Exercise: Plyometrics for Power, Speed, and Agility
Hi Nana,
You're a beast for running 5 miles 4 days a week! That's some serious dedication. If you're looking to strengthen your legs to help you run or jump better, plyometrics are a great option.
Plyometrics are explosive exercises that involve rapid muscle contractions. They're great for improving your power, speed, and agility.
Here are a few plyometric exercises that you can incorporate into your workout routine:
- Box jumps: Stand in front of a sturdy box or platform. Squat down and jump up onto the box, landing with both feet. Step back down and repeat.
- Tuck jumps: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Jump up and tuck your knees into your chest, clapping your hands underneath your feet. Land softly and repeat.
- Depth jumps: Stand on a sturdy box or platform. Step off the box and land with both feet on the ground. Bend your knees to absorb the impact and then immediately jump back up onto the box. Repeat.
- Calf raises: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Raise your heels off the ground as high as you can. Hold for a second and then slowly lower your heels back down. Repeat.
- Jump squats: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Squat down until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Explosively jump up, extending your legs fully. Land softly and repeat.
- Jumping jacks: Stand with your feet together and your arms at your sides. Jump up, spreading your legs wide and raising your arms above your head. Jump back to the starting position and repeat.
- Jumping rope: Jump over a spinning jump rope, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
- Lunges: Stand with your feet together. Step forward with your right leg and lower your body until both knees are bent at a 90-degree angle. Make sure your front knee is directly over your ankle and your back knee is hovering just above the ground. Push through your right heel to return to the starting position. Repeat on the opposite side.
- Burpees: Start in a standing position. Squat down and place your hands on the ground in front of you. Jump your feet back so that you're in a plank position. Do a push-up, then jump your feet back up to your hands. Stand up and jump up, clapping your hands above your head. Land softly and repeat.
- Deadlifts: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and a barbell in front of you. Bend down and grip the barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Keep your back straight and your core engaged. Lift the barbell up to your hips, driving through your heels. Lower the barbell back down to the ground and repeat.
You can do these exercises in a circuit, performing one set of each exercise before moving on to the next. You can also do them as supersets, performing two sets of one exercise followed by two sets of another exercise.
Start with 2-3 sets of 10-12 repetitions of each exercise. As you get stronger, you can increase the number of sets and repetitions.
It's important to listen to your body and rest when you need to. If you're feeling pain, stop the exercise. And be sure to warm up before each workout and cool down afterwards.
Here is a sample of a workout routine incorporating some of the plyometric exercises listed above:
Warm-up:
- 5 minutes of light cardio, such as jogging or jumping jacks
- 10 dynamic stretches, such as arm circles, leg swings, and torso twists
Workout:
- Circuit 1: 10 box jumps 10 tuck jumps 10 depth jumps 10 calf raises
- Circuit 2: 10 jump squats 10 jumping jacks 10 lunges (each leg) 10 burpees
- Circuit 3: 10 deadlifts
Cool-down:
- 5 minutes of light cardio
- 10 static stretches, such as holding a hamstring stretch or calf stretch
You can do this workout routine 2-3 times per week. Be sure to give yourself at least 24 hours of rest between workouts.
With a little hard work and dedication, you'll be running faster and jumping higher in no time!
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