Plyometric training, also known as jump or reactive training, is a form of exercise that uses explosive movements such as hopping, bounding, and jumping to develop muscular power. Plyometric training is a way of training in which the person reacts to the ground surface in a way that they develop larger than normal ground forces that can then be used for one to project the body with a much greater velocity or speed of movement. An individual must possess adequate core strength, range of motion, and joint stability and also have the ability to balance efficiently before beginning any plyometric exercises.
(PLYOMETRIC TRAINING IS GENERALLY NOT AN APPROPRIATE FORM OF TRAINING FOR ANY INDIVIDUALS WITH SELECTED CHRONIC DISEASES OR ANY OTHER HEALTH OR FUNCTIONAL LIMITATIONS.)
Plyometric (reactive) training involves exercises that will generate quick, with powerful movements involving explosive concentric muscle contraction preceded by an eccentric muscle action. In other words my friends, there is a cocking or a loading phase described as an eccentric muscle action that dampens or that slows the downward movement of our body (deceleration) followed immediately by an explosive concentric muscle contraction. These kinds of explosive muscular contractions can be seen in practical instances such as rebounding in basketball
Look at the good basketball players when they are prepared to jump up for a loose ball, you will see them prepare by lowering their body slightly as they are flexing at the hips, knees, and the ankles. Sometimes, they may even drop their arms to assist in a takeoff. At a fairly shallow point, ball players will reverse this downward motion and will rapidly project themselves from the ground extending their hips, knees, ankles, and having arms upward.
The overall height that they will achieve is always determined by their vertical velocity or how fast they actually leave the ground. This my friends is the essence of a plyometric exercise and uses a characteristic of muscle that is known as the stretch-shortening cycle of the integrated performance paradigm.
There are three distinct phases involved in plyometric training, that includes the eccentric or loading phase, the amortization phase or the transition phase, and the concentric or the unloading phase.
This first stage of plyometric movement can be classified as the eccentric phase, or the deceleration, loading, yielding, counter movement or cocking phase. This phase increases muscle spindle activity by pre-stretching the muscle before activation. Potential energy is being stored in the elastic components of the muscle during this loading phase, sort of like stretching a rubber band.
This phase involves dynamic stabilization and is the time between the end of the eccentric muscle action (the loading or deceleration phase) and also the initiation of the concentric contraction (the unloading or the force production phase). The amortization phase, which is sometimes referred to as the transition phase, is also referred to as the electromechanical delay between the eccentric and concentric contraction during which the muscle must switch from overcoming the force to imparting force in the intended direction.
A prolonged amortization phase results in less than optimal neuromuscular efficiency from a loss of elastic potential energy. With a rapid switch from an eccentric loading phase to a concentric contraction that leads to a more powerful response.
The concentric phase, (which is the unloading phase) will occur immediately after the amortization phase and will involve a concentric contraction, resulting in enhanced muscular performance after the eccentric phase of muscle contraction. This is synonymous with releasing a rubber band after it was stretched.
Plyometric exercises will enhance the excitability, sensitivity, and reactivity of the neuro-muscular system and will increase the rate of force production (the power), motor unit recruitment, firing frequency (rate coding), and the motor unit synchronization. These training exercises are a progression that can be incorporated once you have achieved an over-all strength base, balance stabilization capabilities and proper core strength, and balance stabilization capabilities.
Adequate isometric stabilization strength (to developed through balance, core, and resistance-stabilization exercises) decreases through the time between the eccentric muscle action and concentric contraction, that will result in a shorter ground contact time, which result in decreased tissue overload and potential when performing plyometric training.
Plyometric exercises also uses the stimulation of our body’s proprioceptive mechanism, and elastic properties in order to generate maximal force output in the minimal amount of time. All the movement patterns that will occur during functional activities, involve a series of repetitive stretch-shortening cycles (eccentric and concentric contractions). Stretch-shortening cycles require the neuromuscular system to react quickly and efficiently after an eccentric muscle action to produce a concentric contraction and to impart all the necessary force (or acceleration) in the appropriate direction.
The purpose of the activity is to produce the necessary force to change the direction of an object’s center of mass efficiently, the functional movements such as cutting or change-of-direction, will require training exercises that emphasize plyometric training to prepare you for the functional demands of a specific activity.
