JUMP INTO ACTION
Get faster and stronger with this explosive workout
I F fitness were music, then strength training would be the power anthem you rock out to while cleaning your bathroom, and cardio the pop song you set as your alarm. In other words, they’re on regular rotation. Plyometrics, on the other hand… well, it would probably be more like that hit single you loved, then forgot about until it came up on shuffle one day. Here’s why it’s time you made that jam part of your go-to playlist again.
Plyometrics – plyo to its pals – is centred around explosive moves, such as star jumps and burpees. Essentially, the sort of dynamic movements you did during your warm-up at the start of PE class at school. It’ll get your heart pumping, sure, but it’s so much more than just another cardio workout.
Unlike high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or running, plyo plays with different speeds of movement; the end of each exercise is typically faster than the beginning. Take a jump squat: you bend your knees slightly to get ready, pause at the bottom, then push through your legs and glutes to explode up. These three phases – deceleration, stabilisation and acceleration – can make magic happen in your muscles. Here’s how: varying your speed essentially shocks your body into evolving. ‘Constantly changing the stimulus with movements that are explosive and quick makes you stronger on all levels – muscle fibres, tendons, even bones,’ explains Lauren Kanski, a PT at Performix House in New York. And that translates to serious gains. It will help you build speed and power and improve your reaction times – great if you play sports, but regular gym goers can reap the rewards, too. ‘My clients who do plyo often get better results – prolonged endurance and an ability to lift heavier – than people who only strength train or do cardio,’ adds Kanski.
Plyo might also act as a bit of a breather for your body if you’re used to HIIT, because it’s not all about non-stop movement. Rather, the focus is on nailing the proper form during each phase of the exercise, which means longer rest periods between moves.
Don’t just take our word for it: plyo improved jumping, sprinting and lower-body muscle strength for adults who trained with the method for four to 12 weeks, according to a 2019 review of 25 studies from the Scandinavian Journal Of Medicine & Science In Sports. More muscle tone, more power and faster reflexes – now that’s music to our ears.