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Add an Extra Kick to Your Training with Plyometrics
Whether you are getting fit, staying in shape,
improving yourself for your sport’s sake, or just bodybuilding, chances are
good that you spend a lot of time at the gym. In addition to the regular
routine of weight lifting and the traditional equipment (like treadmills and
stair machines), try giving your workout a kick into high gear with
plyometrics.
Plyometrics is a type of exercise that
utilizes explosive movements to develop muscle power. Power is a
combination of strength and speed, so by increasing power we mean increasing
the muscle strength in the muscles that you work with, and increased speed
of movement in those muscles. This can help with things like vertical jump
or adding power to a punch. The ability to generate force, and do so
quickly (through training with plyometrics), will allow for more power than
a raw display of strength ever could.
To better understand plyometrics, you have to
understand how muscles work. Muscles contract to cause movement, and this
process is known as concentric contraction. Any given muscle can only
contract with so much power, however when a muscle is lengthened before it
contracts, it will actually produce more power. This lengthening and
contraction is called eccentric contraction, and is the focus of plyometrics.
The time between the eccentric contraction and the concentric contraction
has to be very short, since like a stretched rubber band, the power comes in
the release. The process of creating this potential energy (the stretched
rubber band) effect is called “stretch shortening cycle”, and is the focus
and underlying mechanism of training with plyometrics.
Typical (not plyometric) workouts include a
rapid contraction followed by a quick deceleration. This deceleration (like
when you reach arm extension during a lift and hold the bar) causes a loss
of energy that could be transferred to another movement. Plyometrics take
advantage of free space and open-ended movements, much like many animals use
in the natural world (like a monkey using momentum to move through the
trees). Plyometric tools include things like medicine balls, jump ropes,
and Indian clubs (which are similar in appearance and style to juggling
pins), all of which have been in use for some time as valid exercise tools.
An example of a plyometric exercise involves a
medicine ball, and requires the exerciser to lie on his or her back and toss
the medicine ball back and forth with an assistant. The lengthening (catch
phase) and contracting (toss phase) of the muscles are evident in this
exercise. Another thing that is evident in this exercise is the presence of
an assistant. Plyometric exercises should only be done by physically fit
individuals, and only under strict supervision. There is an increased risk
of injury from plyometric exercises, as well as an increased level of
benefits, so care should always be taken to do activities correctly and
safely.
Another example of plyometric exercise is the
clap press up. This is a regular push up, except that when your arms are
fully extended, you should continue to push yourself off the ground and clap
your hands together at least once before lowering yourself and starting
again. A final example is the squat jumps, where the exerciser crouches
down in a low squat, then jumps as high as he or she can and lands back in a
squat, repeating the leap and crouch. Jumping rope and jumping jacks are
also considered plyometric in nature.
Plyometric exercises are difficult at first,
but if you are physically fit and willing to work hard to better your body
and muscles, it is a great tool. Always take care, though, to put safety
first.
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