Plyometric Training
I recently wrote a post about the varying jump heights we see in the game of volleyball. I took a (very) deep dive in to some of our jump data from our location positioning system (LPS) and, long story short, the game is not played as high as one may think. This data changed the way I thought about how I should be implementing plyometric training with my volleyball players. I won’t go too much in to detail in regards to how the jump heights vary. You can find that data breakdown here. Instead, I want to talk about how I currently use plyometric training to 1) improve conditioning, 2) prevent injury and work capacity and 3) improve performance.
Improve Conditioning and Work Capacity
Improving conditioning and work capacity through jump training requires working at a high density. More jumps in less time = high density. The underlying physiological change is that, but utilizing jump conditioning, we can improve the aerobic ability of the fast twitch muscle fibers. End result: high power output for a longer period of time. Pretty important quality for a volleyball player.
Now, jumping is a pretty high stimulus and requires a big output from the muscular system. The caveat is that, in order to use plyos as a conditioning method, we have to be diligent with programming jump intensity. While high intensity jumping (maximizing jump height) is extremely beneficial for developing power (see ‘Improve Performance’ section below) it comes with the added stress of high landing forces which can be tough on the joints and tissue in the lower leg, knee, hips and back. Thus, in order for plyometric to be a conditioning method, we need to reduce intensity, increase volume and reduce time (ie. density!).
Quick, repeated jumps, bounds and pogos are good to get in the mix here. Think minimal ground contact time. In order to escape monotony, I like to utilize 4-5 different exercises and set up as a circuit. Perform 8-12 reps of an exercise, rest 10s, then on to the next exercise. After all of my exercises are complete, rest for 1 min, then go again. Each ‘circuit’ lasts 3-5ish minutes. Though, early in a training block a circuit may only last 1-3 minutes. 2-4 circuits and boom, conditioned.
Prevent Injury
If I had to make a guess, I would venture to say that plyo work is not generally thought of as a common prehab method. I will admit that I used to view plyo work as a necessary stimulus for strength and power but never really thought of it as a mechanism to actually prevent injury. Having a high volume of low intensity jumps trains the tissue to become better equipped at handling jump load. As I mentioned earlier, volleyball is played at such varying jump heights. However, one thing is for certain, the game is played with jumping - and a lot of it! Again, pop over and check out my article where I go in to detail on the variability of jump heights. Using a low intensity, high volume approach exposes the tissue to a stimulus without placing forces upon it that will ‘break’ the system. As with other strength and prehab measures, we slowly fold in more and more volume, thus making the tissue more robust and able to handle more load placed upon it.
Improve Performance
This is (hopefully) the most obvious benefit of plyometric training. The research showing the jump training is important to improve strength and power is ample. Similarly to training a specific skill or technique to improve the ability of said skill, the same goes for jumping. Jumping requires a high amount of coordination and timing. Simply practicing jumping helps lead to better jumping. The goal of a plyometric program should be to achieve a combination of improved jump coordination and skill and improved strength and power. Theoretically, if this plyo program is paired with a strength program designed to help achieve these same goals, the result is an athlete who should be jumping higher more consistently. Now, finding the seams or being able to turn that ball down the line? That may be a different story.
Conclusion
To summarize: I aim to make my plyometric program as comprehensive as possible in order to gain the maximize the benefits. To me, it is about staying healthy, getting fit and, of course, jumping high.
