Can Plyometrics Work For Me?

You've heard the term but what is it? Basically Plyometrics refers to an exercise that enables a muscle to reach maximum force in the shortest possible time. The muscle is loaded with an eccentric (lengthening) action, followed immediately by a concentric (shortening) action. A muscle that is stretched before a concentric contraction, will contract more forcefully and more rapidly. A classic example is a “squat" just prior to an explosive vertical jump. By lowering the center of gravity quickly, the muscles involved in the jump are momentarily stretched producing a more powerful movement. The way I sometimes describe it to my clients is a pre-stretch followed by an explosive action.

The most common plyometric exercises include hops, jumps and bounding movements. One popular plyometric exercise is jumping off a box and rebounding off the floor and onto another, higher box. These exercises typically increase speed and strength and build power. You've probably done plyo exercises and not even known it. A few more exercises are Burpees, One Foot Box Jumps, Clap Push-ups and Medicine Ball Push-ups.

The idea of plyometrics is to develop the greatest amount of force in the shortest amount of time. Plyometrics is one of the best ways if not the best way to improve power. Power is similar to strength except you are adding a time factor. Therefore the relation of strength and speed is what we are talking about when we talk about power. So what we are looking at is not just the contraction of the muscle, but how fast will it contract. It has been shown that a muscle will contract the fastest when it has been loaded. This is why you should be able to jump higher if you crouch down then immediately jump up than if you started in the crouch.

Plyometrics can also promote reflex power through a broader range of motion than most endurance athletes use. These exercises also train an athlete to absorb shock better, improving resiliency in the joints and soft tissue. With plyometric training, an athlete is able to sustain repetitive contractions over time. As with any exercise there is always a risk of injury. You should never do a plyometric workout without being properly warmed up. The most important aspect of a safe and effective plyometric program is developing safe landing techniques when doing plyo jumps. This means the athlete lands softly on the toes and rolls to the heels. By using the whole foot (and a larger surface area) for landing it helps dissipate the impact forces on the joints. The other key to proper landing is to avoid any twisting or sideways motion at the knee. Got more questions? Want to check out a plyometric workout? Drop me a line, I'll put you through a workout on me.
Source

Plyometric Training for Children and Adolescents, December 2001, www.acsm.org.

American Council on Exercise, Plyometrics: Controlled Impact/Maximum Power, Fit Facts, 2001, M01-076 PLY - 52.