What are plyometrics?
I never understand what kind of exercises are plyometrics.Can someone give me a few examples.Pictures would be nice - PLEASE!!!

check out....http://www.webgate.net/~welchiro/plyometrics.html

check out....http://www.webgate.net/~welchiro/plyometrics.html

Week 1 High Rep Squats (5 x 25-30 reps) with or without
light weights. (Mon/Wed/Fri)

Week 2 Day 1 High Rep Squats (3 x 30 reps)
2 Foot Ankle Hop (1 x 10 reps) [1]
Standing Jump & Reach (1 x 10 reps) [1]

Day 2 High Rep Squats (2 x 30 reps)
2 Foot Ankle Hop (2 x 15 reps) [1]
Standing Jump & Reach (1 x 15 reps) [1]

Day 3 High Rep Squats (1 x 30 reps)
2 Foot Ankle Hop (2 x 15 reps) [1]
Standing Jump & Reach (2 x 15 reps) [1]

Week 3 Day 1 2 Foot Hops (1 x 15 reps) [1]
Standing Jump & Reach (1 x 15 reps) [1]
Lateral Step-Up (1 x 15 reps) [1]
Jump to Box (1 x 15 reps) [1]
Jump from Box (1 x 15 reps) [1]

Day 2 Standing Jump & Reach (1 x 15 reps) [1]
Jump to Box (2 x 15 reps) [1]
Jump from Box (2 x 15 reps) [1]

Day 3 2 Foot Hops (1 x 15 reps) [1]
Standing Jump & Reach (1 x 15 reps) [1]
Jump to Box (1 x 15 reps) [1]
Jump from Box (1 x 15 reps) [1]
Standing Jump Over Barrier (1 x 15 reps) [1]

Week 4 Day 1 2 Foot Hops (1 x 15 reps) [1]
Jump to Box (1 x 15 reps) [1]
Jump from Box (1 x 15 reps) [1]
Front Box Jump (1 x 15 reps)
Standing Jump Over Barrier (1 x 15 reps) [2]

Day 2 Jump to Box (1 x 15 reps) [1]
Jump from Box (1 x 15 reps) [1]
Front Box Jump (1 x 15 reps) [2]
Depth Jump (1 x 15 reps) [2]
Depth Jump to Box (1 x 15 reps) [2]

Day 3 same as above

Week 5 Day 1 Jump to Box (1 x 15 reps) [1]
Jump from Box (1 x 15 reps) [1]
Depth Jump (1 x 15 reps) [2]
Depth Jump to Prescribed Height (1 x 15 reps) [2]
Squat Depth Jump (1 x 15 reps) [3]

Day 2 same as above

Day 3 Jump to Box (1 x 15 reps) [1]
Depth Jump (1 x 15 reps) [2]
Depth Jump to Prescribed Height (1 x 15 reps) [2]
Squat Depth Jump (1 x 15 reps) [3]
Depth Jump Over Barrier (1 x 15 reps) [4]

taken from http://www.webgate.net/~welchiro/plyometrics.html

Plyometrics are exercises designed to specifically train the eccentric contraction phase of a muscle’s action. Eccentric contractions occur when the muscle lengthens under tension to decelerate the body. For example, when a runner’s foot strikes the ground the quad muscle must contract to prevent the leg from collapsing. Contrast this with a concentric contraction which involves contraction of a muscle while it shortens. An example would be leg extensions on a nautilus machine in the gym. The quad contracts and shortens to extend the leg and straighten the knee. Concentric type exercises are far more common and widely practiced than eccentric exercises. However, it is the eccentric phase of the running stride that wears out the quads during a race. This is primarily due to two reasons. One, eccentric contractions are harder on the body than concentric contractions. And two, specific eccentric exercises are not part of most runner’s training program. Both of these problems can be addressed by targeting the running muscles with regular eccentric exercises in the form of plyometric training.

Because plyometrics do stress the muscles and tendons more than concentric exercises they must be added to a training program gradually to allow for proper adaptation. The program outlined below is designed for the runner/triathlete as it specifically targets the major running muscles of the quads, hamstrings and calves. Also, running stresses the muscles more than cycling so these exercises are more run specific. The exercises are outlined on the handout sheets and can be referred to whenever necessary. The black boxes next to the exercise represent levels of difficulty from 1-4. Week 1 and 2 of the program are build-up weeks that prepare the legs for plyometrics. Ideally, try to do 2-3 workouts per week. The program is designed around 3 workouts per week but it can be modified quite easily. It is also designed for beginners so if you find that the exercises are too easy, simply increase the number of repetitions from 15-20. The red number in brackets after each exercise (e.g. - [1] ) indicates the intensity level associated with that exercise.

