Description:

Plyometric training involves practicing plyometric movements to toughen tissues and train nerve cells to stimulate a specific pattern of muscle contraction so the muscle generates as strong a contraction as possible in the shortest amount of time. A plyometric contraction involves first a rapid eccentric movement, followed by a short amortization phase, then an explosive concentric movement, which enables the synergistic muscles to engage in the myotatic-stretch reflex during the stretch-shortening cycle. Plyometric exercises use explosive movements to develop muscular power, the ability to generate a large amount of force quickly. Plyometric training acts on both the musculotendinous and neurological levels to increase an athlete's power output without necessarily increasing their maximum strength output. Plyometrics are used to increase the speed or force of muscular contractions, often with goals of increasing the height of a jump or speed of a punch or throw.

Physics:

Muscular power is determined by how long it takes for strength to be converted into speed. The ability to convert strength to speed in a very short time allows for athletic movements beyond what raw strength will allow. Thus an athlete who has strong legs and can perform the freeweight squat with extremely heavy weights over a long duration may get less distance on a standing long jump or height on a vertical leap than a weaker athlete who is able to generate a smaller amount of force in a shorter amount of time. Though the plyometrically trained athlete has a lower maximal force output and may not squat as much, training allows them to compress the time required to reach their maximum force output, allowing them to develop more power with each contraction.

Basic Examples:

Bench Side Steps - Stand next to a bench or step and step onto this with leg closest which this leg doing all the work. Once it's on the step/bench and straight, return to floor.

Bench Side Hops - Jump sideways over a bench/step, then back across again.

Static Jumps - Jump up bringing knees high to Chest. As soon as feet touch ground jump again minimising foot contact with the ground.

45 Degree Lunges - As a conventional Lunge but at 45 degrees. Very low weight to remove injury risk.

Jump Squats - Lighter weight than conventional squat into a jump. Upon landing bend legs down to parallel and power up again.

Bench Hurdles 1 - Set up 2 or 3 benches/steps and jump 2 footed up on to each bench/step and then off, then on to the next and so on.

Bench Hurdles 2 - As 1 but jump over the bench/step 2 footed.

Press Up Claps - Like a conventional Press Up expect power up more and add a clap at the top of the press before placing hands back on the ground and taking the body back down.

Monitor progress by using the foot contacts method and counting the number of times the feet make contact with the ground over a number of reps and sets. The number of foot contacts will then hopefully increase over time and possible within a given time limit which can then be stepped.

For example with Bench Side Hops 1 rep would be hopping over the bench/step one way and then the other which would count as 2 foot contacts. Doing 4 sets of 10 would count as 80 foot contacts.

200 foot contacts is a good starting point per session with 400 being a maximum.

Benefits:

Incresed power and explosive capacity as well as cordination and concentration span.

Promotes fat loss due to it's HIIT nature. Running along side Stead State Cardio, I believe this to be more superior to HIIT stane alone.

I've got a short e-book on this. Available for a week on

http://senduit.com/bc3277

Cool.

I'll grab that later when i'm home.

I have found the perfect place to push myself into cardio today, i work at a gym in a college and over the years have become very friendly with a few of the sports education teachers.

Today i went to the gym with intensions of Calves, Abs then some cardio (first real cardio in a while).

Oh i got it really hard, i did all this then got dragged into a Plyometrics circuit set up in the hall. 1 min bursts with 10 second rests.

About 15 exercises all pre set up by the students and then put away aswell.

I seriously feel unfit, but i can join in twice a week from now on so it may help a fair bit. Is there much for back as there didnt really seem anything?

Not particually for back. You could argue Pull Ups are a Plyometric of sorts, especially if you're able to do Pull Up Claps.

Same applies for Chest with Press Up Claps.

We did press up claps they were very fun!!