Plyometric training will provide the ability to train specific movement patterns in a biomechanically correct manner at a more functionally appropriate speed. This will provide better functional strengthening of tendons, muscles, and the ligaments to meet the demands of everyday activities and in sports. The ultimate goal of being involved in plyometric training is to decrease the reaction time of the muscle action spectrum (eccentric deceleration, isometric stabilization, and concentric acceleration).
The speed of muscular exertion is limited by the neuromuscular coordination. What this means is, the body will only move within a range of speed that our nervous system has been programmed to allow. Plyometric training will improve neuromuscular efficiency and will improve the range of speed set by our central nervous system. Optimal reactive performance of any activity will depend on the speed at which muscular forces can be generated.
My friends, this is another component of program design that is quite often overlooked in the traditional training programs. Unfortunately plyometric training is often perceived by many to be too dangerous, and as potentially increasing the risk of an injury. However, my friends plyometric training has a systematic progression sequence that allows an individual to begin with less demanding exercises and than progress to a more demanding exercises as he or she adapts. This is really no different from any other form of training.
- HEWETT ET AL. (1996) in a prospective study demonstrated decreased peak landing
forces, enhanced the muscle-balance ratio between the quadriceps and the hamstrings,
and decreased the rate of anterior cruciate ligament injuries in female soccer, volleyball,
and basketball players who did incorporated plyometric training into their program.
- LUEBBERS ET AL. (2003) in a randomized controlled trial with 19 subjects demonstrated
that 4-and 7-weed plyometric training programs enhanced anaerobic power and vertical jump height
- WILKERSON ET AL. (2004) in a quasi-experimental design with 19 female basketball players
demonstrated that a 6-week plyometric training program improved hamstring to quadriceps ratio,
it had also been shown to enhance dynamic knee stability during the eccentric deceleration phase
of landing. This is one of the factors contributing to the high incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)
injuries in athletes who are female.
- CHIMERA ET AL. (2004) in a pre-test and post-test with a control group design using 20 healthy Division l
female athletes found that a 6-week plyometric training program improved hip abductor and adductor
co-activation ratios to help control varus (bowlegged) and valgus (knock-knees) moments at the knees
during landing.
PLYOMETRIC TRAINING SHOULD ONLY BE PERFORMED BY INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE WEARING SUPPORTIVE
SHOES, AND BE ON A PROPER TRAINING SURFACE SUCH AS A BASKETBALL COURT, A GRASS FIELD, OR A TARTAN TRACK.
May you be always in good health, humbly your Paul Earl.
www.beautiflworid.com
Wow, plyometric training exercise looks like a very though one there. Personally, I have not tried it out yet but it looks very good and I’m glad that you can add some evidence to show from authorities that it really does work. I live working in once Ina while. The exercise looks like it’s for those who are into sports and want to up their game though, would it go well for those looking to lose weight?
Good evening John, this sort of training really isn’t that tough, however you need to be in decent physical condition before you tried this sort of training. By the way it will definitely help you lose weight, but what’s more important I think, it will increase your performance in anything that you are doing physical, it’s a beautiful thing is something that I have all of my clients that are in decent condition to get involved in. We thank you for visiting weightlifting for a beautiful world, and as always, if it’s anything that we can possibly do for you please reach out to us. May you be always in good health, humbly yours Paul Earl
I’m a good fan of exercises and I love working out so much. Exercising is good to the health and it does a couple of benefits but particularly, this plyometric training exercise is kind of new to me and I’m really looking forward to trying it out sometimes. A lot of benefits are being stated in this article about plyometric training exercise and I’m sure the exercise I gonna be interesting. Thanks for this interesting post, I’ve learnt a couple of things.
Good evening Jones, we thank you for visiting weightlifting for a beautiful world. This sort of training is outrageously good however, one should not be engaged in this sort of training unless you are in very decent shape. By the way, I’m very happy that you’re working out, taking care of your body, it’s extremely important for your mind and your spirit, by being in good health one’s performance, becomes better in everything that he or she is doing. You mentioned that you going to try to do this this sort of training, please promise me you will take it slow, don’t be trying to do things that you haven’t prepare yourself to do, take baby steps, for real, and if you will approach it this way you will be successful. By the way, you’re quite welcome, this is what my team and I do. Research, get the information out to our readers, to do all that we can to help the human race live a longer quality life with much happiness. If it’s anything that we can ever do for you please contact us. May you be always in good health, humbly yours Paul Earl.
