Plyos for Power? 3 Drills for Speed Day

One of my all-time favorite questions from coaches is “why should we do strength? Can we do, like, Plyos?”

It’s not funny because I’m rude (Petty, yes. Mean? TBD.) or because these coaches are wrong.

“Plyos” are what we grew up with in the 80s and 90s for speed and sport training, and - bonus points! - they generally require little-to-no equipment. This makes “Plyos” a cheap, more simple alternative to program than, say, back squats and CMJs, where we need a complete rack and barbell set plus a force plate.

My inner minion chuckles at this question more because we misuse plyometric training so often that we ought to first whip out a dictionary.

You know what I mean. Those 3x15 jump squats? The 5 minutes of jumping rope? The 20-15-10-5 circuits of hurdle jumps, planks, and high knees?

That is not plyometric training in its true form; that’s conditioning.

It’s also worth noting that most non-sport science people (aka normal, healthy people!) often forget that sprinting is also a form of plyometrics; perhaps plyometric training in its most simple, reductionist form.

WHAT’S THE GOAL?

“What do you mean by plyometrics? What is the goal?” is my go-to follow-up to this question. Again, I have never met a coach who meant to use this kind of training wrong, so it is always worth finding out what the point was for him/her, in order to find a more realistic, more applicable solution.

A variety of answers come out.

“Conditioning.”
“HIIT.”
“Strength.”

But rarely is the answers “speed” and “power”; and that’s what plyometrics are.

(And what burpees until the end of time are not.)

If the answer is conditioning, that’s simple. We find out how to condition more efficiently without making power-and-speed exercises into sweaty, sloppy drudgery that robs athletes of their natural elasticity (read: it can make you slower and less explosive when you do explosive, fast stuff slowly and poorly).

If the answer is HIIT, same thing. We find another solution. My solution is usually RSA-style sprint intervals (ex: 6-10 reps x 20-30m, 20-30sec Rest) that work within the energy systems that HIIT training utilizes, namely fast glycolytic that allows high intensity quickly.

If the answer is strength, finding strength-focused alternatives to the plyometrics used is recommendable, as both coach and athlete will know the general movements (instead of squat jump, squat. Plank is fine, or dead bugs. Instead of high knees, lunge with arm swing or holding backpack). Find a way to load the movement into a strength exercise and adjust reps accordingly… like, please use less than 8-10 reps. I beg you.

And strength is a bonus! Improved neuromuscular coordination. Acquiring foundational strength qualities to allow power and velocity training later. Injury reduction. All pros.

PLYOS IN TRAINING

Plyometric training focuses on maximizing the stretch-shortening cycle (SSC); that is, the creation, storage, and generation of elastic energy.

To visualize the SSC in ways we all know and love, think about sprinting (okay… maybe in ways that Julia knows and loves…). In acceleration - from the first step until about the 10m mark - ground contact time is fairly long, because acceleration is strength-based. We generate force against the ground to drive us forward, we absorb it when out other foot touches down on the next stride, and the cycle repeats itself.

Generating (push/drive) leads to extension of the whole body -> Absorbing (landing) requires a “give” in the body. Like a spring.

Think about the heel during the first few steps. The front of the foot likely strikes the ground first, and the mid-foot follows. How quickly does the heel strike the ground and then come back up again? Does it strike at all? Does it stay on the ground for a few milliseconds, leading to longer ground contact time (GCT)?

That is the SSC. The heel follows to (near the) ground and drives right back up, functioning like a spring in the foot and ankle. The stiffer the ankle upon landing - the less time it spends on the ground and the more effectively it can absorb force without giving into it - the better the SSC reaction.

That is what plyometrics highlight, train, and maximize.

As mentioned, plyometrics are not conditioning. They are power movements that we can use to improve speed mechanics and improve power. As Hunter Charneski would say, “weights chase speed”, so they do indeed have the benefit of training strength as well… when performed and programmed correctly and not until death do us part.

Sprinting is itself a plyometric movement. But I still program plyometric work in both speed and strength sessions, whether in a technical warm-up, coupled with a strength movement à la Contrast Training, as reinforcement and elasticity work following speed, or in a priming session. They are variable, when you know how and when to use them!

Thus, I present you with some of my favorite plyometric drills for speed and power, requiring little to no equipment. Have fun.

2+1S.

I love this variation on the vertical jump specifically because of the 2 “pre-load” jumps. The two smaller ankle jumps allow us to create energy for the third (vertical) jump, so don’t try to soar on the first two. Elasticity is king. Bonus points for this if you turn it into a MedBall Granny/Vert Toss or increasing-height hurdle jumps. There are lots of ways to adapt this one, depending on fitness and needs.

(Yeah, that’s me. No, I am not elastic. I’m old! 😉)

HURDLE/ANKLE JUMPS TO SPRINT.

Ankle stiffness and elasticity all the way! This is the SSC in action.

I love this drill because it’s 1) simple, 2) everyone can see noticeable progress as it comes, and 3) we get both jumps and sprints + a transition. The primary focus here is to stay stiff and compact enough to absorb force while relaxed enough to generate it - the best dichotomy ever. Stay upright and let the ankles do their jobs without turning this into a squat jump or an exercise in increasing ground contact time. Beginners can pause between hurdles as they build coordination and resilience, but that eliminates the SSC/elastic qualities.

BOUNDING.

If there is a better plyometric exercise than bounding, I haven’t found it yet. However, it’s third on this list because it requires more from the athlete. I recommend this for intermediate-advanced athletes who can receive immediate feedback, as too much volume, poor form, or too little strength can cause issues with this exercise.

The ability to produce horizontal force is a vital component to sprinting. And this is not jumping. It’s not leaping. Bounding is a category in its own, second in aggressiveness and intensity only to sprinting itself. There is a major focus here on coordination (hello, one-foot landing and arm action!) and on the SSC demonstrated in the lower leg. Bounding can be programmed (by type, intensity, distance, volume, etc.) by goal, whether force absorption, power generation, and elasticity. Get creative, but stay specific.

(No, this isn’t me. This is fast and smoothe.)