Plyometrics involve hopping, bounding, and leaping exercises and were invented by the very famous Russian researcher Verhoshansky. Verhoshansky or “Vert” for short pioneered these exercises in his work with Soviet and eastern bloc track athletes in the mid 1970’s. The incredible success of these athletes in international competition led to closer scrutiny of Soviet training techniques. Although plyometrics initially met with some resistance from traditional North American track and field coaches, they now play a significant role in the training regimen of elite athletes involved in sports such as soccer, basketball, hockey, lacrosse, track & field, football, volleyball, skiing, rugby, and competitive curling.

So how do we harness the power of the hop? The first question to address is the issue of leg strength. Research has shown that improving leg strength using moderate to heavy squats alone can dramatically increase vertical jumping ability. Ultimate players tend to have legs that are skinny and wimpy. Facts are facts; I have played this game for far too long to be convinced otherwise. Plyometrics are demanding, high-load exercises that can cause stress fractures, spinal damage, and nauseating pain and anguish if they are done by someone who lacks adequate leg strength. A good general rule of thumb is to avoid plyometric training if you are unable to comfortably squat a weight that is two times your body mass.

If your leg strength is up to snuff you are ready to engage in some light plyometric training. The idea here is to start slowly and gradually accustom your body to the huge external forces that are inherent in plyometric training. Plyometrics involve repeated jumping or leaping activities and take advantage of the natural elasticity of muscle tissue.

The goal of plyometric training is to improve leg strength, increase the elastic storage potential of muscle tissue, and to improve the neural coordination of muscle groups. Training of these elements allows athletes to explode faster and more powerfully resulting in improved vertical jump.

TO BEGIN

To begin make sure you have warmed up very thoroughly; 10-15 minutes of moderate to high intensity running and a comprehensive stretch of all of the active muscle groups is highly recommended. The exercises included in this article can be done in a school field and require no additional equipment like jump boxes or hurdles.

STRIDES

Long a favored training method of sprinters and long jumpers, strides are excellent for increasing stride power and explosive acceleration movements translating into faster sprints and more d-blocks.

HOW TO:

Measure out a distance of 7-10 yards on a running track or school field. Approach the start line at a slow jog and then bound from leg to leg to the finishing line. Remember to explode as forcefully as possible each time foot contact is made while driving the knee up and forward. To begin, try 5-6 repetitions between the lines and gradually work to higher repetitions as your training progresses.

SKIPPING

“Do you do the double dutch?” If not you should be aware that the hopping action of skipping is a natural plyometric exercise that develops explosive power and strength in the lower leg. Long a stalwart of professional fighters (boxers, wrestlers, shoot-fighters), skipping is breaking through as a training method for other elite sport events.

HOW TO:

10-15 minutes of skipping is an excellent full body warm-up and is a good way to begin a plyometric training session. The intensity of skipping can be increased by doing high double-leg hops, fast running, intervals, and funky crossovers.

ONE AND TWO-LEGGED POP-UPS

This simple exercise is a favourite of volleyball players and is a very effective way to improve leaping ability from a stand still and can be done with one or two legs.

HOW TO:

For one-legged pop-ups take a large step forward and pop off that foot as you bring the other leg forward. For two-legged pop-ups step forward with the lead leg and jump explosively off both feet as the second leg joins the first. Remember during each jump to drive your arms into the air and land on both feet. To begin try 3 sets of 10 for each leg (single leg hops), or 3 sets of 20 for the double leg hops.

HILL SPRINTS

Although this is not classified as an actual plyometric exercise it is an excellent way to train for explosive speed and power and is a great way to end the workout.
HOW TO: Find a hill of medium incline that takes 5-10 seconds to sprint to the top of. Start with 10 sprints and make sure to leave adequate time in between sets to recover properly.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

The exercises covered in this article represent a tiny fraction of commonly used plyometric exercises, and is only an introduction to some useful plyometrics which can help develop explosive power and acceleration for the sport of ultimate. It is very important to remember that plyometrics are not exercises that should be done every day or after every training session. Most experts suggest a rest period of three days between plyometric workouts. With proper training and adequate rest, plyometrics can increase vertical jump by 2 to 8 inches and greatly increase your ability to react quickly and powerfully. Good luck and happy hopping.

— Mark Espheter, B.Sci. Kinesiology

Mark has been playing for six years with a myriad of teams on Canada’s West Coast. He has relocated to Calgary, AB and is currently taking his Masters in Excercise Physiology.

SUPERPEOPLES

Often called “Supermans” and or “Wonderwomans” I have chosen a gender neutral term for this fantastic exercise favoured by basketball, volleyball, and rugby players. This exercise does an excellent job of isolating the legs and building power for one-leg takeoffs.

HOW TO:

Find a bench or box that creates an angle of approximately 90( when you place your foot on top. Using all your power, explode into the air using the top foot and throw your arms above your head as if you are bidding on a high disc. In mid-air switch feet and land with the other foot atop the bench. Repeat this motion as quickly and powerfully as possible. The longer your leg stays on the ground, the less elastic energy is available from the muscle tissue so it is very important to move as quickly as possible. To begin, try 3 sets of 10 for each leg and increase the number as your training progresses.

REBOUNDERS

An advanced exercise that requires substantial practice and core strength, this is superb for developing torsional power and abdominal /lower back strength. This exercise will add considerable power to your throws and vastly improve your ability to imitate a Romanian gymnast.

HOW TO:

Start by standing parallel to a railing or beam that stands 3 to 3.5 feet off the ground. Place both hands together and in front of you. Pop over the obstacle using both feet and swing your body using your midsection. Concentrate on keeping your body and arms straight throughout the action and pop as quickly as possible to each side. Try sets of 10 to start.