Until last week, I thought that I had a relatively solid grasp on the concept of plyometrics, in terms of why they’re utilized and how they’re implemented. The physiological reasoning makes sense to me, and I thought that I understood the appropriate way to integrate them in a comprehensive program. However, as this internship has proven to me time and again, there is always more to learn, and it’s what makes the job interesting.
Prior to discussing plyometrics with Dan, I was under the assumption that if you have a specific team or athlete in need of power development, plyometric work of any kind will be beneficial to them. Recently however, we’ve discussed the concept of “give them what they aren’t getting,” which is simple in nature but not anything I had ever considered before. Normally, if I were to work with a volleyball or basketball athlete, both of whom depend heavily on their jumping ability, I would have considered jumping plyometrics essential. Now I realize that this is true to an extent, but only during certain seasons. I would have thought nothing of doing box jumps, continuous jumps over boxes and hurdles or depth jumps in season. Based on what I had learned, I would have reasoned that increasing their power output while also perfecting their landing mechanics would provide performance enhancement and injury prevention benefits, music to any coach’s ears. Unfortunately I had never considered the fact that daily volleyball and basketball practices provide the athletes with ample plyometric work. Adding similar movements in the weight room, though applicable to each sport, is unnecessary and could potentially lead to overtraining in some of the athletes. Though we are attempting to create strong, versatile athletes, I’m learning much of our job, especially when teams are in-season, is centered on preserving the athletes so they can play for the entirety of the season. Therefore, plyometrics that mimic movements performed on a daily basis, and that are essential in off-season programs become contraindicated in-season.
Aside from what we talked about during our weekly intern education meeting, I did some of my own research out of curiosity and came across another aspect of plyometrics that I misunderstood. There are various ways to increase plyometric intensity, such as making jumps continuous, making the exercise single leg and increasing the height from which the exercise is performed. I had always considered adding weight to various exercises, such as squat jumps or depth jumps, to be a significant increase in intensity similar to that of increasing the height from which an exercise is performed; that was until I found several articles which stated differently. The first is an article titled “Practical Guidelines for Plyometric Intensity” authored by William P. Ebben and published in NSCA’s Performance Training Journal. In his article, Ebben states that recent research has determined adding weight to movements equates to a moderate level of intensity, and that height fluctuations should be the main means of varying intensity.1 In another presentation titled “Shock Method and Plyometrics: Updates and an In Depth Examination,” given by Dr. Natalia Verkhoshansky, the topic of plyometrics and their optimal usage are discussed. Continuing with the discussion of intensity, specifically with regard to height, Dr. Verkhoshansky presented the findings of a study in which 36 elite track and field athletes performed 8 depth jumps of increasing height. They found that power outputs were highest at a drop height of 2’5” and maximal force outputs were highest at a drop height of 3’5”, and therefore, drop height should be decided upon based upon the desired outcome.2 Additionally, Dr. Verkhoshansky discussed a study that looked at the effect of adding weight to depth jumps, and the study found that the highest vertical was achieved during the un-weighted depth jump, and that the additional weight did not “increase the working effect of the takeoff movement.”2
The discussion we had during our intern education along with the studies I found helped me to better understand that I was oversimplifying plyometric movements and their use in comprehensive programs. I now have a better grasp on when they will be the most beneficial, how to properly progress a plyometric program and how to adjust intensity based on movement selection and the height of the movement.
1. Ebben, William P. “Practical Guidelines for Plyometric Intensity.” NSCA’s Performance Training Journal Vol 6 (5), pp.12-16.
2. Verkhoshansky, Natalia. (2012). “Shock Method and Plyometrics: Updates and an In Depth Examination.” Presented at the Central Virginia Sports Performance Seminar (CVASPS) .