Leg Plyometrics

This following are a selection of plyometric exercises designed to develop the elastic strength of the lower body. Bounds (high intensity)

How to perform the exercise

Jog into the start of the exercise Push off with your left foot and bring the left leg forward, with the knee bent, toes dorsiflexed and the thigh parallel to the ground As you push off reach forward with your right arm. The right leg extends back and remains extended for the duration of the push-off Hold this extended stride for a brief time, then land on your left foot The right leg then drives through to a forward bent position, the left arm reaches forward, and the left leg extends backward Make each stride long as long as possible Land on the sole of the foot (flat footed), allowing energy to be stored by the elastic components of the leg muscles, and immediately take off again Try to anticipate the landing and spring up as quickly as you can Keep the feet touch down time on the ground to the shortest time possible

How much

One to three sets over 30 to 40 metres Allow a full recovery between each set Quality of bounding is far more important than quantity.

Hurdle Hopping (medium intensity)

How to perform the exercise

Jump forward over the barriers with your feet together The movement should come from your hips and knees keep your body vertical and straight, and do not let your knees move apart or to either side Tuck both knees to your chest Use a double arm swing to maintain balance and gain height You should land on the balls of the feet, allowing energy to be stored by the elastic components of the leg muscles, and immediately take off again Try to anticipate the landing and spring up as quickly as you can Keep the feet touch down time on the ground to the shortest time possible

How much

One to three sets using 6 to 8 hurdles Allow a full recovery between each set Hurdles should set up in a row, spaced according to ability The height of the hurdles should be in the region of 12 and 36 inches high Quality of hurdle hopping is far more important than quantity

Single Leg Hopping (medium intensity)

How to perform the exercise

Stand on one leg Push off with the leg you are standing on and jump forward, landing on the same leg

Use a forceful swing of the opposite leg to increase the length of the jump but aim primarily for height off each jump You should land on the ball of the foot, allowing energy to be stored by the elastic components of the leg muscles, and immediately take off again Keep the foot touch down time to the shortest time possible Try to keep your body vertical and straight Perform this exercise on both legs Beginners will use a straighter leg action where as advanced athletes should try to pull the heel toward the buttocks during the jump Try to anticipate the landing and spring up as quickly as you can Keep the feet touch down time on the ground to the shortest time possible

How much

One to three sets over 30 to 40 metres Allow a full recovery between each set Quality of bounding is far more important than quantity

Box Jumps (high intensity)

How to perform the exercise

This exercis requires 6 x 40-100cm boxes Assume a deep squat position with your feet shoulder width apart at the end of the row of boxes Keep your hands on your hips or behind your head Jump onto the box, landing softly in a squat position on the balls of the feet Maintaining the squat position, jump off the box onto the ground, landing softly in a squat position on the balls of the feet Jump onto the next box and so on Try to anticipate the landing and spring up as quickly as you can Keep the feet touch down time on the ground to the shortest time possible

How much

One to three sets using 6 to 8 boxes Allow a full recovery between each set

The height of the box should be in the region of 30-80 cm Quality of box jumping is far more important than quantity

Depth Jumps (high intensity)

How to perform the exercise

This exercise requires a 40-100cm boxe Stand on the box with your toes close to the front edge Step from the box and drop to land on then balls of both feet Try to anticipate the landing and spring up as quickly as you can Keep the feet touch down time on the ground to the shortest time possible

How much

One to three sets using 6 to 8 boxes Allow a full recovery between each set The height of the box should be in the region of 30-80 cm Quality of depth jumping is far more important than quantity

Tuck Jumps (low intensity)

How to perform the exercise

Begin in a standing position Jump up, grabbing both knees as they come up your chest Return to the starting position landing on the balls of the feet Try to anticipate the landing and spring up as quickly as you can

Keep the feet touch down time on the ground to the shortest time possible

How much

1 to 3 sets Allow a full recovery between each set 5 to 10 repetitions/set Quality of Tuck Jumps is far more important than quantity

Two legged Hops or Bunny Hops (medium intensity)

How to perform the exercise

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart Lower into a squat position and jump as far forward as possible Land on the balls of both feet Try to keep your body vertical and straight, and do not let your knees move apart or to either side Try to anticipate the landing and spring up as quickly as you can Keep the feet touch down time on the ground to the shortest time possible Use quick double-arm swings and keep landings short

How much

1 to 3 sets Allow a full recovery between each set 5 to 10 repetitions/set Quality of Bunny Hops is far more important than quantity

Warm up
A thorough warm-up is essential prior to plyometric training. Attention should be given to jogging, stretching (static and ballistic), striding and general mobility especially about the joints involved in the planned plyometric session. A warm-down should follow each session.

