Adding Plyometrics to Strength Training

Plyometrics are exercise designed to move fast and powerful. Athletes used it to improve their performance, but if you’re wondering what good it is for ordinary people? This form of exercises can increase your power, burn more calories, gain mobility and strength. With just a couple of minutes of plyometric training added to your usual strength training, the intensity of your workout increases as it build more strength and power in the legs. But you won’t be able to last with this kind of training if you would strain yourself too much.

Plyometric training has long been an essential part of exercises and athletes use it to improve on their explosive strength. One of the best ways to enhance power is by increasing the flexibility of the legs. This can be accomplished through repetitive jumping (one of the hallmarks of plyometric training): Each time you land from a jump, your stretch you quads and then contract for your next jump. It’s that stretch from the first jump that gives you that extra lift in the second jump.

For athletes, plyometric training needs intense exercises specifically fashioned for their particular sports such as leaping off a platform and rebounding off the floor onto a higher platform. Most of us don’t need exercises that intense and difficult, but you can incorporate basic plyometric-type strategies into your usual strength training routine so it could add more challenge and intensity.

Plyometric training into your current workout in many ways.

Interval Training – try to alternate a high intensity with a recovery period, this is one of the best way to try plyo in your own workouts. Begin with a plyo exercise, such as Squat Jumps, that repeats for 30-60 seconds. This should be followed with an easy exercise, such as walking, for about 2-3 minutes and do the same again.

High Intensity Bursts – You can also add plyo exercises throughout your routine for high intensity bursts. For example, warm up for 10 minutes minimum, then switch into a brisk jog or walk (on a treadmill or outside) for 5 to 10 minutes. At this stage, hop off and do 1 minute of plyo jacks (or another plyo exercise). Now, get back to your jog or walk and repeat in another 5 minutes. If you’re already used to it, then you so mix up your intervals throughout the workout to make it more interesting.

Short, High Intensity Workouts – this is yet another way to do plyo for your whole routine. Assemble 10 or more plyo exercises and do each one for 10-60 seconds, resting as long as you need to, in between exercises to recover fully. You might want to keep this for around 20-30 minutes to avoid straining yourself too much.