EXPLOSIVE PLYOMETRICS

Presents

THE ELITE
WORKOUT
UPGRADE TO
DEVELOP
MORE POWER
AND AGILITY
GET FASTER
IN EVERY DIRECTION
ADD INCHES TO YOUR
VERTICAL JUMP

FROM THE HIGH PERFORMANCE TEAM AT

1 STACK.COM/PLYO-PLAN
 The elite workout upgrade to develop
more power and agility, get faster in every
direction, and add inches to your vertical jump.

CREATED BY STACK’S HIGH PERFORMANCE TEAM

2 STACK.COM/PLYO-PLAN
 DISCLAIMER
Warning: Serious injury may result from using or acting upon the information contained in
EXPLOSIVE PLYOMETRICS. Please consult your physician about your individual fitness condition
before beginning any workout, fitness program, nutrition plan or supplementation. Failure to
follow instructions and properly prepare your body (warm-up) prior to activity can increase the
likelihood of serious injury. Adult supervision is recommended. STACK does not warrant, represent
or guarantee that the information provided within is accurate, reliable, current, scientifically based
or tested. Any use of or reliance on the information provided through EXPLOSIVE PLYOMETRICS is
solely your responsibility and at your own risk.

RIGHTS
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or
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tion storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of STACK Media, Inc.

STACK®, For The Athlete, By the Athlete®, and MySTACK™ are trademarks of STACK Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2015 STACK Media, Inc. Reproduction in whole or in part with-
out the permission of STACK Media, Inc. is prohibited.

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EXPLOSIVE PLYOMETRICS

The Truth About Plyometrics 5

Does anybody even know what plyometrics are anymore? 6
What is the stretch-shortening cycle, and why should I care? 6
Phase 1: Lengthen 7
Phase 2: Load 7
Phase 3: Fire 7
The stretch-shortening cycle in action 8
The roots of plyometrics 9

8 Things You’ve Always Wanted To Know About Plyometrics 10

Are plyometrics dangerous? 11
How many plyometrics are too many? 12
Do I need to be a certain age or reach a certain
fitness level before I can start plyometrics? 12
What should I wear during a plyo workout? 13
How about footwear? 13
What equipment do I need to perform plyos? 13
Should I jump off the box to get down during box jumps? 14
When in my workout should I do plyometrics? 14
How often should I perform plyometrics? 14
Jump smart: The intensity of various plyometric exercises 15
Plyometrics ranked from least to most intense 15

3 Skills You Must Master Before You Start Plyometrics 16

So you think you’re ready for liftoff? 17
Step 1: How to land 18
Quiet Down 18
Step 2: How to jump 19
Step 2: How to jump 20
What size box should I use? 21
Step 3: How to jump, land and jump again- the right way 22

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EXPLOSIVE PLYOMETRICS

How To Jump Higher and Farther Today! 23

Pump up your jumps 24
The vertical jump 24
1. The set-up 25
2. The upswing 26
3. The downsizing 27
4. The explosion 28
5. The touch 29
6. The landing 30
Stretched hips equal bigger hops 31
The broad jump 33
1. The set-up 34
2. The upswing 35
3. The downswing 36
4. The explosion 37
5. Hang time 38
6. The transition 39
7. The landing 40

26 Plyometric Exercises To build Speed, Power and Strength 41

6-Week Plyometric Workout For Strength, Speed and Power 55

How will explosive plyometrics help me get more powerful? 56
How to use this plan 57
You’re training for power, not conditioning 57
Be strict about technique 58
Equipment 58
Track your progress 58
Week 1 59
Week 2 60
Week 3 61
Week 4 62
Week 5 63
Week 6

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EXPLOSIVE PLYOMETRICS

Presents

EXPLOSIVE PLYOMETRICS

THE
TRUTH
ABOUT
PLYOMETRICS
EXPLOSIVE PLYOMETRICS

DOES ANYBODY EVEN KNOW WHAT

PLYOMETRICS ARE ANYMORE?
Based on the way people are using plyo exercises today, it’s hard to tell.

Take a move like the Box Jump. It’s definitely plyometric—when it’s performed correctly.

The problem is, lately everyone seems to be doing them wrong.

Here’s what plyometrics are not: They’re not cardio. They’re not supposed to be performed in
a fast-paced circuit that repeatedly works the same muscles. They’re definitely not Burpees. And
they’re not moves you should do over and over until you’re winded and panting, just because
some exercise video told you so.

(Not that we’re naming names, P90X. Ok, we are.)

Here’s what plyometrics are: They are the fastest way to turn the strength you build in the weight
room into speed and explosiveness on the field. They teach your muscles to exert maximum force
in minimum time. And they do this by training a function of your muscles you’ve probably never
heard of, which has a huge impact on your performance. It’s called the stretch-shortening cycle.

