Definition of Plyometric Exercises

Definition of Plyometric Exercises : Sports Speed by Dintiman/Ward/Tellez

DO NOT ATTEMPT ANY EXERCISES UNTIL YOU FULLY UNDERSTAND THEM

IN PLACE JUMPS

Squat Jump - Standing in an upright position with your hands behind your head, drop downward to a one-half squat position and immediately explode upwards as high as possible. Repeat the sequence upon landing, stressing maximum height.

Double Leg Ankle Bounce – W/ arms extended at your sides, jump upwards and forward using your ankles. Immediately upon landing, execute the next jump, continuing until you have completed the desired number of repetitions.

Split Squat Jump – Assume a position w/ one leg extended forward and the other behind the center of your body (lunge position). Perform a vertical jump off the front leg landing forward. Repeat w/ the other leg forward.

Lat Cone Jump – Standing on one side of a cone, jump laterally to the other side. Immediately upon landing, jump back to the starting position to complete on repetition.

UPPER BODY

Single Clap Push Up- Assume a normal pushup position and lower your chest to the floor. Push up your body upward w/ an explosive action that allows you to clap your hands and catch yourself in the upright position. Repeat the movement immediately for the desired number of repetition.

Drop and Catch Push Up – Kneel on both knees w/ your upper body erect, as though you are standing on your knees. Place both hands in front of your chest, palms down, and drop your upper body to the floor, catching your weight with both elbows bent in the bottom phase of the push-up position. Immediately push off w/ both hands to extend your arms and return to the upright position.

IN PLACE JUMPS

Pike Jumps – Assume the upright position w/ both arms to your sides, feet shoulder-width apart. Execute a vertical jump, bring both extended legs in front of your body, and reach out w/ both hands to touch your toes in a pike position. Upon landing, immediately repeat the sequence.

Double Leg Tuck Jump – Assume an upright stance w/ both arms to your sides, feet shoulder-width apart. Execute a vertical jump, grasping both knees while in the air. Release the knees before landing and immediately execute the next jump.

STANDING JUMPS

Standing Triple Jump – Assume the standing broad jump position: arms to your side, and feet shoulder-width apart. Using a two-foot take-off, jump forward as far as possible, landing on the right foot; then immediately jump to land on the left foot. Finally, jump once again and land on both feet. The standing triple jump is identical to the trip jump in track (hop, step and jump), except for the use of a two-foot take-off. The object is to generate maximum speed and secure as great a distance as possible on each of the three phases.

Standing Long Jump – Complete only the initial jump described in the standing triple jump using maximum arm swing. Strive for both vertical and horizontal distance.

Single Leg Hop – Assume a standing broad jump starting position w/ one leg slightly ahead of the other. Rock forward to your front foot and jump as far as possible driving your lead knee up and out. Land in the starting position on the same foot and continue jumping to complete the desired number of repetition.

SHORT-RESPONSE HOPS AND BOUNDS

Double Leg Bound – From a standing broad jump position (half squat stance, arm at sides, shoulders forward, back straight, and head up), thrust your arm forward as the knees and body straighten and the arms reach for the sky.

Double and Single Leg ZigZag Hop – Place 10 cones 20inches apart in a zigzag pattern. Jump w/ legs together in a forward diagonal direction over the first cone keeping the shoulders facing straight ahead. Immediately upon landing, change direction w/ your next jump to move diagonally over the second cone. Continue until you have jumped over all 10 cones. Execute the single leg hop in the same diagonal direction but using one leg at a time.

Alternate Leg Bound – Place one foot slightly ahead of the other. Push off w/ your back leg, drive the lead knee up to the chest and try to gain as much height and distance as possible.

Running Bound – Run forward jumping as high and far as possible w/ each step. Emphasize height and high knee lift and land w/ the center of gravity under you.

Lateral Bound – Assume a semi-squat position stance about one step from the side of an angled box or grassy hill. Push off w/ the outside foot to propel yourself into the box. As soon as you land, drive off again in the opposite direction, stressing lateral distance.

RICOCHETS

Incline Ricochets – Stand facing the bottom of the bleachers steps w/ your feet together and arm to the sides. Rapidly jump upward to each step as fast as possible by attempting to be “light on your feet.”

Decline Ricochet – From the top of a two to four degree grassy hill, take a series of short, rapid hopping movements down the hill. Concentrate on being “light on your feet.”

UPPER BODY

Push Up w/ Weights – Assume a push up position w/ your arms fully extended, both hands on top of the weights. Quickly remove your hands, drop to the floor, and catch yourself w/ your elbows slightly flexed before allowing gravity to flex the arms further until your chest nearly touches the floor. Rapidly extend your arms so your hands leave the floor high enough to again assume the position w/ hands on top of the weights.

