Plyometrics Explained

Of all the different types of exercises you can do, plyometric exercises get the least amount of attention.

This is unfortunate, because plyometric training is the most effective means to develop unique adaptations such as increased bone mineral density and improved power output; crucial aspects for building athleticism and maintaining quality of life.

For many people, they are they lowest hanging fruit to build well-rounded fitness.

So, in this article I aim to explain what plyometrics are, what benefits you can gain from them, and how you can implement them into your routine.

What are plyometrics?

Plyometrics are a specific form of exercise that involve an impact, rapid stretch of the muscles & tendons (tendons connect muscle to bone), and rapid contractions of the muscles & tendons causing you to leave the ground. [1]

A key characteristic of plyometric exercise is short ground-contact time. This means as soon as you hit the ground, you try to get back off the ground as quickly as possible.

Jumping repeatedly is an example of such an exercise. Other examples include pogo jumps or plyometric push-ups, as depicted below:

There are two subcategories of plyometric exercises you can perform [1]:

• Intensive plyometrics

  • Low rep, high intensity

• Extensive plyometrics

  • High rep, low intensity

The three videos above are examples of intensive plyometric exercises. You wouldn’t do these for a high number of reps, but you would aim to get as high as you can off the ground with each rep.

Jumping rope is an example of an extensive plyometric exercise. You wouldn’t try to jump as high as you can with each rep, but you would perform a high number of repetitions in each bout.

What are the benefits of plyometric exercise?

There are two characteristics of plyometric exercise that make them beneficial and unique to other exercises:

• Impact

• High velocity of movement

From these characteristics, there are two benefits you derive from plyometrics more so than any other form of exercise:

• Power

  • Strength is how much force you can produce. Power is how quickly you can produce that force.

• Bone Mineral Density

More specifically, plyometric exercise has been shown to significantly improve sprint speed at 10, 20, and 30 meters as well as improve vertical jump height. A 2023 umbrella review [2] found this to be true in various populations including athletes, non-athletes, adolescents, and older populations.

At face value, this may sound like something only applicable if you want to run track; but this couldn’t be further from the truth. A 2019 systematic review [3] found that plyometric training was able to significantly reduce risk of falls and improve quality of life in older populations.

As you may know, 1/4 adults over the age of 65 will experience an unintentional fall. Death as a result of falls is the most common injury-related cause of death in this population. [4] A well balanced training program, including plyometrics, is your best bet at reducing risk of this occurring.

This isn’t to say you can wait until you’re 65 to start training plyometrics. Power is easy to maintain, but takes a long time to build. The older you get, the longer it will take to build. It’s never too late, but starting early is always better.

In regard to maintaining quality of life specifically, plyometric training is one of your best bets. As we age, power production is one of the first things we lose in terms of muscle function. [5] If you’ve ever found your grandma having a harder time standing up out of a chair than you, this is why. If you want to maintain your physical independence as you age, including plyometrics in your routine is a good strategy to do so.

Plyometric training has also been found to be one of the best interventions for improving bone mineral density. The impact and high velocities are characteristics that normal strength training lacks but are potent stimuli for building bone.

It’s very similar to how your muscles respond to strength training. Your muscles experience a strenuous stimulus, so they adapt and grow so that the stimulus is less strenuous next time. With plyometrics, your bones experience a strenuous stimulus, so they adapt and thicken so that the stimulus is less strenuous next time.

Of note, a 2017 systematic review [6] found plyometric exercise to improve bone mineral density in adolescents; and lead to greater bone mineral density throughout the lifespan as a result. Similarly, a 2014 meta-analysis [7] found plyometrics to greatly improve bone mineral density in post-menopausal women; a population at great risk of osteopenia and osteoporosis.

So, no matter your age, sex, or anything else: plyometric exercises are some of the most effective ways to improve your bone health.

As a final benefit: plyometric exercise has been shown to greatly improve distance running performance through improving running economy. [8,9]

Think of your muscles and tendons like rubber bands: they are elastic. When they are stretched quickly (like they are in plyometrics), they want to rebound quickly. As you improve at plyometric training, your muscles and tendons become more elastic and springy.

As a result, you expend less energy with each step you take while running. So, say you were going to burn 500 calories on a run. A person who is better at plyometrics would go farther for those 500 calories than an untrained person.

Are plyometrics safe?

Many populations, particularly older populations, will look at plyometric training and perceive a high risk of injury.

It can certainly be argued that plyometric training is riskier than normal strength training. It’s generally higher intensity and more likely to put you in unpredictable positions than strength training.

However, in all of the data previously cited, the researchers noted very low rates of injury among the plyometric protocols. In many cases, symptoms of chronic pain improved as a result of it.

This doesn’t mean there is NO risk associated, though. To more safely practice plyometrics, I recommend the following tips:

• Follow a smart, structured program to introduce them (discussed next)

• ALWAYS makes sure your shoes are tied TIGHT when performing these. Don’t let yourself roll your ankle because you were lazy lacing them up.

• Learn to auto-regulate: If you’re not feeling 100%, didn’t sleep great the night before, or didn’t eat enough before your training session, then don’t force a high intensity bout of plyometrics. In such circumstances, opt for lower intensity variations and wait for another day.

  • The same can be said for heavy strength training; or any other form of intense exercise

How to easily incorporate plyometric exercises into your routine:

If you are brand new to plyometric training, then you should begin with an extensive variation.

Jumping rope is an excellent option. If you don’t have a jump rope or aren’t that good at it (like me) then you can lightly bound up-and-down as if you were jump roping. The key is to perform a higher number of reps on a variation in which you aren’t maximally exerting.

You should stay with this variation for at least a month. You could perform a minute of jump before a strength training workout, perform one minute per day of jump rope, etc. This variation is low intensity enough to where you can have high frequency and volume with low risk of injury and not feeling too beat up.

Again, it need not be jumping rope but it should be something similar.

After about a month of this, a smart progression would be pogo jumps as depicted below. These look very similar to jump rope except you aim to get as high as you can with each jump. This would be an intensive plyometric, and would require less volume.

I recommend performing this form of plyometric as the beginning of any workout in which you train legs. If you are performing 2-3 full body workouts in a week (what most of my clients do), then you would perform 1-2 sets of these as the first movement of the workout.

This starting point will work for anyone, but how you progress from here is different for everyone. Part of what I do in my 1:1 coaching is help people make the most amount of progress on these with the least amount of time. If that would interest you, you can inquire here.

Conclusion

Plyometrics are one of the highest return-on-investment exercises you can perform in regard to the time spent doing them and the benefits to be had. They most notably improve power production and bone mineral density; crucial focus points for maintaining quality of life. They are safe and greatly beneficial to all populations including young people, older people, athletes, and non-athletes. If you have any unanswered questions, you are welcome to email me at info@fitnesssimplified.org or comment below!