WHAT IS THE STRETCH-SHORTENING CYCLE,

AND WHY SHOULD I CARE?
The stretch-shortening cycle, or SSC, is what happens in your muscles when you change
directions in a hurry. It’s basically a three-step process in which your muscles slow down
your body’s momentum, hold on to the energy that results from landing for a tiny frac-
tion of a second, and convert that energy into forceful movement.

Exercise physiologists call these three phases “eccentric,” “amortization” and “concentric,” but
we’ll call them lengthen, load and fire.

Of the three, it’s the middle one—load—that makes a plyometric a plyometric. But more on that in
a second.

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Here’s specifically what goes on in your muscles during each phase:

Phase 1: Lengthen

During the lengthening phase, your muscles do exactly that—they get longer to slow your
body down.

They do this whenever you need to absorb impact, such as when your feet hit the ground
after a jump. Your muscles, such as your glutes, quads and hamstrings, stretch and create
tension until your body is no longer moving. Just like a stretched rubber band, your muscles
now contain elastic energy. On to Phase 2.

Phase 2: Load

Load is the shortest—but most important—of the three phases.

How short? Ideally, you execute the load in 15 to 20 milliseconds.

If it takes longer than 25 milliseconds—1/40th of a second—you lose the stored energy. It

dissipates from your body as heat. But if you move through this phase quickly, your body
takes that energy and channels it into your next movement. To the untrained eye, it happens
so fast it looks like nothing happened. But what really occured is that your body loaded up
on energy, which you then unleash in Phase 3.

Phase 3: Fire

In this final phase, your muscles contract quickly and forcefully to produce a powerful move-
ment, like a jump.

Can your muscles do this without going through the stretch-shortening cycle? Yes. But the SSC
provides them with an extra boost—the elastic energy you create in Phase 1 and store in Phase
2. The resulting move is not just a product of your strength. It’s your strength plus physics.

To see what a difference this makes, tap your index finger against a table as hard as you
can. Notice the sound. Now use your opposite hand to pull the same finger back and
and let is snap against the table. The second instance will be a lot louder because the
elastic energy created when you pulled your finger back allowed you to generate greater
downward force.

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If that sounds like hocus pocus, ask yourself this: When you watch elite athletes like NFL or NBA
prospects being tested for their vertical jump, what do they do?

Do they just stand on two feet and try and jump upward? No. They bend their knees, lower their
hips, and launch themselves into the air. They lengthen the muscles in their legs, load up on elastic
energy, and fire themselves into the sky.

How do you teach your body to take that elastic energy and put it to use? How do your muscles
learn to move through the SSC efficiently enough that you can use the energy it creates to your
advantage?

The answer to those questions came from, of all places, Soviet-era Russia.

THE STRETCH-SHORTENING CYCLE IN ACTION

Here is how the SSC works when you land from a jump and immediately jump again.

STARTING POSITION LENGTHEN LOAD FIRE

(“Eccentric Phase”) (“Amortization Phase”) (“Concentric Phase”)
Athlete beginning landing Athlete at bottom of landing Athlete exploding up

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THE ROOTS OF PLYOMETRICS

During the 1972 Olympic games, Soviet sprinter Valeriy Borzov took Gold in both the 100- and
200-meter sprints in a dramatic upset over the American sprinting team. After the race, Borzov
credited a technique that only the Russians were using at the time, called “Shock Method.” Ameri-
can distance running coach Fred Wilt, an inquisitive mind who had once worked for the FBI, took
interest.

Shock Method dated back to the late 1950s, when Russian scientist Dr. Yuri Verkhoshansky asked
a squad of track and field athletes to experiment with Depth Jumps—stepping off a box and then
jumping immediately.

Depth Jumps challenge the SSC in such a way that the body must absorb impact and then quickly
transition into a max effort jump. Over time, performing the move reduces the time your muscles
need to absorb the impact and channel it into force.

The unorthodox technique produced results. Nearly all of the athletes experienced notable im-
provements in their performance. By 1964, one of Verkhoshansky’s athletes, Boris Zubov, had
set new European and Soviet records in sprint events, and Verkhoshansky was invited to join the
coaching staff of the Russian national track and field team.

The idea behind Verkhoshansky’s method was that the kinetic energy created by a fall could be
used to increase the strength of an athlete’s explosive movement. He spent the rest of his life re-
searching and developing what he called “Shock Method.” When he wrote about the technique in
1975, Fred Wilt renamed the protocol “plyometrics.”

Starting from those simple Depth Jumps, Verkhoshansky found that his method of challenging and
improving the SSC could be applied in a variety of other ways. For example, Skater Jumps could
be used to challenge the SSC during side-to-side movement, helping to improve agility over time.

