Build Your Base with Extensive (Low Level) Plyometrics

If you have ever been around training of any kind you have probably seen some form of plyometrics being used. Plyometrics are an incredibly powerful Tool to help develop explosive power and tendon stiffness. Whether its jumping, hopping, leaping, or bounding athletes and strength coaches alike use them to develop greater awareness and excitation of the muscles and tendons.

WHAT ARE EXTENSIVE PLYOMETRICS?

First off, lets classify what defines a plyometrics. Plyometrics are skill based, and Its stated that plyometrics should having Ground Contact Times around < 0.25. So in short it can’t be something that you spend a lot of time on the ground while performing them. It should be rhythmic or “Twitchy” in nature.

When we are saying extensive or low level we are just emphasizing that it is going to be a submaximal intent. The lower intent results in lower intensity via light ground reaction forces, which in return will allow us to accumulate higher volumes with them as apposed to maximal or “Intensive” plyometrics. The major benefit of being able to accumulate greater volumes is its ability to accelerate the learning process and drive adaptations that will allow for more intensive work down the line.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF EXTENSIVE PLYOMETRICS?

Extensive plyometrics are a great starting point for anyone new to jumping or plyometrics as it is a great way to get positive structural adaptations of of the soft tissue. With the ability to accumulate high volumes this will aid in developing more “stiffness” around the tissues like the tendon which in return will create more stability at the joint.

Extensive Plyometrics will help develop relative stiffness at the Foot, Ankle, Knee, and Hip. As well as it is an easy way to develop a better understanding of how to create minimal or short ground contact times as described above.

Additionaly, it is a great tool to aid in ramping up the nervous system for more intensive and strenuous jumping and training later in a session.

CONSIDERATIONS FOR USING PLYOMETRICS

1. Level of intensity should be accounted for. If you or your athletes are coming off a long season or injury, it probably isnt the best idea to jump into “Intensive” Plyometrics. Take your time and build a base.
2. Type of movement pattern such as Bilateral, Unilateral, and Alternating should be thought through as this will have a big impact on the intensity of the plyometric.
3. The direction of movement. Is it vertical? Linear? Horizontal? Lateral (Frontal)? Rotational? All of these should have a systematic and developmentally appropriate approach to ensure the best results for your athletes.
4. Training age of athlete. Understanding the skill level and previous training will help you decide on how to properly apply them to your athletes training.
5. Type of surface and shoes that your athletes have.

HOW DO YOU USE THEM?

The first step would be to start off with Vertically oriented plyos off of two feet (Bilateral). The reason for wanting it to be more vertically oriented is that its much easier to develop the sequence, timing, and stiffness of the plyos when you only have to account for 1 direction of force (Gravity straight up and down). As apposed to bounding and other horizontally driven plyometrics where there is a braking/dampening and pawing component.

You would want to start out with performing stationary plyos about 2 days per week for the first 2 weeks, with a total volume of about 5 sets of 20 reps. As you gain confidence and awareness you can progress to higher volumes as well as changing landing position or vectors of movement like moving horizontally or laterally.

COACHING CUES

We want to try and strike the ground with our forefoot (From the arch to the ball of the foot) we want to avoid being on the tip toes. To amplify the strike we want to load into a dorsiflexed position (Toes up) and as we are contacting the ground under our center of mass we will powerfully plantar flex to propel ourselves off the ground.

Starting off this way will allow your athletes to develop:

1. Trunk control and stability as it relates to their ability to stay rigid and stacked.
2. Strengthens the tendons and musculature around the lower limbs in a controlled setting.
3. Stiffness or pretensioning ability upon landing

EXAMPLES OF WAYS TO INTENSIFY OR PROGRESS EXTENSIVE PLYOMETRICS

1. Changing hand/arm positions. Hands on hips, hands on head, or utilize the arm swing.
2. Change landing from Bilateral to Alternating or Unilateral
3. Make the plyometric be jump height or jump distance based
4. Change the direction of the plyometric to either linear (Sagittal) or Lateral (Frontal)
5. Skipping or Bounding
6. Increase the range of motion (Deeper ranges) via split stance/Squatted

6. Add Extensive to Intensive work as a way to gear up for more intensive blocks.

Obviously you can definitely deep dive into this subject even more and there is a lot more discussion to be had. Hopefully this can help get the ball rolling on where you can start your athletes with plyometrics. I will cover an entire plyometric progression outline in another article that will cover Extensive, Intensive, and assisted more thoroughly. So be on the lookout for another article about developing your own plyometric program.