“The biggest gains from plyometrics often come long before the most extreme exercises” Introduction In episode #437 of the Pacey Performance Podcast, Rob sits down with Håkan Andersson, one of the most respected sprint coaches in Europe, to discuss plyometrics, specificity, Olympic lifting, and the lessons learned from nearly four decades of coaching. Drawing on…
The ability to generate a high amount of force rapidly is a critical determinant of performance in many sports. Plyometric exercises involving rapid ballistic movements are often part of sport performance training to enhance athletes’ force generation capabilities. The countermovement jump (CMJ) is a ballistic exercise that involves performing a rapid squat before pushing off…
Several years of mixed results forced a fresh look at my testing, programming, and training decisions. Pretty much all athletes were getting stronger in the gym, and most were improving their jump heights. But only some improved their speed. That raised a few questions. How can an athlete improving their maximum strength have no impact…
Jump training and plyometric training are well-established methods for improving athletic performance. They allow us to train a range of lower limb strength qualities depending on the type and execution of the exercise. This article presents three exercises that support a well-rounded spectrum of strength quality development: a plyometric training option that targets reactive strength…
“Jump training isn’t just about how high you can get off the ground. It’s about how well you can use the ground beneath you” In episode #492 of the Pacey Performance Podcast, Rob is joined by Matt McInnes Watson, founder of CEO and Founder of Plus Plyo and a global consultant on plyometric training. This…
Six experts on speed and jump development were asked this question by us, and this is what they said. Dan Tobin Head of Strength and Conditioning, England Rugby With all 3 jump variations I’ve selected fast stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) exercises. So much of the gym content athletes complete is contractile dominant and for me, the…
The integration of advanced technology has allowed for detailed analysis of vertical jump performance in athletes, with much of the focus on the standing countermovement jump (CMJ/SVJ). This overlooks the value and importance of the approach vertical jump (AVJ), a movement that is more commonly performed in sports. Vertical jump performance is strongly associated with—and…
Presentation description In this presentation, Boo looks at short term and long term plyometric programming strategies to improve speed and operate in a compatible way with other key speed training agents, exploring the biomechanical and neuromuscular mechanisms that make it such a powerful tool. The presentation will include exercise choices, technical considerations, individualization, and injury…
Daniel Cohen My three favorite force plate countermovement jump (CMJ) metrics not only tell us something about neuromuscular performance, but they also drive at why we do this assessment, how it is performed, and why we get some of the numbers we see. Flight time:Contraction time (FT:CT) My main reason for assessing most athletes using…
Just about any sports practitioner with force plates is doing countermovement jump (CMJ) assessments. The CMJ is a staple of athletic performance programs around the globe because it is a simple and practical way to assess slow stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) efficacy and the strategy someone chooses to express lower body power. Letting athletes self select…
Plyometric training is a key facet of many strength & conditioning programmes. I describe it to athletes as the training modality that will allow them to translate the strength they build in the gym to the playing pitch. Still, plyometrics elicit high neural and musculoskeletal demands, and can be technically demanding, which may impact their…
“True plyometrics give you what the weight room never can, but only when you understand how to earn the right to use them.” In episode #484 of the Pacey Performance Podcast, Rob chats with Eamon Flanagan, Head of Strength and Conditioning at the Sport Ireland Institute. With more than eight years working across Olympic and…
Presentation description At Sportsmith we want to hear from the “doers”, not the “tellers”. And this presentation is certainly delivered by a “doer”. Yoeri Pegel presents his thoughts and practices on jump and plyometric training in team sports. Yoeri starts by taking us through his process of reverse engineering the sports demands – sports demands…
Considering the importance of football goalkeepers, they’ve been somewhat overlooked by the research community. Similarly, despite the essential role that they play, many goalkeepers still find themselves following physical development programs designed for the other, quite different positions. The unique demands of goalkeeping, governed by distinct rules, deserve more attention. Understanding what goalkeepers must do…
In the previous two articles of this series (part 1 and part 2), I put forward some ideas on how you might work back from sporting and positional demands to identify different plyometric and jump training interventions, as well as different plyometric / jump assessment options that can improve athlete performance. As a quick review,…