Where to do it and what to wear

For bounding exercises use surfaces such as grass or resilient surfaces and well-cushioned shoes that are stable and can absorb some of the impact.

Young athletes
Moderate jumps can be included in the athletic training of very young children (Lohman, 1989). Because of the relatively immature bone structure in preadolescent and adolescent children the very great forces exerted during intensive depth jumps should be avoided (Smith, 1975).

Arm Plyometrics
This following are a selection of plyometric exercises designed to develop the elastic strength of the upper body.

Chest Pass
Resources This exercise requires an assistant and a medicine ball. How to perform the exercise

The athlete is to stand feet shoulder width apart and your knees slightly bent facing their assistant The athlete holds the medicine ball with both hands at chest level, elbows pointing out Athlete passes the medicine ball to their assistant, pushing it off their chest and ending with the arms out straight The assistant catches the medicine ball, allows the medicine ball to come to their chest before pushing it off back to the athlete The athlete should try to anticipate the catch and return the medicine ball as quickly as they can keeping the catch time as short as possible

How much

3 sets of 10 repetitions/set 5 minute recovery between each set Quality of the passes is far more important than quantity

Power Drop

Resources This exercise requires an assistant, a 40-100cm box and a medicine ball. How to perform the exercise

Lie on the ground on your back with your arms outstretched upwards Assistant stands on the box holding the medicine ball at arm's length so the medicine ball is directly above the athlete's hands The assistant drops the medicine ball into the athlete's hands The athlete: o catches the medicine ball o allows the medicine ball to come towards their chest o then extends their arms to propel the medicine ball back to the assistant's hands The athlete should try to anticipate the catch and return the medicine ball as quickly as they can keeping the catch time as short as possible

How much

3 sets of 10 repetitions/set 5 minute recovery between each set Quality of the catch and pass is far more important than quantity Gym Balls Wobble Balance Board Wobble Cushion Medicine Balls

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Incline Push up depth jump

Resources This exercise requires two thick (3") mats and a 12" box

How to perform the exercise

The two mats are placed shoulder width apart Place the box to elevate the athlete's feet above their shoulders when in a press up position The athlete: o faces the floor in a press up position with their feet on the box and their hands between the mats o pushes off from the ground with their hands and land with one hand on each mat o pushes off the mats with both hands and back to the starting position Keep the hand contact time on the mats as short as possible

How much

3 sets of 10 repetitions/set 5 minute recovery between each set Quality of the push ups is far more important than quantity

Incline Chest Pass

Resources This exercise requires an assistant and a medicine ball

How to perform the exercise

Athlete and assistant sit facing each other The athlete: o holds the medicine ball with both hands at chest level, elbows pointing out o leans back at a 45 degree angle, keeping their abdominals tight o passes the medicine ball to their assistant, pushing it off their chest and ending with your arms straight

The assistant catches the medicine ball, allows the medicine ball to come to their chest before passing the medicine ball back to to the athlete The athlete should try to anticipate the catch and return the medicine ball as quickly as they can keeping the catch time as short as possible

How much

3 sets of 10 repetitions/set 5 minute recovery between each set Quality of the passes is far more important than quantity

High Intensity Plyometrics

The information contained on this page has been provided by Les Archer who has used these High Intensity Plyometrics exercises with many jumpers, hurdles and sprinters with great success. He is a track and field coach in South Africa with experience from schools to the Olympics specialising in sprints and long jump. Les is also the current strength and conditioning coach for the Golden Lions rugby union in South Africa. High Intensity Plyometrics (HIP) is for the more advanced athletes and should only be conducted once you have been exposed to basic plyometrics for some time. It is a well known fact that huge amounts of forces are placed on the joints, muscles and bone structure with plyometrics and even more so with HIP. The major muscles worked when performing these exercises are Gluteus maximus, Quadriceps, Tensor facia latae, Gastrocnemius and Soleus

Warm up
Conduct the following exercises over a distance of 15 to 20 metres:

Marching - focus on proper biomechanics of the arms, legs and feet Jogging - high knees, butt kicks, toe jogging Skipping - mimics the quick take off and landing Lunges Ankle hops and small jumps

Start position

Most of these exercises start in the lunge position. Make sure your upper body stays in the upright position and ensure you have good core stability before attempting these jumps. As a precaution, I recommend that the front knee does not move forward beyond the toes as this places extreme force on the knee joints and ligaments.

