This blog post spawned as a request from a person on Twitter. Her name is Candace and apparently she wants my plyometric program… And I figured hey, might as well release the love to the world. It’s how we men do things *wink*
Of course, my routines are ALWAYS changing and improving but they always follow the fundamental principals that I swear by… one of them being variety. So here is my latest plyo routine that you can perform.
Before we begin, let me address those that have no clue what plyometrics is and are probably wondering why they are reading this article…
Plyometrics is a fancy word for something called “jump training”. Gymnasts and basketball players have been doing this type of training for a LONG time, and it’s safe to say they have pretty much mastered it.
When I get approached by thugged out bboys that want to learn nothing more than a backflip, the first thing I do is tell them to pull up their pants. Then drill in the basics – and plyometrics is a big part of that in my opinion.
And yes I know… A back-tuck (backflip) is 90% technique, but the other 10% makes a BIG difference. Do you want to attempt a back-tuck with a vertical jump of 12 inches? Didn’t think so. I know all of this for a fact because I can back-tuck really… REALLY high.
So moving right along, what benefits can plyometrics training give you? Well besides the obviously higher vertical jump power, it is a GREAT substitute to cardio and will give you an aerobic system that will blow the faces off your competition. As a side confession… I really don’t like running even thought I do it. In fact, let me be totally honest – I HATE running, but that is why you will see me come up with a boat load of alternatives to it.
Ok, here’s my plyometric routine. You are to perform it 3x a week with a recovery day in between. So either Monday, Wednesday & Friday -OR- Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday.
Rest for 60 seconds between sets.
S= Sets
R= Reps
* = Till Failure
| Week | Squat Jumps | Calf Raises | Rebound Jumps |
Rapid Bunny Hops |
| 1 | (S:2) (R:15) | (S:2) (R:20) | (S:2) (R:20) | (S:2) (R:70) |
| 2 | (S:2) (R:20) | (S:2) (R:20) | (S:2) (R:25) | (S:2) (R:100) |
| 3 | (S:3) (R:20) | (S:3) (R:25) | (S:3) (R:30) | (S:3) (R:100) |
| 4 | (S:3) (R:23) | (S:3) (R:30) | (S:3) (R:40) | (S:3) (R:150) |
| 5 | (S:4) (R:25) | (S:4) (R:30) | (S:4) (R:50) | (S:4) (R:200) |
“What are those crazy exercises?” You ask. Well let’s go through each one.
1. Squat Jumps - This one is pretty self explanatory. You start in a deep squat position (knees past 90 degrees) and then jump up as high as you can, returning back to your squatted position. Couple things to keep in mind: You can use your arms to swing but if this exercise is getting too easy, hold a medicine ball or a 5lbs dumbbell in each hand… This will REALLY make you work.
Also, when you blast off in the air, make sure your legs come together and you become a pencil… Then as you descend back down, spread those legs and return to the squat position. As you can probably guess, people with bad knees should avoid this exercise.
2. Calf Raises- This is a very common exercise, so I hope I won’t have to expel a mouthful of words to explain it. Basically you hold on to something stable, elevate one leg and put it behind the other. You then lift yourself up from your ankles keeping the supporting leg straight (Basically going on your tippy toes). Do the desired rep amount for each leg (duh!)
3. Rebound Jumps- This one is challenging… Not because the exercise itself is that hard, but because you’ll have to wrestle with your brain to keep your form as clean as possible. So first, start with your legs straight. Then, jump up as high as you possibly can with MINIMAL bend in the knees (straight legs if possible). Then as soon as you hit the ground, bounce back up as high as you possibly can (again, keeping those legs straight).
A good metaphor for this is to pretend that you are jumping on hot coal, and every time you touch the ground, you want to bounce back up to avoid the burn. But the funny thing is… You will feel the burn elsewhere because this exercise is a b*tch! Either way, there’s no way out! Perfect!
4. Rapid Bunny Hops- Think of this exercise as a mini version of the Rebound Jumps. You still keep your legs straight, you still rebound as soon as you hit the floor, but there is one crucial difference: Your aim with the bunny hops is NOT to jump as high as possible, it’s to burn out those calves.
So basically, you won’t be more than an inch off the floor at any given time, but each rep will be insanely fast (hence the ridiculous rep count). Tip: Focus on your ankles and use them to jump instead of bending at the knees. You can also use your arms for momentum.
And there you have it… A plyo routine that will have you panting and huffing every time, but will eventually increase your jump power by twofold. If things start to get easy, put on a pair of ankle weights or carry 5 or 10lbs dumbbells in each hand. I personally use the 10’s for my Squat Jumps and 5lbs for my Rebound Jumps & Rapid Bunny Hops. For my calf raises, I hold a 30 pounder with my free hand.
—MADE FOR THE ELITE!—
I’m always looking for ways to UP the ante. After you go through this workout, you’ll find that your jumping and natural aerobic abilities will wipe the floor off the regular person. However, there are those that want more, that want to be at the TOP. For these people, I’ve made the plyo routine for the elite. Check it here: Plyometrics For The Elite!
To Being Fit & Sexy For Life
P.S- Got questions, comments, rants or suggestions? Leave em’ below.
Caution: I MIGHT BITE!
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April 27, 2009
#1
Hi FJ – Thanks for the shout out. I did week 1 of your plyo workout last week with a client. Definitely a variation of what I am accustomed to. But I/ we did not feel the soreness I/ we expected. (Maybe we should have done week 3 or 4). I’ll work your routine into 1 of my plyo workouts again this week. Here’s what I normally do:
(30 seconds on/ 30 seconds rest x 3 for each exercise)
1. Alternating Scissor Jumps @ Bench
2. Jump Squats – for speed
3. Calf Raises (single leg)
4. Reaching Jumps – for height (similar to your Rebound jumps – but with more knee bend)
What do you think?
May 4, 2009
#2
Let’s address this “soreness” issue. First you need to understand that just because you weren’t sore DOESN’T mean you/your client aren’t making progress.
Second, you guys maybe in better than average shape, and you only did week 1, if you noticed… it gets harder ever week.
Another reason could be that you were just using your body weight. Grab some dumbbells, or slap on ankle weights. Add some resistance and I assure you that you wont be walking straight the next day.
As for your routine… the 30 second approach instead of repetitions can work. Looks decent but you should track it. Some people work better when they have to hit a rep range, some work better with a time limit because they give it all they have before the clock runs out.
Also, I prefer my rebound jumps instead of the “reaching jump” since your quads are already addressed with Squat Jumps.
June 3, 2009
#3
OUCH!
June 4, 2009
#4
Haha, ouch is right. But by the end of this workout you should have no problems. Then you move on to THIS: http://flawlessfitnessbook.com/blog/extreme-plyometrics-advanced-jump-training-program-made-for-the-elite/