Plyometric Training to Improve Explosive Strength
Have you found yourself at the gym or physical therapy center and wondered why someone is jumping around, up and down on steps or boxes, tossing about large exercise balls? What you were watching is something called plyometric training.
They are doing these moves to increase their strength and power, as well as mobility. Just by incorporating a few minutes of it into your training routine, it can intensify the results of your workouts.
What is Plyometric Training all About?
Plyometric training has been around for a long time, but is finding its way into many more workouts around gyms and physical therapy centers as a way to encourage explosive strength. It is obtained through various sessions of repetitive jumps and stretching. With each repetition, your muscles are contracted and stretched to help gain strength. In jumping, it will benefit the quads the most.
This type of training could lead to strengthening bone and muscle tissues, giving your body more power and strength, especially in the lower body. In turn, it can also help burn more calories.
In addition to adding strength and burning more calories, you might also notice better stability and mobility in your joints, which can help reduce the risk of future injuries.
Some Precautions to Consider when Introducing Your Body to Plyometric Training
Since this training can be quite intense, with high impact, it is best that you implement this type of training into your workout after your body is well conditioned with a few months of consistent exercise. In fact, it would be best to avoid it completely if you suffer from chronic joint pain, or have a recent injury.
Due to it requiring a great deal of endurance and strength, make sure you build up your routine gradually. This will help avoid potential injury, which is common when a person exceeds their body’s limits. A few simple squats and steps is a decent way to introduce plyometric into your workout.
However, make sure you to avoid doing plyometric training when you are fatigued, even if your body is already in good condition. It’s much more likely that you will injure yourself if your body or mind is tired. Also, a day or two of rest between plyometric training is recommended by most physical therapists so your body can efficiently recover from the stress of an intense workout.
Just use caution, and listen to what your physical therapist, physician, trainer…and your own body tells you.
How to Apply Plyometric Training to Your Routine
There are several ways that trainers and physical therapists can help you add plyometric training to your workout or therapy. Take a look at a few…
• Interval Training – Interval training is where you alternate high intensity with a recovery or cooling period. One way to implement this into your own routine is to begin a few basic squat jumps, repeating every 30 to 60 seconds. Follow up with some light cardio, such as walking, for approximately 3 minutes. Repeat this routine, however many times your trainer or therapist recommends, or your body allows.
• High Intensity – Spread the segments of plyometric throughout your routine for an intense and high energy burst. Begin with warming up for approximately 10 minutes, then some brisk cardio such as walking or running for another 5 minutes. Right after the cardio, perform about 1 minute of plyometric jumps or jacks. Repeat the walking or running, followed by another burst of plyometric training.
• Brief High Intensity Training – You can also do just your plyometric training, without the rest of your routine. Do some plyometric exercises, such as about 10 squats, but resting for about 10 to 60 seconds between each one. However, keep it short, no longer than 30 minutes, just to make sure you don’t overdo it and cause an unnecessary injury.
Above are just a few examples of plyometric training exercises. You can check with a professional trainer or therapist to learn about more, especially some that would be better suited for your body and goals. They can also let you know if and when you are ready to introduce plyometric into your routine.
It’s not for everyone, so seek professional advice before beginning. But, several people have found benefit in implementing it in their workout regime.