More recent plyometric exercises isolate specific aspects of the SSC. For example, a Depth Drop—
in which you step off a box and land on the ground on your feet—trains the Lengthening (“eccen-
tric”) phase alone. It’s a helpful starting point for developing more complex movements.

In EXPLOSIVE PLYOMETRICS, we give you everything you need to know about plyometric training
and how you can use it to increase your explosiveness. You’ll learn the right ways to integrate ply-
os into your workouts and find out how to avoid common mistakes that ruin this style of training.

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EXPLOSIVE PLYOMETRICS

Presents

EXPLOSIVE PLYOMETRICS

8 THINGS
YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED
TO KNOW ABOUT

PLYOMETRICS
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Plyometrics are a potent and effective way for athletes to develop strength, speed and
power. But like any training technique, there is a right way and a wrong way to apply it.
A little knowledge goes a long way. Before you jump into the training program, set your-
self up for success by knowing the answers to these frequently asked questions.

1. ARE PLYOMETRICS DANGEROUS?

It depends.

Plyo takeoffs and landings place significant stress on your muscles, joints and connective tissues.
But that’s not inherently bad. In fact, it’s what builds strength. All workouts involve stress, because
they cause microtears in your muscles. When your body repairs them, your muscles get bigger
and stronger.

The trick with plyos—as with all workouts—is to perform the moves with proper form and not over-
do it, so that the stress is productive (rather than destructive).

The first way to ensure that your plyos produce results (not damage) is to learn the proper way to
jump—and to land after jumping. That’s why we go deep on jumping and landing form in 3 Skills
You Must Master Before You Start Plyometrics, another component of EXPLOSIVE PLYOMETRICS.
Give them a read, and practice the techniques outlined there if you haven’t mastered them al-
ready.

The second big thing with plyos is to avoid performing too many too often. Athletes love to get a
leg up on their competition by putting in extra work, but this is an area where more is not neces-
sarily better.

A 2008 study found that athletes who

performed 420 plyometric reps per week
experienced greater improvements in
speed and explosiveness than those who
did 1,680 reps.
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2. HOW MANY PLYOMETRICS ARE TOO

MANY?
Again, the answer is “it depends.” (Sorry, we’re not trying to be coy here.)

Plyos are measured in “touches” (basically another word for reps, or the number of times your feet
contact the ground). The total number of touches an athlete should get during a workout depends
on several factors, including his or her size (height and weight) and training level (experienced or
newbie). Generally speaking, a heavier athlete should get fewer touches (perform fewer reps) than
a light athlete, and a veteran athlete can handle more touches than a beginner.

Your size also affects the type of plyo moves you should do. For example, heavier athletes should
take special precautions when doing Depth Jumps. Athletes under 220 pounds can use a box
about 30 inches tall, whereas those who weigh more than 220 pounds should use a shorter box.

Start with a box that comes up to your knees in height, or below. When you feel comfortable land-
ing softly using that box, progress to a taller one.

In this plan, a typical workout involves between 75 and 150 touches, a range that should be safe
for nearly all athletes. It bears repeating that doing more isn’t necessarily better. In fact, a 2008
study found that athletes who performed a low or moderate volume of plyometrics per week expe-
rienced greater improvements in speed and explosiveness than those who did a high volume.

3. DO I NEED TO BE A CERTAIN AGE OR

REACH A CERTAIN FITNESS LEVEL BEFORE I
CAN START PLYOMETRICS?
Most athletes aged 12 and older can safely perform basic plyometric moves. At that age, jump-
ing in place (but not to your max height) or onto a low box would be good places to start, since
the exercises are lower in impact and help reinforce the proper way to take off and land.

As you become comfortable with those movements, you can gradually move on to more advanced
(and more intense) plyometric exercises, such as Skater Jumps and Broad Jumps. To understand
how plyometric exercises progress in intensity, check out the “Jump Smart” sidebar on the last
page of this section.

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4. WHAT SHOULD I WEAR DURING A PLYO

WORKOUT?
Normal workout clothes are fine for plyos. As long as your outfit is comfortable and non-restric-
tive, it should work well.

5. HOW ABOUT FOOTWEAR?

Cross-training shoes are ideal. They are typically cushioned enough to allow you to jump and
land without pain, but not so thick that you can’t feel the ground beneath your feet.

Opt for low-top shoes. One of the main benefits of plyos is that they help develop ankle stability
and mobility.

Avoid wearing cleats when you do plyos, even if you perform them on a turf or grass field. Cleats
are designed to grip the ground, and plyometrics are all about getting off the ground as fast as
possible.

