STEP 4: PLYOMETRICS PLYOMETRIC EXERCISES AND DRILLS Many types of plyometric exercises are used in various sports. For playing speed improvement, we are primarily interested in a few basic jumps that involve limited ground contact time. A number of common plyometric drills result in a down time two to three times longer than in the sprinting action. Although some of these drills are important because the down time is similar to that during the start and acceleration phase of the 40-yard dash, most of your high-intensity routine should involve high-speed jumps with short down time. In the following exercises L indicates low-ifitensity, M indicates medium- intensity, and H indicates high-intensity exercises, In-Place Jumps SE Squat Jump Standing in an upright po- sition with your hands be- hind your head, drop downward to a one-half squat position and imme- diately explode upward as highas possible. Repeat the sequence upon landing, stressing maximumheight.2ounog epuy 6e-2]gn0q134_= SPORTS SPEED Lateral Cone Jump Standing to one side of a cone, jump laterally to the other side. Immediately upon landing, jump backto thestarting position tocom- plete one repetition, eos Seagal RNA tea Re ARR ea Ben STEP 4: PLYOMETRICS Upper Body a Single-Clap Push-Up ‘Assumea normal push-up position and lower your chest to thy Push your body upward with an explosive action that allows clap your hands and catch yourself in the upright position. 1 the movement immediately for the desired number of repeti scree ne TNR Drop and Catch Push-Up Kneel on both knees with your upper body erect, as though y standing on your knees. Place both hands in front of your palms down, and drop your upper body to the floor, catchin weight with both elbows bent in the bottom phase of the pt position. Immediately push off with both hands to extend you and return to the upright push-up position.¥ ea TEESE In-Place Jumps Double-Leg Tuck Jump Meee Pike Jump z ‘ean upright stance with both arms to your sides, feet shoulder- apart. Execute a vertical jump, bring both extended legs in front of your body, and reach o1 both hands to touch your toes ina pike position. Upon landing, immedi repeat the sequence.138_= SPORTS SPEED ES SPORTS SPUD __scoessnh Lessin Standing Jumps RE Standing Triple Jump Assume the standing broad jump position: arms to your side, and feet shoulder-width apart. Using a two-foot take-off, jump forward as far as possible, landing on the right foot; then immediately jump toland on theleft foot. Finally, jump once again and land onboth feet. The standing triple jump is identical to the triple jump in track (hop, step, and jump), except for the use of a two-foot take-off. The object, to generate maximum speed and secure as great a distance as possible on each of the three phases. a Standing Long Jump Complete only the initial jump described in the standing triple jump using maximum arm swing. Strive for both vertical and horizontal distance. SE Single-Leg Hop Assumea standing broad jump starting position elegslightly ahead of the other. Rock forward to your front foot and jump as far and high as possible driving your lead knee up and out. Land in the starting position on the same foot and continue jumping to complete the desired number of repetitions. seem aa NARS eR tnt os STEP 4: PLYOMETRICS Short-Response Hops and Bounds SS Double-Leg Bound ion (half squat stance, « sides, shoulders ee straight,andhead up), sae iad as the kne body straighten and th reach for the sky.142_= SPORTS SPEED eee Running Bound Run forward jumping as high and far as possible with each step. Em- fl phasize height and high knee lift and land with the center of gravity under you. STEP 4: PLYOMETRICS SS Lateral Bound Assumeasemi-squatstanceabout onestep from box or grassy hill. Push off with the outside foot into the box. As soon as you land, drive off again in the of direction, stressing lateral distance. Ricochets $$$ Incline Ricochet Stand facing the bottom of the bleacher steps with your feet to and arms to the sides. Rapidly jump upward to each step as possible by attempting to be “light on your feet’ EN Decline Ricochet From the top ofa two- to four-degree grass; akeaserieso rapid hopping movements down the hill. Concentrate on light on your feet.”Upper Body SSN Push-Up With Weights \e a push-up position w n extended, both hands on top of the wei y sur hands, drop to the floor, and catch yourself with your elbows slig allowing gravity to flex