plyometric exercises for speed and power

Welcome to the physiogain community and here we are going to understand a new topic today:-what is plyometrics and plyometric exercises for speed and power.

Our main focus is going to be on the plyometric exercises for speed.

So let’s straight jump into this topic.

Plyometrics

It is defined as the explosive or quick powerful movements involving a prestretching of the muscle, thereby activating the stretch-shortening cycle of the muscle.

Purpose

The main purpose of plyometric training is to increase the excitability of the neurologic receptors for improved reactivity of the neuromuscular system or in simple terms, to increase the strength, speed, and endurance of the muscle.

Upper body plyometric exercises for speed and power

Trunk rotation

Purpose

warmup exercises for the upper body before plyometric drills

Position

The person is standing and holding a medicine ball in both hands in front of himself with the elbow extended.

Procedure

The person is asked to rotate his trunk to right and to left keeping the ball in front of himself with the elbow extended.

It is important to take a pause at each extreme of rotation before rotating in opposite direction.

Wood chops

Purpose

Warmup exercises for the upper body before plyometric drills

Position

The person is standing and holding the medicine ball in front of himself with his elbow extended.

Procedure

The person bends his trunk forward and pauses at full trunk flexion

• And then starts to extend his spine fully while raising the ball overhead.
• It is very important to take a pause at each extreme of full flexion and extension.

Two hands overhead soccer throw

Purpose

Plyometric drill to facilitate movement pattern similar to throwing motion

Position

The client is standing and holding the medicine ball with both of her hands behind her head.

Procedure

The person takes one step forward and throws the ball with both hands.

Two-hand chest pass

Purpose

Plyometric drill to facilitate movement pattern similar to throwing motion

Position

The person is standing and holding the ball in both hands against the chest.

Procedure

The person takes one step forward and extends his elbows with force and throws the ball by pushing it with both of the hands,

External rotation with elastic tubing – throwing movement

Purpose

Plyometric drill to facilitate stretch-shortening activities for external rotator muscles.

Position

• The person is standing and facing elastic tubing, which is attached to the wall at eye level
• Shoulder goes in 90-degree abduction and neutral internal and external rotation
• The client is holding onto the elastic tubing.

Procedure

• The person starts pulling the tubing back into external rotation (concentric contraction), hold it for 2 seconds.
• And then releases external rotators muscles to allow the tubing to take the arm into internal rotation (eccentric contraction).

Plyometric pushups on the wall – advanced phase

Purpose

Plyometric drill to strengthen muscles of glenohumeral and scapulothoracic joints

Position

• The person is standing with the feet 8 to 10 inches away from the wall with the hands in a push-up position.
• PTA standing behind the client.

Procedure

• Keeping your feet fixed, the person pushes his body away from the wall by extending the arms.
• PTA catches the person and pushes her back towards the wall.

Plyometric push-ups with boxes – advanced phase

Purpose

Plyometric drill to strengthen muscles of glenohumeral and scapulothoracic joints.

Position

The client is in a push-up position between 6- to 8-inches boxes.

Procedure

• From the surface, the client pushes the body hard enough to lift the body from the ground (concentric contraction).
• When the body reaches high enough from the ground, the client moves his arm slightly laterally to reach out for the boxes to support the body.
• The client then pushes the boxes to lift his body high enough to catch the surface to support the body.

One-handed plyometric baseball throw on the wall -throwing movement

Purpose

Plyometric drill to facilitate stretch-shortening activities for external rotator muscles

Position

• The client is standing in front of the wall with her shoulder in 90-degree abduction and full external rotation and elbow in 90-degree flexion.
• The client is holding the medicine ball in one hand.

Procedure

• The client continuously internally rotates the shoulder by throwing (concentric contraction) the ball against the wall.
• And then catches the ball as it returns from the wall (eccentric contraction).

Sit-up with throw-trunk

Purpose

Strengthen abdominal muscles

Position

• The client is lying supine or facing upwards with her knees flexed.
• She is holding the ball with both hands overhead.

Procedure

• Client sit up
• And simultaneously throws the ball with an overhead soccer throw.

Lower body plyometric exercises for speed and power

Squat jumps

Purpose

Plyometric drill to strengthen lower extremity muscles

Position

The client is in the squat position

Procedure

• From the squat position, the client jumps vertically as high as possible (concentric contraction).
• On landing onto the ground, the client absorbs the shock by squatting (eccentric contraction).
• Repeat

Tuck jumps

Purpose

Plyometric drill to strengthen lower-extremity muscles.

Position

The client is standing straight.

Procedure

• The client jumps straight as high as possible (concentric contraction).
• During the jump, the client brings his both the knees towards the chest and holds briefly.
• The client absorbs the shock on landing, extending the knees.
• Repeat

Agility jumps

Purpose

Plyometric drill to enhance agility

Position

The client is standing on the floor, tape on the floor marking four quadrants.

Procedure

• The client needs to jump from one quadrant to another quadrant.
• The client needs to jump as quickly as possible and land lightly.

Front box jumps

Purpose

Plyometric drill to facilitate stretch-shortening of lower extremity muscles

Position

The client is standing straight and facing the box.

Procedure

• The client jumps up and lands onto the box (concentric contraction).
• After landing, the client immediately jumps back to the floor.
• Repeat

Multiple box jumps

Purpose

Plyometric drill

Position

The client is standing straight between the boxes but not facing either box.

Procedure

• Facing straight ahead for the whole drill, the client jumps laterally to land on the first box (concentric contraction).
• After landing (eccentric contraction), the client immediately jumps back to the floor.
• The patient holds on the ground (eccentric contraction), then immediately jumps laterally onto the second box.
• Then jumps back to the original position.

Multiple boxes jump with turns

Purpose

Plyometric drill for strength

Position

The client is standing straight between the boxes but not facing either box.

Procedure

• The client jumps and simultaneously turns to land on the first box.
• After landing, the client immediately jumps while turning to the original position.
• The client lands on the ground.
• The client immediately jumps and simultaneously turns towards the second box and lands on the second box.
• Then immediately jumps from the box and turns back to the original position.

Depth jumps

Purpose

Plyometric drill for strengthening

Position

The client is standing on top of the box.

Procedure

• The client steps off the edge of the box (should not jump).
• The client should stick to the squat position on landing.
• Then jumps back onto the box.
• Repeat 

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