Sports and Fitness
Leg Plyometrics
The following are some examples and explanations of leg plyometric exercises.
Bounds
How to perform the drill
- Jog into the start of the exercise
- Push off with your left foot and bring the leg forward, with the knee bent and the thigh parallel to the ground
- At the same time, reach forward with your right arm. As the left leg comes through, 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, and try to cover as much distance as possible
- You should 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
- Keep the foot touch down time 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
How to perform the drill
- 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
- Keep the feet touch down time between hurdles 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
How to perform the drill
- 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 drill 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
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
How to perform the drill
- 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
- 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
How to perform the drill
- 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
How to perform the drill
- 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
How to perform the drill
- 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. Avoid cement floors because there is no cushioning. Choose well-cushioned shoes that are stable and can absorb some of the inevitable impact. All athletes should undergo general orthopaedic screening before engaging in plyometric training. Particular attention should be given to structural or postural problems that are likely to predispose the athlete to injury.
Young athletes
Some authors suggest that moderate jumps can be included in the athletic training of very young children (Lohman, 1989). However, great care needs to be exerted when prescribing any training procedures for preadolescent children. 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).
