Whether your fitness goal is to be able to run faster, jump higher, lift heavier weights, or increase your agility, plyometrics are great exercises for any athlete to incorporate into their workout routine. Plyometric exercises consist of explosive movements that are designed to increase muscle power, muscle response, and overall speed. There are a large number of movements that can be used for plyometric workouts, and all of them require you to get your body moving and up off the ground.
These exercises require the use of fast-twitch muscles, and they train the brain to activate more of these muscles more quickly by increasing the speed of muscle contraction. This is performed by increasing the speed of the stretch shortening cycle. Basically, this principle is centered on the idea that when the muscles are stretched before a contraction, such as a when you lower your body down during a squat, they are able to produce a faster and stronger contraction than if they were just contracted concentrically without being stretched beforehand.
Plyometric exercises try to make this cycle occur as quickly as possible for a number of repetitions, which can result in a large number of benefits for athletes. Some of these benefits can include stronger muscles and tendons, faster neuromuscular signaling for better reaction times, increased overall performance, more efficient calorie burning, increased muscular endurance, and more. Here are 10 of the best plyometric exercises to add to your workout.
1. Front Box Jump
Front box jumps are one of the most commonly incorporated plyometric exercises. This exercise is a great way to increase the strength of your fast-twitch muscles, and it places a large amount of load on the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. During each jump, these leg muscles and the muscles of your core are required to contract rapidly to generate as much force as possible, especially when using a higher box. These muscles are also forced to work when landing on the box to decelerate your body and cushion the landing.
When performing a front box jumps, you should get a box that measures between one and three feet in height. It should be challenging for you, but not too difficult to perform repetitions properly as you get tired. Begin by facing the box with your feet shoulder-width apart. Slightly squat down, and engage your hamstrings and glutes by hinging at the hips, but be sure to keep your chest and head up. Push through your feet and swing your arms as you jump up on the box. Try to cushion your landing to prevent any jarring motions. When you land, you should be in a squat position. Then, either hop or step back to the ground.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]2. Lateral Box Jump
The lateral box jump is very similar to the front box jump, but instead of moving your body forward, you jump out to the side. Lateral motion in exercises is critical for athletes as it helps to increase overall balance and stability in the hips, ankles, and knees. Lateral movements can also help to improve the ability to change directions or stop quickly.
To perform a lateral box jump, stand next to a box with it positioned directly to your side. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, slightly squat downwards, and explode your body upwards to the side to land on top of the box. Be sure to land gently by keeping your quadriceps engaged. Be sure to complete repetitions on both sides.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]3. Weighted Lateral Jumps
Weighted lateral jumps are another great plyometric exercise to build up fast-twitch leg strength and endurance. Adding weighted dumbbells to your lateral jump requires your leg muscles to work harder, and training your muscles with weights increases your legs’ explosiveness when you perform the same motion without them.
Grab two dumbbells of a weight that is challenging, but not too heavy that it inhibits your agility. Stand with your feet hip-width apart in a partial squat, and imagine there is a line on the floor next to your foot. Squat down and explode upwards to the side, jumping over the invisible line. Land softly on the other side and absorb the landing by returning to a squat position. Explode up from that squat to return to the starting position, and continue jumping from side to side.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]4. Broad Jump
The broad jump is a great exercise that gets all of the fast-twitch muscles in your legs and core firing quickly and efficiently. This movement utilizes a squat before the jump to stretch the muscles, allowing them to generate maximal force. It also increases the efficiency of neural communication between the muscles and the brain to improve response time.
To do a broad jump, stand with your feet hip-width apart facing forwards. Jump off both feet by dropping down into a squat and swinging your arms forward. When jumping, be sure to fully extend your legs, hips, and arms to maximize drive. Land softly, reaching your legs as far forward as possible.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]5. Skater Jumps
Skater jumps are a great way to build up lateral strength, and they can help to promote a more powerful skating stride or improve your ability to change directions quickly. This exercise focuses on quad strength and stability, and the hamstrings and glutes are also incorporated in the movement. The single-leg hopping also is a great way to improve balance and increase neural control and coordination.
Stand on your right leg with your hips slightly hinged and your knee slightly bent. Jump directly to the left, landing on your left foot in a squat position, and drop your right leg behind your left. Then, explode off your left leg, jumping back to the right, and dropping your left leg behind you as you land.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]6. Scissor Jumps
Scissor jumps, also known as jumping alternate lunges, are a great lower body exercise that targets the quads, hamstrings, calves, and glutes. They also help to increase muscular endurance and improve proprioception. Adding this motion into your workouts can increase your vertical jump and overall explosiveness.
Begin by standing in a lunge position with one foot back behind you on your toes, your back knee just above the floor, and your front leg bent at a 90-degree angle. Jump upwards from this position, extending the knees and hips. While you are in the air, switch your leg positions so that you land with your other leg forward.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]7. Dot Drill
Dot drills have many different variations, but all of them work on overall quickness, agility, and response time. When repeated for minutes at a time, they are also a great way to build up stamina. This drill increases your foot speed, improves landing technique, and keeps all of your leg muscles engaged throughout.
The dot drill consists of five dots in the same shape as a dice with a box of dots and one in the middle. In the most common variation, start with your feet on each of the two bottom dots, jump to the middle dot with both feet, then jump to the top two. Then, jump backwards in the same way and repeat.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]8. Lateral Box Shuffles
Lateral box shuffles provide a great way to improve lateral speed and explosiveness, speed up your footwork, and increase lower body power. In this exercise, the height of the box being used can be adjusted to increase the challenge of the exercise and the load placed on the leg muscles.
Begin by placing your left foot on top of a box or step that is between six and 24 inches in height. Your right foot should be placed just to the right of the box. Jump up and to your left, pushing through both of your feet to increase lateral movement and power. Land with your right foot on top of the box and your left foot to the left of the box. Jump back and forth, limiting the time between jumps.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]9. Barbell Squat Jumps
Barbell squat jumps generate maximal power in the legs while completely taking your arms out of the motion. The squat is known as one of the foundational movements of power training, and adding a jump to it is a great way to further increase its benefits. Adding weight to a squat jump overloads the muscles and forces them to respond by increasing muscle mass and power.
Place on a barbell on your upper back with a weight between 20 and 40 percent of your one repetition max for a squat. Be sure to maintain correct squat form with your core engaged and chest up throughout the jump. Explode up through your feet, holding the bar firmly against your back. Land back in a squat position, and explode back up.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]10. Ball Burpees
Burpees provide a total body workout with just one movement, and adding a ball increases the difficulty with added weight and the need for more stability. This movement is built to provide an intense workout that raises your heart rate and metabolism while working the muscles in your legs, chest, arms, and shoulders.
Grab a medicine ball weighing between two and 10 pounds. Hold it in front of your chest with both hands with your feet hip-width apart. Jump upwards, extending the ball over your head. As you land, bring the ball back to your chest. Then, drop it down to the floor at shoulder level, and extend your feet backwards into a pushup position with your hands on the ball. Jump to bring your legs back in, and return to the starting squat position.
