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What are the Benefits of Plyometric Training?

D. Messmer
D. Messmer

Plyometric training is an intense form of exercise that helps athletes improve the power of their movements. Unlike standard weight training, which focuses solely on increasing the strength and size of the muscles, the benefits of plyometric training are that they increase the ability of the muscles to exert force quickly. Using plyometric training benefits athletes, especially those who participate in activities that require explosion. Plyometric exercises, though, can be difficult and, if an athlete overworks himself or herself or does not perform the exercises correctly, can cause serious injury. For this reason, an athlete should incorporate plyometrics into his or her workout routine gradually.

Plyometric exercises are beneficial because they require an athlete to perform very explosive motions. By recruiting the muscle tissue quickly, the exercises increase the efficiency of the neuromuscular system. Rather than simply increasing the amount of muscle tissue on an athlete's body, then, plyometric training allows the athlete to make more efficient use of the muscle tissue that he or she already has. This makes the muscles stronger without necessarily increasing their overall mass, which allows them to move faster.

Plyometric exercises help train the muscles to work more efficiently.
Plyometric exercises help train the muscles to work more efficiently.

The intense strain that plyometric training puts on the body means that it is imperative that an athlete be careful not to overexercise, because this can result in injury. Plyometric training is a form of exercise that an athlete should use to supplement an existing workout rather than relying on plyometrics alone. An athlete can mix plyometrics into a weightlifting routine or add them at the end. Either way, it is important that the athlete be sure that his or her body is strong and healthy enough to endure the exercise.

Plyometric training can be useful for sprinters and other athletes who require intense bursts of energy over a short period of time.
Plyometric training can be useful for sprinters and other athletes who require intense bursts of energy over a short period of time.

If an athlete is able to perform plyometric exercises, they can be very useful for increasing athletic performance. One of the most common benefits of plyometric training is an improvement in the athlete's vertical leap, which is a measurement of how high he or she can jump. Jumping requires an explosive movement of the leg muscles, and plyometrics increase this explosiveness and thus benefit the overall height of the jump. For this reason, plyometric training can be very helpful for athletes such as basketball players and certain football players, such as wide receivers, because those activities require jumping.

Plyometric training can be very helpful for basketball players.
Plyometric training can be very helpful for basketball players.

Plyometric training also is important for athletes who need to be able to accelerate quickly, such as sprinters or running backs in football. Plyometrics provide some benefits for increasing an athlete's top speed, but they have a much greater impact on being able to reach top speed quickly. They also can enable an athlete to change direction well and make faster cuts while running.

Discussion Comments

backdraft

Where can I find examples of different plyometric training drills? I am particularly interested in plyometric speed training. I run cross country and I am trying to improve my times this season.

My coach knows a little about plyometrics but he does not really have the background that I need. If there is a book or a website that could give me a really in depth introduction that would help a lot. Thanks!

Ivan83

I had a gym teacher in middle school who was an old track guy and a big believer in plyometric training for all people. He had us do different plyometric movements as a big part of the gym curriculum.

We were only in 7th grade at the time and could not really appreciate what we were doing. But later, when I was an athlete in high school and college, I was grateful for the foundation in plyometrics my old teacher had given me.

chivebasil

Plyometric training can provide huge advantages to athletes playing in any sport. Basically, any sport where you use your legs involves plyometric activity. If you adopt a plyometirc training program you can improve strength, speed and endurance. You can also reduce the risk of injury because you have developed all the twitch and deep tissue muscles that keep your legs strong.

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    • Plyometric exercises help train the muscles to work more efficiently.
      By: Christos Georghiou
      Plyometric exercises help train the muscles to work more efficiently.
    • Plyometric training can be useful for sprinters and other athletes who require intense bursts of energy over a short period of time.
      By: Valeriy Velikov
      Plyometric training can be useful for sprinters and other athletes who require intense bursts of energy over a short period of time.
    • Plyometric training can be very helpful for basketball players.
      By: Moreno Novello
      Plyometric training can be very helpful for basketball players.
    • Sit ups and oblique crunches are often used to build core strength during a plyometric workout.
      By: Mat Hayward
      Sit ups and oblique crunches are often used to build core strength during a plyometric workout.
    • Wide receivers in football often benefit from plyometric training because of the jumping involved.
      By: Brocreative
      Wide receivers in football often benefit from plyometric training because of the jumping involved.
    • An athlete may be subject to injury during plyometric training if they exercise too much.
      By: Shakzu
      An athlete may be subject to injury during plyometric training if they exercise too much.