Medicine Ball Sit Up - Assume a sitting position on the floor with the knees flexed at 90-degree angle. Have a partner toss the ball directly to your chest area. Catch the ball with arms flexed and allow the force to push your upper body back and to the floor. When you lower back touches the ground, do a sit-up and chest pass the ball back to your partner.

Medicine Ball Overhead Backward Throw – With the medicine ball in both hands and your elbows extended, bend slightly forward and then backwards as you propel the ball over head to a partner.

Medicine Ball Underhand Forward Throw – Face your partner w/ the medicine ball in both hands in front of your body. Bend over slightly before propelling the ball forward to your partner.

Medicine Ball Throw with Russian Twist – While Sitting, hold the medicine ball over your head in both hands. Move the ball backward slightly before throwing an overhead pass forward to your partner as you twist your body to the right. Repeat the throw, but twist your body to the left this time.

Double Clap Push Up – Perform a clap push up with enough explosive action to allow you to clap two times while the hands are in the air before again catching yourself with slightly flexed elbows.

Dumbbell Arm Swing – W/ 5 to 25 lb dumbbells in each hand, assume a stance w/ your feet apart, hands at your sides, shoulders and upper body tilted only slightly forward and your head straight. Drive one arm upward to a point just above your shoulder as the other arm drives backward behind your body. Before each arm reaches maximum stretch, check the momentum and initiates motions in the opposite direction.

IN PLACE JUMPS

Double Leg Vertical Power Jump – Assume a standing position with your feet shoulder width apart and your arms to your sides in preparation for a vertical jump. With a powerful upward thrust of both arms, jump as high as possible. Upon landing, immediately jump again with as little ground contact time as possible.

Single Leg Vertical Power Jump – Complete the preceding action with a one-foot take off. Repeat the action with the other foot.

Single Leg Tuck Jump – Assume an upright stance with both arms to your sides and feet shoulder width apart. Execute a vertical jump with a one-foot take off, grasping both knees while in the air. Release the knees before landing on the same foot and immediately execute the next jump. Repeat the jump using the opposite leg.

Side Jump and Sprint – Stand to one side of a bench or cone with your feet together pointing straight ahead. Jump back and forth over the bench for 4 – 10 repetitions. After landing on the last jump, spring forward for 25 yds.

SHORT RESPONSE HOPS

Double leg Speed Hops – From an upright position with your back straight, shoulders forward, and head up, jump as high as possible, bringing your feet under your buttocks in a cycling motion at the height of the jump. Jump again immediately upon contacting the ground.

Single Leg Speed Hops – Assume the position described in the preceding exercise with one leg in a stationary flexed position. Concentrate on the height of your jump as you did in the double leg speed hop.

Decline Hop – Assume a quarter-squat position at the top of a grassy hill with a 3 to 4 degree slop. Continue hopping down the hill for the speed described for the double leg hop. Repeat the exercise using the single leg hop decline.

Depth Jump – From an elevated box or grassy surface, drop from that height to the ground (DO NOT JUMP), landing with both feet together and knees bent in an attempt to “freeze” the body and absorb the shock. Slowly return to the box and repeat the exercise for the desired number of repetitions.

Single Leg Stride Jump – Assume a position to the side and at one end of the bench with your inside foot on top of the bench and your arms at your sides. Drive your arms upward as the inside leg on the bench pushes off to jump as high into the air as possible. Continue jumping until you reach the other end of the bench.

Box Jump – Step off a box that is within the recommended box height for your weight and age and immediately jump upward and outward upon hitting the ground. (Use common Sense, something no higher then your waist).

Multiple Box Jumps – Set up five boxes of differing heights three to five feet apart. Stand on the first box with toes slightly extended over the edge. Step off the first box and upon landing on the ground, jump upward and outward to land on the second higher box. Repeat the action for the remaining boxes, alternating low and high boxes.

UPPER BODY

Sprint Arm Action W/ Weights – Place 1 – 10 lb dumbbell in each hand. Assume a position with the upper body leaning only slightly forward, both arms bent at right angles in the correct sprinting position (Left Arm raised in front, elbow close to the body with the hand about shoulder height; Right Arm lowered, elbow close to the body with the hand no further back than the right hip.) Swing the arms from the shoulder joint and execute 10-15 explosive movements of the arms with the correct form. On the upswing, the hand raises to a point just in front of the chin and just inside the shoulder. As the arm swings down, the elbow straightens slightly and the hand comes close to the thigh.