Many of the exercises involve the use of a plyometric box as an aid. This is a sturdy wooden box that can support more than your body weight. It ranges in height from 6-24 inches and should have a large surface to land on of about 18 x 24 inches. A box is not necessary, though, for many of the other exercises. For example, "Jump From Box" can be done off of the stairs or off a milk crate. The box is necessary for an elevated landing, though, as a milk crate or the stairs do not provide enough surface or stability for proper safety. If you do not have access to a box modify the workouts to include only those exercises that can be performed safely without the box.

Once you have completed Week 5 of the program your muscles should be well accustomed to the stress of eccentric exercise. At this point you should continue training with Level 2-4 exercises. Pick your favorites and mix them up so you don’t get bored or stale. When the race season starts you can maintain your eccentric strength with 1-2 workouts per week made up of Level 2-4 exercises. Cut back on the number of exercises if you feel you don’t have enough time to fit everything in. You should not have to do as many high intensity plyometric exercises to maintain your strength. Cut back during taper phases before a race. Never do these exercises if you are recovering from an injury. Regain your strength before attempting them again. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Note - This program is designed for the beginner with no previous plyometric or strength training experience. If you begin following the program but find that the exercises are too easy, increase the repetitions to 20 or move to a higher difficulty level.

Descriptions and drawings of all exercises can be found by following the links to Level 1, 2, & 3 below. All descriptions of plyometrics are from the book "Jumping Into Plyometrics" by Donald A. Chu (Leisure Press, 1991).


taken from http://www.webgate.net/~welchiro/plyometrics.html

check out http://fit4martialarts.com/plyometrics.htm

check out http://www.excellencethroughexercise.com/plyometrics/

Thousand thanks kkass!
You are one generous man (hope I wrote it correct).

The above is from http://www.exrx.net/

Just bringing this to the top for Fahad, saw his post about Plyometrics.....

Just been readin up on some of this stuff...

Either I missed it above or something that wasn't mentioned, that I think is a huge part of all of this is, 'stretch reflex'.

stretch reflex-defensive mechanism in muscles that acts like a rubber shock cord to prevent the muscle chain from overstretching into injury. The stretch reflex momentarily stores some of the sudden load as 'elastic strain energy', which then helps to rebound the muscle chain into explosive concentric ocntraction

Also sudden loading of the muscle facilitates learning of neural speed. In the mid 80s Hakkinen, Sale, and many others have shown consistantly that the more explosive you can make your concentric contractions, the better the nervous system learns to increase the speed at which it can activate fast-twitch fibers.

I see above some exercises that have pauses. Those that came up with them or do them either disagree with the above or don't understand it...or I understand it incorrectly.

Some of the ones with pauses (land swing the arms etc) are not using anything but the jump itself as far as I can see.

Isn't the whole point the quick bounce? The elastic strain energy? Training the neural system? and using stretch reflex?

Same goes for people who go higher and higher on drops. Too much hight slows the time it takes to change direction, never mind its very hard on the body.

Jumping straight up-more power is transfered going at an angle than straight up and down as well.

Plyometric Priciples

1. Effective plyometrics focus on rapid bounce or rebound.

2. The transition between eccentric and concentric contraction needs to be as
short as possible.

3. The sudden load imposed during eccentric contraction should not be so great
it overwhelms the stretch reflex.

4. The sudden load imposed should not be so great as to cause a pause or
counter-movement.

These make sense to me and alot of what is above doesn't seem to fit into this.

Just ask Mr Smith for his fighters class routine!!!! He sure knows how to kill people with plyometrics!!!!!!

hehe I'm sure its excellent. However knowing how to kill people with the workout doesn't tell me that. :) You can work people out hard the right way and the wrong way and many different ways that may or may not be right or wrong.

Hmmmmm.... interesting comments from Mark L (aka the riddler!)

I must say, ....are you Donald Rumsfeld in disguise? I saw it on the news today
He said "We know 3 things
-we know what we know
-we know what we dont know
-and we dont know know what we dont know"

he he he!!!!!!

Many of the above pics are 'counter-movement jumps'

It doesn't work from what I understand...

