by GRP Strength Coach Will Ruth

Plyometric exercises, or “plyos” for short, can improve athletic coordination and train for rate of force development. Plyos are typically jumping and throwing exercises, with many available variations to challenge and engage the athlete. While most strength training aims to improve total force production, sport movements (including rowing, skiing, and running) happen quickly. Rate of force development, or how quickly the athlete can produce force and how efficiently the force is transferred to the muscular system to create movement, is a key factor that we can train with plyos.

Watch my demonstration video for my go-to plyos and key technique points for each one:

• Landing: The first step of a jump plyo is learning to distribute landing forces over the whole lower body. This is a forefoot-shifted position in a good hip hinge with braced torso and shoulders above hips.

• 2-leg countermovement jump: This is the standard squat jump. Squat down, immediately jump up, and land athletically.

• 2-leg non-countermovement jump: This is a paused squat jump. Squat down, pause in the bottom position, jump up, and land athletically.

• 1-leg jump: This can be countermovement or non-countermovement, training stability on one leg during first just the jumping phase, and then on both the jumping and landing phases.

• Box jump, seated jump, and broad jump: More great ways to jump!

• Backwards overhead throw: This is a hinge throw. Stand with your back towards a wall, or outdoors with plenty of space behind you, hip hinge down to the bottom position, and then throw for maximum height or distance.

• Forwards overhead throw: This is a squat throw. Stand facing a wall, or outdoors with plenty of space in front of you, squat down to the bottom position, and then throw for maximum height or distance.

There are some basic safety concerns with plyos. First, learn how to land well and use an appropriate landing surface. I caution rowers to avoid the excessive landing impact of boathouse concrete floors. Even some gym floors can be too firm. Masters athletes with achy joints and juniors with growth pains or shin splits often need a soft-topped box or foam mat to reduce landing impact. If the athlete cannot jump without pain, consider a throw plyo for similar benefits. When throwing, make sure the area around the athlete is clear. A medicine ball can slip mid-flight or launch in a different direction than intended. We have a “throwing area” in the gym that we keep clear of obstacles and other athletes. Also, don’t try to catch the ball on the way down. Just make the throw and step out of the way.

Endurance athletes often want to do longer sets of higher rep plyos, but this is training fatigue tolerance (which we get plenty of from sport training) rather than athletic coordination and rate of force development. Jumping for high reps also increases risk of injury from repetitive landing impacts. The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) offers good, concise guidance for plyos in their 2017 book, “Developing Power:” “Low frequency (2-3 sessions per week) and low volume (3-6 sets of 2-5 repetitions) are most appropriate. It is not necessary to perform myriad plyometric exercises. Getting the most out of a program requires mastering the movements of the exercises themselves. For most athletes, two or three plyometric exercises at any one time is sufficient for attaining movement mastery and obtaining considerable benefit.”

Beginner and advanced athletes alike can train jump and/or throw plyos for 3-6 sets of 2-5 reps, with at least 30 seconds between each set (~1:4 work-to-rest ratio), and full power output on each rep. We commonly include plyos in the GRP strength training in a superset with our main lower body exercise (ie. squat or deadlift), pairing a light-and-fast plyo exercise for rate of force development with a heavier, slower, loaded exercise for total force development, with 1-3 minutes of rest between supersets. We also might start the session with a warmup and then about 10 minutes total of 2-3 plyo exercises before moving into the rest of our strength training session. This works well in larger groups when equipment or space is limited, and when doing outdoor plyos before moving indoors for the rest of the session.