Plyometric Drills Spider Strength and Conditioning 1 The purpose of performing plyometric exercises is to develop explosive power in the muscle groups responsible for movement on the playing field. By doing plyometric exercises your body will develop the ability to react explosively and as a result you will experience an improvement in response time. The main goal of these exercises is to train your body to create force very quickly. Strength training is one way to improve your bodies' ability to apply force, but this does not mean you will be able to apply this increase in force quickly. Plyometrics is the link between the improvements developed by strength training and the rate at which you can apply these increases. It is essential that all of the exercises be performed PAIN FREE! If you experiencing any prolonged and unusual joint pain while performing these exercises, then do not continue to do them. The basic rules and guidelines of plyometrics are easy, but are highly important. Since plyometrics are high intensity, all-out drills, it is important to know and understand these few guidelines: * Always warm up and stretch first. * Plyometrics should not be performed in a fatigued state. * Wear the proper footwear, such as sturdy running or cross-training shoes. * Do not do the drills more than twice a week. * Always do the drills on a soft surface such as grass, track or turf. * Emphasize quality, not quantity. More is not better. * Make sure that you are focusing on what you are doing when performing these exercises. * Rest for a couple minutes between sets in order to prevent excessive fatigue associated with this type of training. DON"T BE IN A HURRY BETWEEN SET. * INTENSITY IS THE KEY FACTOR WHEN PERFORMING PLYOMETRIC EXERCISES. You must explode off the ground as fast as possible with each jumping repetition! Think of the ground as being hot.
Plyometric Drills Spider Strength and Conditioning 2 Ankling 1. Stand in an upright tall position. By bending very little at the knees, spring up in the air as high as you can go though the primary use of lower leg power. 2. The range of motion is mostly at the ankle joint. 3. Upon landing, maintain only a slight bend in the knees and spring up again. 4. Continue this for the desired number of foot contacts (reps) as indicated in the conditioning outline. Bounds 1. Begin from a half-squat stance. Arms should be placed in a 90-degree angle and shoulders are forward out over the knees. 2. Keep your back straight and hold your head up. 3. Place one foot slightly ahead of the other. Push off with your back leg, drive the lead knee up to the chest, and try to gain as much height and distance as possible. 4. Continue immediately driving with the other leg on landing.
Plyometric Drills Spider Strength and Conditioning 3 Box Hops 1. Stand in front of a box 12-36 inches high with feet shoulder width apart. 2. Jump up onto box and immediately stepoff the box. Recoil, and repeat for the prescribed number of reps. 3. Emphasize speed and good body control. For variation, this drill can be performed laterally. Standing next to the box and jumping onto it laterally. Keys: 1. Make sure that you get your whole feet on the box. 2. Don't jump off box step down. 3. Progression: as the athlete improves, increase the height of the box or increase the weight. Diagonal Cone Hops 1. Stand at the end of a diagonal row of cones (6-8) that is 18 to 24 inches apart and staggered. 2. Begin double leg hopping over the cones in a diagonal manner. 3. When you make contact with the ground, immediately propel yourself back over the cone that is diagonally across from you. 4. When you land on the ground again, propel yourself over the other cone that is diagonally across from you. 5. Continue this hopping motion until you finish the series of 6-8 cones. 6. Emphasize good forward lean, using your arms to thrust you over the cone, and spending as little time on the ground as possible.
Plyometric Drills Spider Strength and Conditioning 4 Double Leg Hops 1. Stand upright with feet shoulder width apart. 2. Squat into a quarter squat position and jump straight up and out looking to get distance on each jump. 3. Without resetting, repeat movement for prescribed amount of reps. 4. Use a big arm swing with each jump. Hydens 1. Assume a stance slightly wider than shoulder width. 2. Bend forward slightly at the waist as you flex the knees. 3. The arms will be loose at the shoulder but slightly flexed at the elbow. 4. To execute this drill, you should shift your weight fully over to one support leg as you simultaneously cross the swing leg behind the support leg. 5. The arms should come across the body as you "cock" in preparation for the lateral bound. 6. As soon as you are stretched and ready, explode laterally across to the other leg and repeat from side to side until you complete the prescribed repetitions for that set. Keys: This drill can be done in a stationary our moving for distance.
Plyometric Drills Spider Strength and Conditioning 5 Resisted Jumps 1. Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Holding a weight (i.e. dumbbells, medicine ball, etc) jump, emphasizing maximum height. 2. Immediately upon landing, recoil, and repeat for the prescribed number of reps. 3. Squat into a quarter position and keep back straight. Avoid: 1. Not using your arms 2. Using to much resistances
Plyometric Drills Spider Strength and Conditioning 6 Tuck Jumps 1. With your arms outstretched on either side of you, jump up off the ground and drive your knees up as high as possible into your chest. 2. This will look like you are in a tuck position while in the air. 3. It is important that you bring your knees to your chest and not you chest to your knees; therefore, keep your upper body tall and straight. 4. Release from the tuck position and land to the ground. 5. Upon landing, immediately jump up again and into a tuck position. Line On Track Two feet over line 1. Either using the specified distance or time allocated (depending which day you are on); you will use a running lane line on a track. 2. If you are moving over a distance set up the distance you want to hop to. Then, begin with your feet together on one side of the line. 3. When you start, you want to propel yourself as quickly as you can off the ground to the other side of the line. We are not looking for distance over the line; rather how fast you can get both of your feet off of the ground and down the length of the track. 4. If you are using the time aspect, set your watch for the length of time and begin double leg bouncing over the line as fast as you can for the allotted time. One foot over line: perform the same movements as stated above only using one of your feet.
Plyometric Drills Spider Strength and Conditioning 7 Multi Hurdle Hops 1. Place 8 hurdles in a sequence in front of you. 2. Adjust the height of each hurdle that will allow you to easily clear it, make contact with the ground, and propel yourself over the next hurdle in line. 3. The athlete clears the first hurdle and upon landing, immediately jumps over the next hurdle. Keys: 1. It is important that you minimize ground contact and continues this jumping motion until you finish the entire jumping sequence. 2. Make sure to use your arms.
Plyometric Drills Spider Strength and Conditioning 8 Power Skips 1. In an athletic standing position, you begin by skipping as high in the air as possible. 2. The idea is to get very high and far by use of the arms. 3. The knee is driven up high and locked while the trail leg remains straight with the toes pointed straight down. 4. The thigh is placed into its high position by this whip-like action. 5. Use good running form with proper forward lean.
Plyometric Drills Spider Strength and Conditioning 9 Single Leg Runs 1. Begin this drill by standing on one leg. With the leg that is on the ground, begin a sprint only utilizing the foot that is on the ground. 2. Keep your other leg bent back throughout this drill. 3. Emphasize good sprint form with arms at a 90-degree angle and good forward lean. 4. Concentrate on recovering with the foot that is propelling you forward and spending as little time on the ground as possible. 5. Stay on your toes throughout this sprint motion. Straight Leg Bounds 1. With a good, forward lean begin bounding only using your hip flexures. 2. To do this, you must lock your knees and force your toes to throw you forward upon each contact with the ground. 3. If is important to use your toes in a cocked up fashion until just prior to ground contact with your feet. 4. You will look like a marching German soldier that is fast forward.