Plyometric Training Benefits For Team Sport Players

One of the key areas that team sport players such as basketball, soccer and football players need to improve upon is speed and strength as most team games will use these elements a lot throughout different stages of the game. Speed is how quickly you can move a limb and strength is how much force you produce, for example, a football player throwing a touchdown pass needs to apply speed to the ball but also strength to make sure it travels fast enough. The combination of speed and strength is more commonly referred to as power - therefore plyometric training works to improve a players power both on and off the ball.

The basis of how this type of training works is that the muscle is stronger and can be pushed harder when it contracts concentrically straight after an eccentric contraction.

Concentric - means to shorten the muscle (active contraction)

Eccentric - means to lengthen the muscle (relaxation)

For example, when jumping as you bend your knees to propel yourself in the air your quadriceps (thigh muscles) lengthen (eccentric), as you push off they quickly shorten (concentric) which produces a high amount of power to jump further. This is why people usually say the lower you bend your knees the higher you will jump. It is a bit like a flicking an elastic band, the further you pull it back and stretch it the more power it produces when it shortens.

Types of Plyometric Activities

There is so much variety in the world of plyometric's that any personal trainer or sports coach can develop activities that fit under the heading of plyometric training. But below are some common examples you might want to include in your training.

Bounding - This is the simplest of methods which involves a set number of two footed jumps forward in a straight line. You may set a 10 - 20m distance and ask the perform to bound from one end to the other. You can set the task to complete the distance in as little amount of bounds as possible.

Box Jumps -This is a very common method and involves setting up a number of boxes in a linear fashion. For example, 5 boxes in a row with only 1-2m between each. The idea is the player must two footed jump onto the box and back down and then onto the next.

See Also: Could Squats Really Be A Low Back Exercise?

If working with beginners keep the boxes quite low and the same height, but as the player advances you can vary the box heights throughout the line to increase the training effect.

Side Bench Thrusts - This is an age old favourite of mine which my players always hated! Using a standard bench the players line up at one end. They must place both hands on the bench in front of them and jump over the bench side to side. After each jump they shift their hands slightly further up and repeat until they have gone the distance  - you can also get them to come back again. This helps with strength in the upper body as well.

Why Is Plyometric So Good For Team Players?

The simple answer is because all team sports players need to be able exert maximum strength and speed (power) at different intervals of the game and the best way to train to improve power is to complete actions that they will actually do during a game. Box jumps, for example, are perfect for a basketball player because this will improve an abundance of elements - strength, agility, speed, power and all of these will increase the height of the jump.

A review of evidence by Johnson BA in 2011 saw "Preliminary evidence suggests plyometric training also had a large effect on increasing kicking distance, balance, and agility. The current evidence suggests that a twice a week program for 8-10 weeks beginning at 50-60 jumps a session and increasing exercise load weekly results in the largest changes in running and jumping performance" Quoted directly from the study (see sources).

This was determined by looking at a range of studies on plyometrics across different age ranges and genders to get the best evidence possible. However, plyometric training is very intense and must only be completed with supervision from a trained coach because the force you apply through the muscle when jumping is so high that it can easily causes tears and muscle injuries. 

Sample Plyometric Session

This is a sample of a plyometric circuit session you could complete with any team sport player or group to improve their power. Each station needs to be completed for 45 seconds at maximum effort and with 2 minutes rest between exercises:

Box Jumps - Single box jumps two footed on and off the box - complete as many as possible in allotted time

Squat Thrusts - Starting in the push up position bring the knees into the chest and back out to full stretch as many times as possible and as quickly as possibly

Side Jumps - Lay a jump rope in a line on the floor facing away from the player - player must two footed jump either side of the line the full distance and back again

Jump Squats - Complete a full squat but on raising up the player must jump as high as possible and then squat again.

Broad Jumps - Set 2 cones out about 2m apart, player must two footed jump forward to the opposite cone and then jump backwards to the start cone

One Legged Squat - rest one foot raised behind on a low bench and complete a squat on one leg - complete ten then swap legs continue to swap through the duration.