There was once a time when plyometric exercises were rarely used in training. Sure, it had a few followers, but compared to other training styles, it didn’t enjoy the same fan base. You can blame it on the lack of information, as most people were not aware there was such a thing, but as word got out, things started changing. Plyometric exercises are now common to all professional athlete training regiments, and those who do not train using plyometrics are at a huge disadvantage. Plyometric exercises to jump higher and gain explosiveness are the main reasons for this type of exercise.
This is why you owe it to yourself to know what it’s about. You should know what exactly plyometric exercises are so you’ll have a better understanding on how it can help you. Plyometric exercises to jump higher involve constant loading and contracting of muscles in a sequence. The aim of the exercises are to promote the strongest contraction in the shortest amount of time, so you can jump higher, throw harder, and sprint faster.
Definition
This type of training focuses on building power and speed. It’s considered as high intensity training owing to the fact that it relies on intense muscle contractions after stretching it. Doing so will contract your muscle with much explosive force. It’s important to know that this type of training is highly specialized so you have to have the basic foundation down pat first.
Benefits
Plyometric exercises to jump higher will give you increased power and speed. Just by looking at the exercises, you can easily see how it can improve your these attributes. Overall, you will gain explosiveness. This is helpful in most sports. You’ll have a more explosive jump to get to the rim higher and faster and a more explosive burst of speed to run the fast break.
Other benefits of plyometric jumping include improved agility and coordination. Most plyometric exercises include different sequences to be done at quick successions. Once you master them, you will have improved overall agility and coordination. As a whole, it can make you a better athlete.
Examples
There are a lot of jumping exercises that you can do as for as plyometrics are concerned. The best thing to do would be to look through the exercise library to get a few good examples. If you are just starting training, of course, it would be best to start with the simpler exercises. A good example is the two foot ankle hop. Keep your feet together and hop up and down as high as you can using only your calves and ankles. Since it’s plyometric jumping, explode upwards as soon as your feet hits the ground.
Another good example for plyometric exercises to jump higher are rim jumps. Take your place under the basketball rim and explode upwards and touch the net or the rim depending on what you can reach. Continue doing so while alternating between right and left hands. Just like with the ankle hop, explode as high as you can and as soon as you land.
There are a lot of other exercises including slightly higher intensity ones. A good example is the box to box jumps. This is when you’ll place two sturdy boxes about 3 feet apart. Stand on one box and step off to the ground and as soon as you land, explode to the other box. You will then turn around and step off again to explode back to the original box. This plyometric exercise to jump higher is considered to be very high intensity and could be dangerous without proper training.
Risks
A lot of people are turned off because of the risks involved. Yes, it’s important to note that it can cause injuries if done incorrectly. This is why it’s important that you’re trained properly and follow a specific program done by a professional. The most common problem when performing plyometric exercises to jump higher is “jumper’s knee”, otherwise known as patellar tendonitis. If this occurs, the best treatment is rest with occasional icing. The doctor may also prescribe some anti-inflammatory medication.
Should you do it?
Yes, you should definitely do it if you want to have explosive power and speed. This can give you an advantage over the competition. With proper one-on-one training while following a good program, you could be jumping higher and running faster in no time. Plyometric jumping is the key for you to be the athlete that you can be.
