Plyometric exercises and weight training
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| Plyometric exercises can be of great use not only for runners |
Wherever in the world you watch top sport, strength counts; and one of the best ways to develop this very valuable asset is through plyometric training.
Have you ever looked in awe at the top sprinters at how fast they run? Dwain Chambers would get a speeding ticket in towns. And what about dunking in basketball? How on earth do players like Kobe Bryant leave planet earth and reach such an altitude? What about Matthew Pinsent and James Cracknell? Unrestrained, these rowers would seem capable of tearing their boat apart!
What is plyometric training?
Wherever in the world you watch top sport, strength counts; and one of the best ways to develop this very valuable asset is through plyometric training. Plyometric exercises are based on the understanding that a concentric (shortening) muscle contraction is much stronger if it immediately follows an eccentric (lengthening) contraction of the same muscle.
It's a bit like stretching a compressed spring to its limit and then releasing it. Immense amounts of energy are released in a fraction of a second when the spring compresses again. Plyometric exercises develop this re-compression - or, more technically, the extension-reflex capacity in a muscle. If the muscle fiber is regularly exposed to this training stimulus, it should be able to store more elastic energy and transfer it faster and more powerfully from the eccentric to the concentric phase.
Unlike traditional weight training, plyometric exercises can accurately mimic both the movement pattern and the speed of execution of the actual performance in sport. While a sprinter's foot has only 0.084 seconds of ground contact and even running at a moderate pace can result in foot contact time of 0.2 seconds, most standard weight lifts take 0.5-0.7 seconds to complete, even if they are as fast as possible.
Plyometric Training: How To Do It Right
A plyometric exercise is the runner's ground contact timeswhile at the same time developing a significant force. Soviet research showed that under certain conditions athletes could demonstrate short (in the range of 0.037-0.067 seconds), plyometrically induced muscle tension equivalent to 1,500 to 3,500 kg, although it should be noted that this example is likely to be based on eccentric exercises (depth jumps from large Height with falling and holding) than on the more common types of plyometric exercises - more of that later. So, you can see why weight training can be limited for sports when it comes to the specific portability of the workout, and why plyometrics can be a great way to build the strength you need.
How to get the best out of yourself
To get the most out of plyometrics , you should be adequately prepared. Some authorities recommend that an athlete should be able to lift 1.5 times their body weight before embarking on a plyometric program. However, this could be an exaggerated requirement, especially if an athlete is planning to embark on a progressive plyometric conditioning program that begins with low-intensity exercises and gradually becomes more intense. As with all new training experiences, progress should be gradual.
Despite my seemingly disparaging remarks about weight training, it should not be discounted in value as a means of producing specific exercise-related strength. Weight training still plays a vital role in the basics of greater strength and preparing an athlete for plyometrics. A larger and stronger muscle (built through weight training) will be able to produce greater plyometrically strength. Strengthened tendons and muscles will be less prone to stretching and pulling. It's also possible to combine weight training with plyometrics for increased muscle fiber response when jerking quickly.
Choosing the right plyometric movements
When it comes to choosing the right plyometric movements, the coach or athlete has to take into account the specifics of their sport, the athlete's maturity, his level of preparation and his understanding of possibly complex abilities. Movements with one leg are often more complex and stressful than movements with both legs.
Compare squat jumps with alternating leg curls over 20 meters, with either one-armed or two-armed alternation and a 15-meter run-up. The complexity and speed component of the latter are significantly greater than the former. And likely a beginner - or even someone in moderate condition - would not be able to do a bend without collapsing, let alone a series of 20m, while he or she would likely be able to do 5 bends in a row. Always play it safe when choosing your movements!
We have put together a few tips for your plyometry training below. If you are new to this type of training, you should start with low-intensity movements when integrating plyometrics into your training program. Wear well-padded sneakers. Do the exercises on a yielding surface, such as a racetrack or springy floor.
Eccentric fall-and-hold jumps
Although these exercises have been used in training and research since the 1960s, they are not as prevalent in training programs as other exercises. Eccentric exercises focus on the impact and absorption phase of a dynamic movement and leave the concentric phase in the stretch / reflex section. They are advocated because of their enormous strength absorption potential and as further enhancers of the stretching / reflex. ( Basketball: "Plyometric training is good for the jumping ability" )
Poor interpretation of the work of Yuri Verhoshansky (the former Soviet sports scientist known as the "father of plyometric research") sometimes resulted in subjects being asked to make deep jumps (i.e., rebound on landing) from very considerable heights (e.g. B. over 3 m), with obvious potential for injury. (I myself was once asked to do this form of eccentric training from a similar altitude, but declined for health reasons!) The altitude itself is a great fear factor, let alone the landing!
