If you want to condition your muscles for a quick response time or maximum short bursts of strength, include plyometric workouts in your fitness program. It’s all about the muscle SSC—stretch-shortening cycle. It’s the mechanism providing spring-like muscle performance that improves explosive and endurance-type athletic performances. It has three phases: the eccentric phase, the amortization phase, and the concentric phase. The eccentric phase occurs when you crouch before you jump. The concentric phase needs to be kept short to increase the power. It’s the transition period. The concentric phase shortens muscles to generate force. It’s when the muscles make their explosive movement.
Burn fat with plyometric exercises.
HIIT—high intensity interval training—burns massive amounts of calories and fat in a shorter time than other forms of exercise. It’s all about the intensity. The explosive movements of plyometric acts in the same way. It’s not just for athletes who want to improve their athleticism. When you increase your heart rate to maximum intensity, it causes EPOC—excess post-exercise oxygen consumption. That increases your metabolism for up to 48 hours, burning more calories even when the exercise ends.
You’ll boost your power and speed while improving your balance and coordination.
Plyometric training focuses on training muscles to react quickly with the maximum force. That boosts explosive strength. It helps boost neuromuscular balance and coordination by training them with dynamic, rapid muscle movements. It also benefits athletic performance by improving muscle efficiency and conditioning them to utilize stored energy more effectively.
Ease into plyometric workouts.
Like other intense exercises, don’t expect to start with a 30-minute session. Doing it for 10 minutes once a week is a good start. If you’re improving weight lifting, it works the body on all planes. Give yourself several hours between other types of exercises or do plyometrics at the end of your workout. After a couple of weeks, increase your plyometric workout to two times a week for a few months and accelerate it from there.
- Don’t forget to warm up. It’s even more important when doing plyometric exercises. Do steady-state exercises like jumping jacks, running, or other cardio. It gets your muscles warmed.
- Plyometrics are high-impact. Avoid doing them on concrete. Use a padded mat to perform them or a floor designed to reduce the impact. If you have joint issues, skip them. They are harder on the joints.
- You can do vertical, horizontal, lateral, and vertical-horizontal movements. Some examples are squats or skater jumps. Our trainers can help you find the best exercises to fit your needs.
- Always check with your healthcare professional before starting any exercise program, especially ones as intense as plyometrics.
For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness