Plyometric Training
What is plyometric training?
Plyometric Training is an intense workout in which you shock your bodies muscles and nervous system by performing the loading and contracting motions in an extremely short amount of time. By doing this, you are tricking your bodies nervous system into allowing your muslce to perform fast and powerful explosive movements. It isn't a magic pill that will make you jump six inches higher overnight, but it has proven to be vital in any vertical jump training program.
What kind of exercises are "plyometric"?
Plyometric exercises are any exercises that are performed, usually in a jumping motion, quickly and explosively. Squats, deadlifts, or cleans would not be considered a form of plyometric exercise, but rather power lifts. Some exercises that are generally seeing in a plyometric training program are depth jumps, box jumps, side box jumps, one footed box jumps, jumping rope, etc. (many others exist as well as tons of variations of varying difficulty).
Is plyometric training safe?
Although this topic is contreversial, we believe that plyometric exercises are completely safe, as long as you know your limits when performing the exercises and build up to higher and more complicated motions and workouts. A beginner could easily make the mistake of doing exercises that require too much strength and practice to perform properly, resulting in injury. One way to keep plyometric exercises easier on your joints is to perform them on a soft surface, such as grass or a mat in the gym.
Can anyone perform a plyometric training routine?
While anyone can perform a plyometric workout, it is generally recommended that if you already do not have a strong base of strength, that you work on your overall body strength first, with emphasis on the lower body. The your strength, especially in your legs, will determine the potential of plyometric training to increase your vertical leap. If you are a very strong individual already, there is a lot of stored energy and power within your muscles that just needs to be trained to perform in a quick and explosive manner. However, if you are relatively weak, there isn't going to be much stored power and explosiveness within you to convert into added inches on your vertical leap through plyometric training.
Conclusion
It has been proven time and again that plyometric training, although far from the only factor, is one of the most important tools at your disposal if you are training to increase your vertical jump. It is what converts your overall muscular strength into quick and explosive athletic motions that will translate into you jumping your way to higher performance on the athletic field/court.
If you liked this article, make sure to check out our other articles, as well our ratings of the top vertical jump programs, including our Jump Manual Review, which currently holds the number one rating on our site!