Lunge jump with a twist

Start in a normal lunge position but move the arms (elbow extended) and hands to a position in front of the body (Figure 1) and then to the side of the leading leg (Figure 2). Upon jumping up, change leading legs and the arms accordingly. This is a good exercise to help develop not only explosiveness but also your core stability. Do 2 to 4 sets of 4 of 6 repetitions. The twist can be executed with dumbbells or with a medicine ball.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Lunge jump with enhanced hip flexion and extension

Start in the lunge position. Jump up, once in the air, bring the front knee further up and extend the back leg even more. Before landing, bring the legs back into the starting lunge position. On landing immediately explode into the next repetition. Do 2 to 4 sets of 4 of 6 repetitions. Do one set with the right leg forward and then repeat with the left leg forward.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

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Figure 5

Figure 6

Lunge jump landing with alternating legs in front

Start in the lunge jump position. Jump up as high as possible, but once in the air, alternate the legs so the back leg becomes the front landing leg. On landing immediately explode into the next repetition. Do 2 to 4 sets of 4 of 6 repetitions. Do one set with the right leg forward and then repeat with the left leg forward.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

To make this more difficult you can place your hands on your hips.

Lunge cycle jump

Start the same as above mentioned. Once in the air, do a hip flexion with the back leg (so it becomes the front leg) and knee flexion with the now back leg. However, before landing return the legs to the starting position. On landing immediately explode into the next repetition. Do 2 to 4 sets of 4 of 6 repetitions. Do one set with the right leg forward and then repeat with the left leg forward.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Highland swing
This jump starts off by standing with your feet next to one another. Bend your knees and jump up as high as you can and perform a hip flexion with one leg and bending the back leg knee. Before landing, bring the feet next to one another. With the next jump up, alternate the legs. On landing immediately explode into the next repetition. Do 2 to 4 sets of 4 to 6 repetitions. Do one set with the right leg forward and then repeat with the left leg forward.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Additional Information Popular Core Strength Training Exercises

Prone Bridge In a face down position, balance on the tips of your toes and elbows while attempting to maintain a straight line from heels to head. This exercise focuses on both the anterior and posterior muscle groups of the trunk and pelvis.

Lateral Bridge Start on your side and press up with your right arm. Form a bridge maintaining a straight line from your hand to your foot. Rest on your elbow to increase the difficulty. This exercise focuses on the abdominal obliques and transversus abdominus.

Supine Bridge Lying on your back, raise your hips so that only your head, shoulders, and feet are touching the floor. The supine bridge focuses on the gluteal muscles. Stronger gluteals help maintain pelvic control.

Pelvic Thrusts Lie on your back with your legs bent 90 degrees at the hip. Slowly lift your hips off the floor and towards the ceiling. Lower your hips to the floor and repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions.

Russian Twists 1. Start by sitting on the floor with hips and knees flexed to approximately 90 degree angles. 2. Grasp a medicine ball or small dumbbell and swing it to the right and left as you keep the hips from rotating with the shoulders. 3. The arms are not perpendicular to the torso, but instead, kept low, near the thighs, as the medicine ball is swung to each side.

Good Mornings 1) Stand with feet shoulder width apart with knees slightly bent (at 20). 2) Start position: Grasp bar with overhand grip shoulder width apart. Back should be straight in a neutral position. 3) Bending at the hips, lower bar to approximately knee height. Keep knees bent at 20 throughout movement. 4) Return to start position. 5) Remember to keep back straight - movement should occur at the hip. To facilitate this, shift glutes back as if ready to sit down. Knees should not move forward beyond the toes.

Dumbell Lunges with Crossover 1) Start position: Stand with feet hip width apart. Grasp DB's and hold out in front of body. 2) Step forward 2-3 feet forming a 90 bend at the front hip and knee. DO NOT allow front knee to extend past the big toe - may cause injury. As you are lunging swing dumbbells across body towards the hip. 3) Pushing off front foot, return to start position with legs and dumbbells. 4) Remember to keep head and back upright in a neutral position. Shoulders and hips should remain squared at all times. 5) Watch for proper knee alignment - do not let front knee extend past big toe or deviate laterally or medially. Back knee should not come in contact with floor.