7 Best Plyometric Exercises for Jump Training

Plyometric training is a high-intensity exercise that focuses on the stretch-shortening cycle to generate power. Plyometric workouts, such as skipping and jumping, feature quick, explosive motions that maximize muscle contractions and increase power production.

Because the idea is to bounce back as rapidly as possible, there is very little contact with the earth. You can increase your jumping ability by training your muscles to contract quickly. This will result in more power.

Plyometric workouts are biologically intriguing because they involve rapidly transitioning muscles from a stretched to a contracted position. Many plyometric exercises, such as depth jumping, enable your leg muscles to undergo an eccentric contraction, which is a type of muscular contraction in which your muscle expands while contracting.

Want to improve your jump training? Try these plyometric exercises

The nicest part about plyometric exercises is that everyone will notice results in a relatively short period of time. Your speed, agility, and power can increase in as little as four weeks in some situations.

You can considerably boost the power in both your upper and lower body by combining plyometric activity with weight training for a longer period. Plyometric workouts can also help you improve your jump height.

Check out this list of the best plyometric exercises:

1) Jump squats

It is one of the great plyometric exercises that is ideal for leg muscle strength, which can help you run faster and jump higher. The quads, hamstrings, calves, and most abdominals are all worked out in this routine.

Here is how to do it:

Begin with your toes pointing ahead, arms outstretched, and back straight, with your legs turning out slightly.
Squat down until your buttocks are just below your knees, then spring off the ground as high as possible via your heels, land softly without allowing your knees to collide, and then descend into the next squat.
That counts as one rep.

2) Burpees

The burpee is the epitome of entire body conditioning. Burpees are one of the best workouts for the core muscles, legs, shoulders, arms, and chest — and if you just have 5 minutes for plyometric exercises, do the burpees.

Here is how to do it:

Take a hip-width stance with your feet, then bow your knees and put your hands on the ground.
Next, leap your feet back into a push-up stance while transferring all of your energy into your hands.
Then, in a low squat position, pull your knees to your chest and press up to jump as far as you can with your hands aloft.
Clap your hands in the air for added difficulty.
Return to the ground as soon as possible to complete the next burpee.

3) Jumping lunge

Jumping lunges stimulate all of your running muscles in the most effective and explosive way, making them one of the most jump-specific workouts available.

Here is how to do it:

Begin in a lunge position, evenly distributing your weight between both legs.
Then, as high as you can, jump straight up into the air, reversing your legs and resting with your feet in the opposite positions, then instantly descend down into a deep lunge.
Land with a proper lunge — knees behind or in line with toes — then use your arms to assist you jump higher.
Alternate sides on each jump for three sets of 12 to 16 reps.

4) Side hops

This is one of the most amazing plyometric exercises that targets all of your lower muscle tissue, including your hamstrings, glutes, calves, and quadriceps – all of which are important for running and most sports.

Here is how to do it:

Begin by balancing on your right foot, slightly bending your right knee and lifting your left foot.
Begin hopping on your right foot as quickly as you can while avoiding contact with the ground. Assume you're jumping over a pile of scorching coals.
Hop in the same spot for 12 counts, then hop side to side for 12 counts, then forward and backwards for another 12 counts.
It completes one set. On each foot, aim for two to three sets.

5) Single leg lateral jumps

This plyometric technique improves balance while simultaneously boosting leg power. This is one of the best plyometric exercises that improves ankle strength and stability.

Here is how to do it:

Simply stand on your right foot, slightly bend your left knee and lift your left foot in the air.
Drop into a half squat and leap diagonally to your left as high as you can, landing in a halfway squat on your left foot.
Rep with a diagonal hop while activating your entire core to your right.
It counts as one rep.

6) Box jumps

Box jumps are one of the best plyometric exercises that increase explosive speed, improve your body's ability to absorb force, and target hamstrings and glutes, which contract the most during running.

Here is how to do it:

Choose a tough jumping box or pile aerobic bars 6 to 14 inches high.
Squat to the ground and jump onto the box at two feet, swinging your arms forward to produce enough velocity.
After that, hop backwards off the box and softly land on the ground with your knees slightly bent.
It counts as one rep.

7) Bleacher hop

This is one of the most fantastic plyometric exercises. This one challenges you at every level. It's also an excellent cardiovascular and endurance workout, similar to a steroidized hill sprint.

Find a series of steps — whether in a local park or at your local high school stadium, arena, or even a house with a large flight of stairs — and hop up them with both feet together as quickly as you can, without stopping, until you reach the summit. Return to the top and repeat the process.