Plyometrics

Plyometrics

1. Repeated stretching and contracting of muscles

   • Increase muscular strength
   • Increase power

2. Good method of training for anaerobic performers

3. High intensity explosive activities

   • Hopping
   • Bounding
   • Depth jumping
   • Medicine ball work

4. Uses fast twitch fibres

5. If an eccentric contraction is followed by a concentric contraction, increased force generated

   • Stretch shortening cycle
     • Pre-loading phase
       • Muscle performs eccentric contraction
     • Amortisation phase
       • Time between eccentric and concentric contractions
       • Needs to be as short as possible so energy stored from eccentric contraction is not lost
       • Lot of energy required to stretch the muscle is lost as heat but some energy can be stored for subsequent concentric contraction
     • Contraction phase
       • Uses stored energy to increase force of concentric contraction

6. Developing leg strength

   • Line of benches, boxes and hurdles
     • Performer has to jump, hop and leap from one to the other
       • Recovery occurs when walking back to start line

7. Developing arm strength

   • Clapping press-ups
   • Throwing & catching medicine ball

8. ATP-PC system

   • Main fuel is ATP

9. 1:3 exercise to recovery ratio