Weight Lifting, Weight Training, Bench Press & Bodybuilding
October 12, 2024
Plyometrics
by Fitness Competitor Linda Cusmano

Over the last 2 years I have become quite friendly with plyometric training on a personal basis. First off I should explain what exactly Plyometrics are in a beginners definition.

Plyometrics - bounding, hopping, leaping and jumping in various different drills, some using equipment or apparatus like cones and some just with the person.

The pupose of this training is to improve the power in your particular activity, sport, or specific movement. This type of training is widely for teams like hockey, football, basketball, soccer, volleyball and over into olympic sports such as gymnastics, skiing and snowboarding. The most popular reason plyometrics are done is to simply improve ones verticle jump yet it also hones other skills and can be used for rehabilitation and injury prevention as well, since each exercise is specifically designed. Now plyometrics are being applied to everything. Don't get me wrong, it has been around for ages but only in the last decade has it been so widely researched and utilized. It can also be a cause to injury if done incorrectly or without proper knowlege. Plyometrics combines speed and strength and helps to train the body to do so efficiently.

Linda Cusmano on Plyometrics I had completely torn my anterior cruciate ligament in my left knee, 3 weeks prior to a competition and that began my journey to pre-operation rehabilitation. I worked with various types of plyometric methods in that training and once my surgery was complete, which was 6 months later, I was back to the rehabilitation, more work on balance, agility, and eventually speed and skill to retrain for my next competitions. The one problem was that there was a bucket tear in my medial meniscus, same knee, that had been left untrimmed when my ACL reconstructive surgery was done, which of course meant, back in for surgery again. But I still competed with the bucket tear which meant modifications to my routine! I finally had that surgery done this June 98 and went through more plyometric training for rehab then for getting back into my sport, I am now almost where I was before this all started. I am presently doing an intensive 6 week plyometric program, 3 times per week, which should add a couple inches to my leaps. I firmly believe this training is growing in large proportions and will be predominant in the future of fitness.

I can't be giving away all my secrets, but here is a basic run down of the plyometric program I am training on made to gain about 2 inches in veriticle leap height.

This program was put together by some individuals in Cincinatti for a study done on women and plyometrics (indirectly the connection of ACL tears and weak hamstrings in my purposes). I am quite sure I did not give that explanation any justice but please bare with me.

Plyometric Traning I start with a warm up which takes about 5 mins then I cool down for 2 mins. Next step is to stretch for 5 mins now that the muscles and joints are warm.

There are 3 phases of 2 weeks in length, which sharpen: technique, fundamentals and performance. Contacts, or each time I strike the ground, is counted. There are 8 drills each day, varied from 15 different drill exercises, done 3 days per week, preferably leaving a day off in between. Each drill is made up of some sort of bounding or knee high jumps, distance hops and stick landings. Cones and mats are used for a few of these drills. Each drill is timed, starting with 20 secs per drill week one then increasing to 30 secs by week 3 but not surpassing this time (that would be insane). Rest periods are twice the time it takes to perform each exercise. Athlete is to stop once proper form is lost, as form is the key to this training.

And there it is in a nutshell. When I started of course I had a few clarifications to make since was finding that I had figures above the required amounts and thought I was doing something wrong, but I was set straight and told that this program was designed for a broad range of people and due to my conditioning I had a different number of contacts. I am now in my 3rd week and find I have already gained an inch in my jump!

 

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