How to Unleash Your Power: Plyometrics for Everyday Athletes

If you are familiar with plyometric training, you may associate it with athletes who participate in sports that involve running, bounding, or explosive movements.  That’s understandable since this type of training greatly impacts one’s ability to react quickly and generate force in a short period of time.  But what about plyometric training for everyday athletes and the impact on someone who is simply looking to feel better, move better, and avoid injury.  

When it comes to strength training, I have a similar belief as the one I hold for nutrition. Many ways exist to help you get from point A to point B. Remember, you are a unique individual – your health background, injury risk, current movement patterns, personal preference, and accessibility all come into play when considering your program.

However, certain concepts are beneficial to understand no matter who you are. The SAID principle (Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands), progressive overload, and the benefits of periodization are a few.

The SAID principle suggests that the body adapts specifically to the demands placed upon it. Plyometrics can benefit athletes by improving strength, power, and overall athleticism. For anyone who does not view themselves as an athlete just yet, plyometrics are still beneficial! They can enhance functional movements, such as lifting objects, climbing stairs, and preventing falls, leading to improved physical performance in daily activities.

Let’s jump into the power of plyometrics for the everyday athlete.

WHAT ARE PLYOMETRICS?

The term “plyometric” is derived from the Greek words “pleythyein” (meaning “to increase”) and “metrikos” (meaning “to measure”). Plyometrics refers to a type of exercise that involves rapid and explosive movements designed to improve muscle power, agility, and overall athleticism. These exercises typically involve jumping, hopping, or bounding movements that stretch and then rapidly shorten the muscles, utilizing the stretch-shortening cycle to generate force.

Examples of plyometric exercises include box jumps, depth jumps, power skips, and bounding. They are often used in sports training to enhance performance in activities that require explosive power, such as basketball, sprinting, and volleyball. However, the benefits for the general population should absolutely be considered when designing your exercise program.

BENEFITS OF PLYOMETRIC TRAINING FOR THE EVERYDAY ATHLETE

Whether you are a weekend warrior, a triathlete, a 5K-all-the-way runner, marathoner, or someone who is just getting started in the gym, plyometrics can be for you.  I totally understand that they can feel intimidating at first.  But once you get past the mental block of jumping onto a box, the results and the confidence are empowering.  Give yourself a shot!

If you need an extra push, check out some of these benefits you can expect with the addition of plyos:

HOW TO STRUCTURE PLYOMETRICS INTO YOUR TRAINING PROGRAM

As with any training session, you want to start with a proper warmup. Your core strength and stabilization is key when it comes to all exercise – and even more so when performing movements that require a transfer of force (i.e., not sitting on a machine). Consider movements like glute bridges, bird dog, cat cows, and plank variations. Bodyweight squats, banded monster walks, and step ups are also great options to prime your body for the movement patterns to come.

Keep in mind, you want to progressively increase the volume and intensity of your training program.  Plyometrics can fit into any phase of your training, and a good place to start is by incorporating a few exercises at the end of your workout, one to two times per week.  

When looking at the NASM OPT model of training (National Academy of Sports Medicine Optimum Performance Training), you can include plyometrics into your stability, strength and power phases, making this ideal for all fitness levels.

If you are just getting started, begin in the stability phase of training.  The goal is to increase muscular endurance and ensure proper form through your full range of motion. Examples of plyometric exercises during this phase include jump squats or depth jumps with a three-second pause at the bottom.  The goal is not about the height or speed of movement, but more about your ability to stabilize. If you are someone who is concerned about falling and getting injured, adding in stabilization movements like these may help!

In the strength and power phases, you will start to focus on the ground reaction force, rather than stabilizing.  You are focusing on the speed of movement, limiting the amortization phase – the pause between eccentric and concentric contraction. Examples include jump squats, depth jump to broad jump, and speed skaters, where you land and absorb the force, then immediately react to perform your next repetition without a pause.

A progression of exercises might look something like this:

• Body weight squat
• Squat jump to stabilize – hold at bottom range of motion for three seconds, then repeat
• Jump squats without a pause
• Depth jump to broad jump

Here’s another example of progressing from stabilization to strength and power:

• Single-leg hop to balance
• Single-leg lateral hop to balance
• Speed Skaters

FINAL THOUGHTS

It is a powerful feeling to move and feel like an athlete. And it is an even greater feeling to make progress towards your goals and achieve them. Whether you are looking to run faster, bike more powerfully, lift up your grandchildren, feel stable as you walk down the stairs, or increase your metabolism and energy levels, plyometrics can help. The goal is to meet yourself where you are at when designing a program.

If you don’t know where to start, I’m here to help! Shoot me a message if you have questions on strength training, triathlon training, or fueling your progress with proper nutrition. It does not have to feel like a puzzle. But it is absolutely wonderful when all of the pieces fit and you can show yourself what you are truly capable of. Believe me – it’s always more than you’ll ever believe. Happy training, my friend!