“Jump training” or plyometric exercises aim to increase muscle power by rapidly forcing the muscles to expand and contract in movements that also force the body to stabilize itself. These movements require bursts of energy that strengthen fast-twitch muscle fibers. The goal is to increase muscle strength and efficiency for the major muscles in your legs and upper body.
If your weight-loss has hit a plateau, then it may be time to change up your workout routine. Whatever your fitness goals are; strength training, general fitness, and/or weight loss, plyometric exercises should be a part of your plan. The principles of plyometric exercises are used by many professional athletes, but can apply to anyone.
Benefits of Plyometrics
- Build stronger and more responsive fast-twitch muscles. The faster and more efficient a muscle can expand and contract, the more strength it can exert. This means you can achieve strength or toning goals much faster than with typical strength work alone.
- Increased agility and fewer injuries. Due to plyometric workouts relying on linear and lateral jumping, the continual stabilization specifically targets and strengthens the ligaments, tendons and joints in the knees and ankles.
- Increased stamina and power. Conditioning muscles to perform stronger, faster, and consistently will prove more beneficial for long-term fitness training goals than consistent, slow repetition. When you increase your muscles’ capacity for performance, you will start to see that during exercise you can perform not only better, but longer.
- Shorter workouts (lasting 10 to 15 minutes). With higher intensity comes fewer repetitions. At most, plyometric workouts should feature three sets of 8 to 12 reps to reduce fatigue and maintain proper form during the skill.
Examples of Plyometric Exercises
The goal of plyometric exercises, regardless of what part of the body you are working on, is to focus on form. Stay light on your feet and get through the reps as quickly as possible.
Box Jump: Jump from the ground to an elevated step roughly 12-24 inches above the ground. Jump down and immediately jump back up.
Power Skipping: Cover 20 yards in as few strides as possible. Raise your knees as high as possible between skips and use both your arms and legs to gain momentum.
Plyometric Pushups: In the typical pushup position, lower yourself to the floor and push up hard enough to elevate yourself off the ground.
When first starting, it is important to ease yourself into plyometric workouts. Add the exercises gradually to your workouts. Plyometric movements require more explosive power and stabilization. So, it is important to focus on keeping your weight balanced so you don’t damage any joints or ligaments as your body gets used to the motions.
