It’s Harry AA here, a GB sprinter and Mirafit athlete. As a sprinter you know that I run fast, but how do I do it?

Plyometrics are a massive part of running fast. On the track we exert a lot of force to run quickly, you might even think we’re jumping from each step. When performing plyometrics we want to improve force production.

What Are Plyometrics?

Plyometric training for me is all about managing load and at the same time moving forward with it. Plyometric or jump training can be used across all forms of sports, whether it be rugby, basketball, football, or even just individual training when you want to improve your explosive power. 

Jump training can involve both legs or split movements like jump lunges. When doing plyometrics or jump training it’s all about safety first. Make sure you warm up and you’re in a good place. It’s explosive movement, so the muscles and tendons need to be conditioned in the right way for you to get the maximal effect from it.

It goes without saying, this is my favourite type of training. I like to jump high as it allows me to run fast, when I’m feeling good, I tend to be able to pop off the floor. Plyometric training should be effortless at times, but technique is always the main focus. When you’re feeling fresh and good the sky's the limit, literally.

How to Warm Up

The exercises I tend to do when I’m warming up are mainly different types of jumps and some single leg movements such as single leg ankle hops. When doing these you want your ankles to be stiff. To add variety to the movement you can hop forwards, backwards and side to side, then swap legs and do it on the other leg.

Squat jumps are also a nice way to warm up. Start standing with your feet hips width apart, squat down and then as you rise, jump explosively. 180s are similar to squat jumps, except when you jump you want to twist to face the other way. This is great for producing power and change of direction.

Explosive jumps are another warm up movement. Place one foot on a Plyo Jump Box and as you drive the other foot off the floor, jump up and swap legs. You can make this continuous to make it more difficult.

These are all movements that will increase your heart rate and make your body aware of what you’re going to do.

My Favourite Plyometric Exercises

Squat Jumps with Dumbbells

You make it a continuous movement or pause in between the repetitions. Once you are comfortable with the movement and the load, you can progress by using a barbell for the squat jumps.

Double Leg Box Jumps

Stand a few inches away from the box and use your arms for momentum to jump on top of the box. This type of explosive movement is similar to the force your body needs to produce when pushing off the blocks at the start of a race.

Single Leg Box Jumps

Single leg strength is essential for sprinting, there is no point during a race where both feet are on the ground at the same time. Single leg box jumps will help reduce the chance of muscular imbalance in your lower body. However, this is an advanced movement, and you should be comfortable with double leg before moving to single.

My Top Plyometric Training Tip

Compound movements such as deadlifts and cleans are another great way to increase power. I usually superset my compound movements with plyometrics so that the lifts pre-exhaust my muscles. Then when doing the plyometric exercises, they are already exhausted and have to work harder to do the movement safely and efficiently.

No matter what your sport, if power has a part to play then plyometrics should be an essential part of your training. It can be easy to bypass these sessions in favour of heavy lifting, however you won’t be able to produce force as efficiently without plyometrics which can have an impact on your play.

Written by guest author Eryn Barber.

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Tags: Equipment > Plyo Jump Box ; Exercise Type > Conditioning