Plyometric training: Eccentric strength training
However, when done with feeling and from lower altitudes, or in the form of exercises such as "bounce and hold," eccentric strength training can be an effective way of developing more strength. But it is also another way of overloading the muscles in a positive way, thus avoiding stagnation and maintaining the training progression in seasonal athletes.
Both the coach and the athlete need to be aware that eccentric training is likely to cause sore muscles even if in good physical shape. But with other forms of eccentric training, like running down a hill, one session can be enough to “vaccinate” the body against further sore muscles. As with weight or cardio training, you can do your plyometric training in periods.
Obviously, one has to consider the specific requirements of your sport and your competitive goals for the upcoming season. But there are also a few general guidelines for moving forward. The following recommendations are based on the needs of a strength athlete with a single major competitive period, but the needs of endurance athletes are occasionally addressed as well.
Condition phase before or at the beginning of the season
Plyometric movements such as split squats , jump squats , and straight leg hopping can all be included in a circle. Normal circuit training protocols should be used - that is, high repetitions, short rest periods. In this general conditioning stage you will develop strength at a low level and a general improvement in sport-specific movement patterns and specific endurance. If you are an endurance athlete, you could keep this type of training beyond the pre-conditioning phase and incorporate it into your non-stretching / rowing / cycling sessions. Runners could also incorporate plyometrics into interval training exercises.
Main phase to improve strength
Runners should progress to one-legged variants because these are the most relevant to their sport. Don't neglect lower leg exercises such as straight leg jumps - where the athlete literally pogo up and down the court. These will improve the specific force in the calf and Achilles tendons and lead to optimal foot impact and optimal power return when running.
Middle-distance and long-distance runners could incorporate flexing and hopping into their warm-up stage of the course sessions, they could also do hill training to develop running-specific strength , and keep plyometrics in their circuit training.
Pre-competition phase
During this period, athletes should focus on quality plyometric exercises that repeat the speed and movement patterns of their chosen sport. Choose high intensity exercises! But make sure the quality and don't let fatigue affect performance.
Competition phase
In strength sports , the activity itself will act as the first improver: Nothing beats a competitive situation for optimal strength development. But in training, athletes should only perform high quality plyometric exercises in low numbers. And at a good distance (7-10 days) from important competitions. Endurance athletes might continue with medium to high quality exercises as part of their warm up or as part of their low intensity exercises.
Volume and intensity guidelines
The recommended volume of specific jumps in a session will vary with intensity and progression goals. For jumps in place or from a standing position, measure volume in terms of foot contacts. As a guide, a beginner could make 60-100 foot contacts of low intensity exercises in a single pre-season workout.
The average plyometrics practitioner may be able to perform 100-150 low-intensity foot contacts in one workout and 100 moderate-intensity exercises in another. An advanced practitioner can create 150-200 foot contacts of low to moderate intensity in a single session. Intensity is the key: the more dynamic the movement and the greater the force generated, the less foot contact is necessary. As the training phases continue, it is important to maintain the quality. The number of foot contacts should be reduced because optimal power and speed must be in control of the performance.
Plyometric training: recovery intervals
Impacts and bounces are best measured in sets and reps. As well as the distance covered and whether they are carried out from a standing start or with a run-up. Verhoshansky recommended integrating a maximum of 5–10 impacts per set in a session, with no more than 50–75 ground contacts. If a run-up is used, the number of repetitions should be reduced. For the optimal sport-specific training effect, the exercisers should not allow themselves to get tired. Recovery between sets should be in the range of 1-2 minutes. Successive deep jumps or drop jumps should be separated by intervals of at least 15-30 seconds. Or even longer if very intensive, diverse hopping and jumping routines are performed.
Such recovery intervals will allow the stretch reflex mechanism to return to optimal performance. In terms of the number of sessions, 2-3 per week should be enough - but not on consecutive days or 7-10 days before major competitions. Those who are new to this form of training can experience a deterioration in performance at the beginning before they have got used to the training method.
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