What is a good plyometric workout?

May, 2022

If you want to target different muscles and increase strength and power, plyometric exercises are an ideal way to do this.

However, you might not have come across this type of workout before.

In this month’s blog, I am going to explain what a plyometric workout is, how long this workout should be for maximum effectiveness, and I will let you know the best plyometric exercises you can do.

What is a plyometric workout?

Similar to HIIT, a plyometric workout consists of quick, explosive exercises.

The ideal is to use speed to increase muscle power. For athletes, it helps to increase performance, while you can also use this type of workout for getting back into shape as it can be used to boost your overall fitness.

While a plyometric workout can seem daunting at first, the more you practice and perform these exercises, the more you can achieve.

The good thing about plyometric workouts is there are many different exercises that vary in intensity and difficulty, so there is a workout for everyone

How long should a plyometric workout be?

This can depend on your level of fitness as someone who is particularly fit can last longer than someone who is just starting to exercise regularly.

As a general rule, a plyometric workout should be around 30-minutes if you have a decent fitness level. This is because the exercises a short, intensive, and sharp, so you don’t want to burn out.

However, use this as a general guide as it will depend on your health, any injuries you have, and your own circumstances.

The best plyometric exercises

Here are 5 common plyometric exercises that you can use to increase athletic performance and boost your fitness levels.

1.   Front Box Jump

This is a very common but effective plyometric exercise that targets quadriceps and glute muscles.

Put a plyo box box around 6-inches in front, squat, and jump up using your body to propel you to the top of the box. Step back off the box and repeat, You can make the front box jump harder by holding dumbbells or a weighted vest.

2.   Broad Jumps

Broad jumps are ideal for building up leg strength and, like the front box jump, they work mostly on your quadriceps and glute muscles.

Standing on a firm surface, perform a deep squat and jump up thrusting yourself forward. Land on your feet and perform the next broad jump straight away.

3.   Dot Drill

This drill is good for increasing speed and works on your ankles and calves.

If you have a dot mat, place it in front of you with your feet at the two corner dots. Jump up and bring your feet to the middle dot and then quickly move them to the furthest corner dot. WOrk your way up and down the dot mate increasing the speed as you go.

4.   Skater Jumps

Skater jumps work well for balance and helps you work on both legs.

Move into the squat position and put your weight on your right leg, jump and move onto your left leg with a soft landing. Move back and forth between your right and left legs.

5.   Burpee

Burpee’s are one of the best plyometric exercises.

Start with your feet shoulder width apart with your hands at your sides. Move into the squat positon and place your hands inside your feet. Move your feet back to assume a plank-like position, move your feet back to land inside your hands, and then jump into the air with your hands above your head. Jump back into the squat positon and repeat the movements again.

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