muscles is maximised when you perform jumps one after the other.
A safe and effective plyometric programme stresses quality, not quantity of jumps. Safe landing techniques, such as landing from toe to heel from a vertical jump and using the entire foot as a rocker to dissipate landing forces over a greater surface area, are important to dissipate your bodyweight.
In addition, visualisation cues, such as picturing yourself landing as light as a feather and recoiling like a spring after impact promote low-impact landings. Also, when landing, avoid excessive lateral motion at the knee.
UPPER & LOWER BODY COMBINED
Power squat press
Stand with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart holding a dumbbell in each hand by your shoulders. Squat down to a position where the thighs are parallel to the floor then quickly explode up and jump as high as you can.
As you start to jump you should start to press the dumbbells up and reach full extensions with the arms when you are at the peak of your jump. Try to minimise the time spent in the squatted position, it should be a quick squat and jump. Repeat by dropping smoothly, but directly back into the squat.
Power clean
With your feet slightly wider than shoulder width, bend your knees and lean forward from the hips. Grasp a kettlebell with your right hand using a pronated grip (palm facing your body) so your arm is hanging straight down between your legs.
Your low back should be only slightly arched with the abdominals contracted tightly, your head up and shoulders pulled back. From this starting position, push your hips forward powerfully and extend your knees in a jumping motion. As you drive up onto your toes, hold the kettlebell close to your thigh with your arm straight,
Once your hips, knees and ankles are fully extended, shrug your shoulders and pull the kettlebell up towards your chin, allowing your elbow to bend. Once you’ve pulled the kettlebell as high as you can rotate your elbow under the weight, quickly bend your knees and simultaneously straighten your arm with the kettlebell over head.
Come out of the finishing position by lowering the kettlebell to the floor. Switch arms and repeat.
Sprint pass
Start in a crouched position with both hands resting on a med ball on the floor, abdominals in tight, feet on balls of toes, hip width apart and knees bent.
Lift up and press the arms straight out in front of you as explode forward with either leg so that you actually sprint for a few steps.
LOWER BODY ONLY
Squat jump
Stand with feet shoulder width apart, trunk flexed forward slightly with back in a neutral position. Arms should be in the ready position with elbows flexed at approximately 90˚.
Lower your body to a point where your thighs are parallel to the floor and immediately explode upwards vertically and drive your arms up.
Don’t hold the squat position before jumping up, keep the time between dipping down and jumping up to minimum. Land on both feet, with your weight evenly distributed.
Power lunge
Assume a lunge position, one foot about a stride length in front of the other, rear foot resting on the ball of the toes, feet apart not on a tight rope for better balance.
Head is lifted and back is braced in a neutral position, by pulling your abdominals in tight.
Lower the body by bending at the hips and knees until your front thigh is parallel to floor then immediately explode vertically. Switch feet in the air so that the back foot lands forward and vice versa.
Lateral jump
In this exercise, you’ll jump back and forth laterally over an obstacle such as a barbell or a box. Start on the right side, standing in an athletic position with your knees bent, leaning forward slightly at the hips, on the balls of your toes.
Jump off both feet pulling your knees up towards your chest landing in a balance position on the left side. Quickly absorb the landing by bending your knees and then explode back over the line, landing back on the right side where you started.
UPPER BODY ONLY
Power press-up
Start in a regular press-up position with your hands placed slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Descend towards the floor, and then press forcefully upward with your arms just before your body touches the ground.
]Continue driving up from the floor until your hands leave the ground and your upper body is airborne. Cushion the landing by bending your elbows and descend again, then quickly press up again to begin the next repetition.
Lateral pass
Stand side-on, approximately 1 meter from a wall with feet apart, left foot a short distance in front of the right foot. Hold a weighted ball down ivy your right hip with both hands, arms slightly bent.
Now forcefully underhand toss it across your body to hit the wall. Keep your stomach drawn in to maximise proper usage of the core muscles, so protecting the lower spine. Catch the ball on the bounce from the wall and repeat. Don’t forget to change sides.
Ball press
Lie on your back on a mat, with feet flat and knees bent in a position that leaves your lower back feeling comfortable. Now brace this position by contracting through the oblique muscles at the waist and lifting the pelvic floor.
Hold a weighted ball, just above the chest, in both hands. Extend the arms, pushing the ball directly up towards the ceiling in a powerful motion. On catching the ball, immediately lower it to the chest to begin the next repetition.