the arms further until ly touches the floor. Rapidly extend your arms so your hands leave the floor high enough to again assume the position with hands on top of the weights. tting position on the ae a partner toss the b: ith arms flexed and al and to the floor. Whe "up and chest-passSTEP 4: PLYOMETRICS_* —— ne 146_= SPORTS SPEED oor Medicine Ball Overhead Backward Throw ‘ou propel the ball toa partner.eS Medicine Ball Throw With Russian Twist While sitting, hold the medicine ball over your h Y your head in both hands. Move the ball backward slightly before throwing an overhead pass forward to your partner as you twist your body to th y s our ht. Re the throw, but twist your body to the left this ime. Pt STEP 4: PLYOMETRICS » 149 Double-Clap Push-Up Perform a normal push enough expl ‘you to clap two times while the hands are in the air bef eet apart, handsat your sides, shoulders and upper body tilted slightly forward, and yourhead straight. Drive onearm upward point just above your shoulder as the other arm drives backward dd your body. Before each arm reaches maximum stretch, check ‘momentum and initiate motions in the opposite direction.In-Place Jumps the Double-Leg Vertical Power Jump sw Side Jump and Sprint Stand to one side of a bench or Assumea standing position with your feet shoulder-width apar your arms to your side in preparation for a vertical jump. powerful upward thrust of both arms, jump as high as po Upon landing, immediately jump again with as little ground c time as possible ingstraightahead. Jump back and forth over the bench for 4 to 10 repetitions. Single-Leg Vertical Power Jump Complete the preceding action with a one-foot take-off. Rep action using the opposite foot: Single-Leg Tuck Jump Assume an upright stance with both arms to your sides a shoulder-width apart. Execute a vertical jump with a one-foottal off, grasping both knees while in the air. Release the knees bé landing on the same foot and immediately execute the next Repeat the jump using the opposite leg ‘After landing on the last jump, sprint forward forSaaremaa nn Short-Response Hops Eee Double-Leg Speed Hop From an upright position with yourbackstraight shoulders for- ward, and head up, jump ashigh as possible, bringing your feet under your buttocks in a cycling motion at the height of the jump. Jump again immediat contacting the ground, STEP 4: PLYOMETRICS = 153 Single-Leg Speed Hop ® Assume the position described in the preceding exercise with one leg ‘ih.a stationary flexed position. Concentrate on the height of your & three- to four-degree slope. Continue hopping down the hill for peed as described for the double-leg hop. Repeat the exercise using ssingle-leg decline hop. Depth Jump omivan elevated box or grassy surface, drop from that height to the landing with both feet together and knees bent ze” the body and absorb the shock. Slowly to the box and repeat the exercise for the desired number of154_= SPORTS SPEED STEP 4:PLYOMETRICS = 155 Single-Leg Stride Jump Box Jumps recommended box heights yourweightand ageand immedi- Hately jump upward and outward tting the ground. Assume a position to the side and at one end of a bench with your inside foot on top of the bench and your arms at your sides.156_* SPORTS SPEED | essen en eR Sa ESR Multiple Box Jumps Set up five boxes of differing heights three to five feet apart. Stand on the first box with toes slightly extended over the edge. Step off the first box and, upon landing’on the ground, jump upward and outward to land on the second higher box. Repeat the action for the remaining boxes, alternating low and high boxes. Upper Body Sprint-Arm Action With Weights Place 1- to 10-pound dumbbells in each hartd. Assume a position with the upper body leaning only slightly forward, both armsbentat right angles in the correct sprinting position (left arm raised in front, elbow close to the body with the hand about shoulder height; right arm lowered, elbow close to the body with the hand no further back than the right hip). Swing the arms from the shoulder joint and execute 10 to 15 explosive movements of the arms with the correct form described in chapter8.On the upswing, the handrises toapoint just in front of the chin and just inside the shoulder. As the arm swings down, the elbow straightens slightly and the hand comes close to the thigh. . You are now readly to continue to work on your holistic: program by adding the fifth step of the seven-step m Loading.”