It loses most of its momentum and dissipates most of the drop force into the ground. It misses the stretch reflex. I t don't think they'd do much more than starting standing and doing it. The whole point of plyometrics is to be on the ground as short a time as possible to get the stretch reflex etc pausing and swinging your arms has no rebound or bounce...its sitting there and jumping.

Thats how I see it.

Tim Link writes:

"Plyometrics do work, but the extent that they work compared to other training is unknown. What is known, is that you're way more likely to hurt yourself doing plyometrics than a lot of other equally beneficial training methods. The muscles that get worked during plyometrics get worked during other exercises, and more directly. Other exercises don't rely on your ability to do them so much either, as some plyos are so complicated that it's like learning another sport to supplement one...AND they're dangerous as hell. Plenty of world class athletes and even high school athletes hurt themselves doing these all the time."

I think much of the time plyometrics are done before the body is strong enough to handle it. I also think they are often done wrong.

The hieght on drops for example. Studies show that a few inches gives trhe best results yet people just keep going higher and higher and those that don't are often too high to start with. Then you get crazy things like adding weight and dropping...nuts.

I agree they shouldn't be done unless you know what you are doing and also not before evenly!! and properly strengthening the whole body, which most strength training doesn't do a very good job of.

thoughts?

With high impact plyo such as box jumps you should be able to squat at least twice your own body weight before attempting them or else you're inviting trouble. For explosive power, plyometrics are unparalleled.

"With high impact plyo such as box jumps you should be able to squat at least twice your own body weight before attempting them or else you're inviting trouble. For explosive power, plyometrics are unparalleled."

You know, exercise science really is the bastard child of science. Very little peer review and a lot of studies that are used for proof of certain theories had little scrutiny compared to other fields. (psychology even has more peer review)

There is no conclusive evidence that you can bypass the type I fibers and exercise the type II fibers with any sort of exercise. The type I fibers exhaust and then the type II's are activated, so the thought of building "explosiveness" in with any sort of exercise is a belief that's being taken less and less seriously. For every division I school that does a lot of plyos and olympic lifts, there are schools that use none and just high intensity weight training programs. You wouldn't notice any difference in the perfomance of the teams. (You might notice a difference in how many of them are injured at any given time, though)

Also, keep in mind that when you become more adept at plyometric exercises, you're only becoming more explosive in those movements, not the ones in your sport. The brain is specific in it's neural pathways and it's not going to use the same one for different movements. Freakishly explosive people like Bonjasky were more likely born that way, or they simply practiced their sport a lot. I've met plenty of people with freakish verticles or crazy speed that never did any plyos, and i've met a lot of people who did plyos all the time (correctly, with professional supervision) that had two left feet.

Jonathan mentioned plyometrics and I found this thread....

Jonathan-I agree. plyometrics are great for power cause they increase speed, which is a huge component. Many people seem to think its for strength gain but I disagree. Its for speed. The more sport specific the better.

Remember you are dealing with elastic strain energy and stretch reflex so no counter jumps etc..swinging arms back then forward while on ground is just to slow to do what you are trying to do. To much hight or too much of a drop means too much energy is transfered into the ground, wheather from time (shorter the better) or from heal slap etc..

Same with weight. A little resistance and doing a move fast teaches the body to go faster...

I don't think plyometric training should be done with out first getting the strength to work with. plyometric or plyometric type training (link/speed training) can teach your body to move fast...

Tim-you talk about specific nueral pathways etc for plyometric training-I agree-sport specific is the way to go...why does this not aply to weight training...

Bench press transfers almost no power to standing and pushing with the ground as a leverage point as opposed to your back (in open kenetic chain) on a bench. I guess its another topic.

Anyway, I think plyometric type exercises are great if you first devlop strength in the joints/connective tissues and the prime movers and stabilizers etc first. Then train to be fast basically...

Mark- "Bench press transfers almost no power to standing and pushing with the ground as a leverage point as opposed to your back (in open kenetic chain) on a bench."

I do my bench with dumbells,one at a time, with my arms shoulder width as I`ve always felt that this most accurately reflects the movement that I`m trying to improve (straight punches). I raise my shoulder blades off of the bench in order to get full extension as well. I apreciate that this does nothing for Gastrocnemius or any other axial muscles involved in generating power in a punch but it should help increase power in those muscles that I`m working (ie tricep, ant. deltoid etc. Doing it like this should create an open chain exercise...or have i misunderstood the terms? I also keep my knees up in front of me to help utilise core stabilisers.

Elsewhere, for developing explosive power in the legs back etc, should I be doing excercises like clean and press?

Any advice on swiss ball excercises?