Improving GAA Speed and Power with Plyometrics

Introduction

How are Michael Jordan’s ankles, your car’s suspension system, and jumping off wooden boxes related to each other? The answer is found in the ‘plyometrics’ section of most decent strength and conditioning programs.

If you want to jump higher, sprint faster, and generally produce more power (which is defined as force in a given time) in athletic endeavours, it makes sense to have practised and honed that ability in training.

Plyometrics can play a key role here, but they are often misunderstood, loosely defined, poorly programmed, and carried out at a sub-par standard. But when planned and implemented correctly, they provide an opportunity for you to experience previously unavailable adaptations and performance enhancements.

History

The Big Names

Yuri Verkhoshansky was a Russian track and field coach, who implemented various revolutionary approaches with his athletes. For example, he was one of the first coaches to consider strength training to be an important part of a runner’s training program. But his most well-known contribution was the ‘Shock Method’. This involved using exercises like the depth jump and repeated hurdle jumps to create a dynamic contact with the ground, from which his athletes would have to rebound as quickly as possible. Olympic runner and coach, Fred Wilt, observed these obscure-looking training protocols, and the success of Verkhonshanky’s athletes, and coined the term plyometrics. This type of training was popularised further by coaches like Michael Yessis, who has written many books on the topic. I include these names to direct you towards avenues for further reading if interested.

Debate Over Definition

Since the birth of the Shock Method and the subsequent naming and popularisation of plyometrics, the definition of what constitutes plyometric training has been debated.

In keeping with Verhoshanky’s original Shock Method, true plyometric training requires the presence a reactive component, whereby there is a rapid eccentric drop immediately before any jumps or explosive movements, and where ground contact time is minimised. Think of a depth jump as the clearest example of this.

Many programs will include exercises like box jumps and broad jumps in the plyometrics section. While there can be a rapid eccentric component to these exercises (E.g. Throwing your arms down and loading the lower body joints quickly before jumping), these exercises don’t involve the impact element that a depth jump, for example, does. For this reason, some prefer to label these exercises as jump training, as opposed to plyometrics. Others see plyometrics as a broad category that includes the Shock Method as sub-section, and includes the other, less intense variations.

How Plyometrics Work

The Stretch-Shortening Cycle

Think of what happens when you drive over a speed bump too quickly. You hit the speed bump, forcefully compressing the springs in the car’s suspension system, the springs react by expanding, and the car bounces upward as a result. All this happens in a split second.

To read the full article go to knowyourselfperformance.com/articles/training/plyometrics