Increase Your Vertical Jump With Plyometric Training

By Ben Mihajlov

One of the most under appreciated forms of exercise is plyometric training. In a way, this is a good thing because if you are a competitive athlete, this type of training will give you an enormous edge over your competitors. Without a doubt, there are very few exercise programs that are as effective as plyometric training in terms of its ability to enhance and develop speed and explosiveness in movement. Actually, even if you are not a competitive athlete you can still benefit from a plyometric exercise program. This is because plyometric training can greatly enhance physical conditioning like few other exercise programs are able.

Plyometric training entails jumping in order to develop not only muscle strength, but speed and explosiveness. Weight training will strengthen your legs, but does little to develop the quick twitch muscles needed for explosiveness and quickness. Plyometric exercises also develops other muscles besides the legs needed to jump higher.

Plyometric exercises focuses on the development of explosive movements in order to develop muscular power and quickness. Most plyometric training programs are intense and not for those people out of shape or beginners. So even though plyometrics are not used by the novice athlete, the competitive athlete will discover tremendous benefits and enhancements to their physical attributes.

There are many different plyometric exercise you can do. A simple exercise could be jumping up and onto a box and then jumping off of it. Typically, they are just jumping onto, off, or over an object. Each rep repeated should be done to full maximum to insure increase in explosiveness and quickness. Endurance or fatigue of the muscle is not necessary the goal, but working on jumping higher and quicker. It helps develop the quick twitch muscles used in speed and explosiveness.

If you are just starting out, it is possible to lower the intensity of your plyometric training. But the goal is to do each exercise rep with high intensity and at full maximum. This is how you will grow and increase your vertical jump faster.

To help ensure your plyometric training is safe and effective, it is important to listen to your body. If you are in pain or your knees become achy, take a break. Allow time for your body to recuperate and do not over do it especially if you are just starting out.

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