Very interesting article you have written up here concerning plyometric training. This exercise is an exercise that I get involved with on a daily normal activities but inerer truly know the benefits and the significance until I just read it here. I like the way that it adds up my energy power and unlock my potentials to control my body into full power mode too which I would be able to build an amount of force to add up to my strength build up in the exercise routine. This is incredible and I with surely keep up with it as an exercise. Thanks
Good evening Tracy, yes indeed this is amazing training, one that I recommend to my clients who are advanced in weightlifting, it keeps them limber, it gives them power, and helps, in keeping them young. I am sure you are well personally inform in the many benefits of this training. And yes Tracy keep doing these remarkable exercises, they’re also good for your inner being and overall mindfulness. We here at weightlifting for a beautiful world thank you for visiting us, and we sincerely hope that you will visit again. If it’s anything that we can ever do for you please contact us. May you be always in good health, humbly yours Paul Earl.
Not a bad information here on this type of training exercise. As a training student, this is really important for me. Thank you for outlining those different stages, it is really nice to learn about the plyometric training exercise. The exercise looks like one to increase performance truly but it seems like taking the different types of this exercise can induce quick tiredness. Do you think one should take rests in between?
Good evening John, nice to see you again, you know what we do here at weightlifting for a beautiful world, we bring the best of the best to our readers. Indeed, this particular training is amazing, however one needs to be in decent physical condition before trying these exercises. However, by taking baby steps this particular training can do amazing things for your body, and yes John, rest can be a part of it, only you know your body fully. I thank you John for visiting us again, and as always if it’s anything that we can do for you by all means reach out to us, see you soon John. May you be always be in good health, humbly yours Paul Earl.
Thanks foe this informative post,there are many benefits to doing plyometric exercises. Since they require little to no equipment, they can be done anytime, anywhere. There’s no doubt of that plyometric exercises can help improve athletic performance in athletes and develop physical fitness in nonathletes, I love exercising alot and that doesn’t mean I’m completely fit, do I need to be completely fit to see results from plyometric exercises?
Good evening SeunJeremiah, I am very happy that you’re making exercise a part of your daily life, by you doing this, you are creating a much better quality of life. This style of training is outstanding, however it should not be performed if you’re not in very decent physical condition, in fact if you have not done this style of training before I recommend that a personal trainer or someone knowledgeable of these training techniques to be there with you. And for you to begin with baby steps, because by doing so it can keep you from having a mishap. I thank you for visiting us, and I hope that you will visit us again, may you be always in good health humbly yours Paul Earl.
I am also of the school of thought that believe that plyometric exercise only cause more harm than good because of the nature that I can cause injuries if not well managed well or being trained rather too hard. I’m a football player and lgament tears is in no way good for us. But them, having read this article, I think pplyometry works like a cardio? It is not totally bad for us to give a try to but it needs to be done with utmost care to avoilf injuries. Great tips as I never knew it helps with direction switching.
Good evening Shelley, with all do respect Shelley, there are hundreds of thousands of people utilizing this exercise, and they have not been harmed. In the article I gave you scientific facts from the Health Community that was documented, also me and my own clients are performing these exercises. The one thing you have to keep in mind, before a person become involved with this kind of training they must already be in very decent condition, and this sort of training should not begin without supervision of a professional. By having this in place, it is very unlikely that a person would get injured. As you had mentioned, you being involving in football, this sort of training could definitely help you. I thank you for your kind words, I am happy that we has given you more understanding of the nature of this sort of training, we also thank you for visiting weightlifting for a beautiful world, and if it’s ever anything that we can do for you by all means contact us. May you be always in good health, humbly yours Paul Earl.
Hi Paul – I think this is an awesome site – (While, I admit I’d cook while someone was at training….) It’s inspirational – and I feel very motivational. I also like to direct simplicity of the language so that anyone could read and understand the process and focus of the exercise.
I love the inclusion of medical reports, supporting this type of exercise – the seniors page is wonderful; the advertising seems to follow with target and respectfully supportive of your interest.
I hope one day I get to be as wonderful as you obviously are !!
Kindest regards – Sandy
Good evening Sandy, please forgive me for being so long to get back to you. Thank you for the very kind words, and I sincerely hope that I have motivate you enough for you to begin a exercising program, that Sandy would indeed make me happy. Some personal advice for you. Whatever you do in life put your mind, your heart, and your spirit, into it and let no one or nothing stopped you for going after your dreams. we thank you for visiting here at weightlifting for a beautiful world, if it’s anything that we can do for you please reach out to us. May you be always in good health, humbly yours Paul Earl.