When I train athletes, regardless of sport, I am training them to become strong, fast, explosive, mobile, reactive and well-conditioned. Essentially this is balanced training looking for improvements in physical qualities necessary for them to perform to the best of their ability during competition. This sort of mentality should be used when training as an adult too. “Train like an athlete”. I would never have my collegiate athletes focus solely on weight training and neglect sprint work. I wouldn’t have them focus only on conditioning levels and forget to work on movement quality. Shouldn’t the same be done for adults? Most adults I know going to the gym on a regular routine are checking the boxes for cardio, flexibility, and strength training (side note: free weights > machines) but I don’t know many that incorporate plyometrics.
Plyometric training is a training modality which requires athletes to jump, hop, bound and/or skip (1). A recent review posted in Sports Medicine looked at the safety and efficacy of plyometric training for older adults (2). 2236 papers were identified, with a total of 18 studies included in the systematic review. Muscular strength, bone health, body composition, postural stability, jump, and physical performance were shown to have positive outcomes as a result of plyometric training (2). Due to this, the authors concluded that plyometric training should be considered feasible and safe, especially when implemented in a supervised setting.
My suggestion on how to introduce this sort of training into your routine- start light and progress from there. 2-4 sets of 3-5 repetitions per workout, 1-3 days per week. Below are five different examples of jumps for you to try, going from least to most difficult.
Line Hops- Forward and Backward. Simplest form, self-explanatory. Jump over the line and back.
Lateral Line Hops. Slightly harder than forward/back, but also extremely simplistic.
Broad Jump. Start with arms up, bring them down as you bend the ankles, knees, and hips, then jump and propel yourself as far forward as possible.
Split Jumps. Start in split or lunge position, arms down by your side. Extend up, bringing your arms with you. Switch your feet/legs mid air and finish by landing opposite how you started.
Box Jump. Start with a low box such as the one in the picture and progress from there. Arms up to start, bring them down to your side as your bend at the ankle, knee, and hip, then propel yourself up and try to land quietly on the box.
References
1. Walker, O. (n.d.). Plyometric Training. Retrieved May 26, 2019, from https://www.scienceforsport.com/plyometric-training/
2. Vetrovsky, T., Steffl, M., Stastny, P. et al. Sports Med (2019) 49: 113. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-018-1018-x
Follow Coach Nate:
Instagram and Twitter: @NateWilliamsSC
Facebook: Facebook.Com/NathanWilliamsStrength
Comments