‘Plyos’ great way to burn fat
Plyometrics are explosive exercises designed to produce fast, powerful movements and improve how the nervous system functions.
It’s commonly thought that “plyos” are just for athletes trying to improve their sports performance, but they’re beneficial for everyone, says personal fitness trainer Stacey Hogbin, co-owner of Phat Training.
Plyometrics is the technical term for jumping.
Still, cautions Hogbin, it’s not for fitness newbies, especially if you’re just getting off the couch, or if your joints are bad. “You have to have a strong base — really good body awareness, a strong core, and of course, no injuries,” Hogbin says. “If you have existing injuries, seek medical advice first.”
Once you have a strong base, it’s just a matter of learning to do the exercises properly, and to start slowly, adding a couple of plyos to your current exercise program.
For example, add 20 jumping jacks or a minute of jumping rope to the end of a regular set of exercises,” she suggests.
Go back to your routine adding another set or two of plyometrics. You can also intersperse plyos through a cardio workout, doing 20 jumping jacks or a minute of jumping rope after every 10 minutes of a cardio workout, Hogbin adds.
Over time your body will become accustomed to these simple explosive exercises and you’ll be able to try something more advanced.