Some coaches recommend performing plyometrics barefooted, but in our view the risks outweigh
the rewards. Going barefoot increases the amount of stress placed on your feet and joints because
there’s no cushion to absorb the pounding. Your chances of suffering a soft tissue or skin injury are
far greater. When you perform plyos without shoes, even a small mistake could be catastrophic.
For example, when performing a Box Jump, if you accidently catch your toe on the side of the box,
you could wind up with a broken toe. It’s not worth it.

6. WHAT EQUIPMENT DO I NEED TO PER-

FORM PLYOS?
One great thing about plyometrics is that many exercises can be done with no equipment. All
you need are your body and space in which to move around. Some exercises require boxes, cones
or hurdles, but in these cases you can improvise. For example, if you don’t have cones, you can
use plastic cups or water bottles. When substituting for boxes, you need to be a bit more careful.
You could jump up a set of stairs, but we recommend using something with a non-slip surface.

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SHOULD I JUMP OFF THE BOX

TO GET DOWN DURING BOX JUMPS?
No. You should not jump down from a box unless you are doing an exercise that explicitly
calls for it, such as Depth Jumps.

When performing Box Jumps, you should jump onto the box, land correctly, and then step off
the box in a controlled manner. Jumping off the box adds unnecessary stress to the exercise.

Some people jump up onto and down off a box for conditioning effect, but this defeats the
purpose of the move in plyometrics. Your goal in a plyometrics program is to be fast and
explosive. Leave your conditioning efforts to activities that create less stress on your joints—
and ideally that are more applicable to your sport.

7. WHEN IN MY WORKOUT SHOULD I DO

PLYOMETRICS?
This one is easy. Perform plyos after your warm-up but before your heavy lifting or sprint work.
You should be stretched and ready for explosive movements but still feel fresh. In short, warm up,
do plyos, then lift or do speed drills.

8. HOW OFTEN SHOULD I PERFORM

PLYOMETRICS?
Do not perform plyometrics on consecutive days. A recovery period of between 48 and 72 hours
(two or three days) is recommended. That means you should do no more than two to four plyo
workouts per week. In this plan, we split the difference and prescribe three bouts per week.

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JUMP SMART: THE INTENSITY

OF VARIOUS PLYOMETRIC EXERCISES
Plyometric exercises vary widely in intensity—the amount of stress they place on your mus-
cles, joints and tissues. More intense moves should be undertaken with greater care.

Here are a few guidelines to keep in mind regarding the intensity of different plyometric
exercises:

Any single-leg plyo exercise is more intense than the same move done on two legs, since
all of the force from the jump or move will come on one limb.
The height of the jump predicts the amount of stress an exercise places on your body.
Higher heights generally mean greater intensity.
Swinging your arms overhead results in greater jump height and, therefore, more intensity.
Jumping in place puts the greatest amount of pressure on your knees.

Plyometrics ranked from least to most intense:

HIGH Repeat Single-Leg Jumps

Repeat Jumps

Depth Jumps from heights similar to your vertical jump height

Tuck and Pike Jumps

Maximum jump and reach with overhead goals

Maximum jump and reach without overhead goals

Low box and Depth Jumps

Slightly higher sub-maximal Jumps in place (e.g., Tall Cone Hops)

LOW Sub-maximal Jumps in place (e.g., Ankle Hops, Split Squat Jumps, Short Cone Hops)

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EXPLOSIVE PLYOMETRICS
Presents

EXPLOSIVE PLYOMETRICS

3 SKILLS
YOU MUST MASTER
BEFORE YOU START
PLYOMETRICS
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EXPLOSIVE PLYOMETRICS

SO YOU THINK YOU’RE READY FOR LIFTOFF?

Before you launch headfirst into the training in EXPLOSIVE PLYOMETRICS—or any plyo
workout—you must master three skills: landing properly, jumping properly and jumping,
landing and jumping again properly in quick succession. You need to have these down
cold and know that you’re nailing them every time.

I should know how to land? You may be scoffing right now. OF COURSE I know how to land.
What idiot doesn’t?

Believe it or not, plenty of people don’t. Want proof? Step into any gym and listen to the guy go-
ing boom! atop an 18-inch box. Or watch the kid whose knees collapse inward when he hits the
ground after a jump. These form fails are not just loud and unsightly, they’re dangerous because
they place unneccesary stress on your bones and joints. Here’s how to make sure you don’t put
yourself at risk.

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STEP 1: HOW TO LAND

LANDING POSITION
Tighten your core muscles.

Keep your
Both your knees and
chest and head up.
ankles bend as you sit
your hips back.

Your knees are in line with your

hips and ankles so they’re not
caving in, and behind your toes.

Your feet are hip-width apart, and

your forefeet strike the ground first.

An easy way to practice your landing

technique is to perform Depth Drops. In QUIET DOWN
this move, you simply step off a knee-high Arguably, the most important plyometric tip
box and land, making sure you nail all five you will ever learn is “every landing should
points every time you hit the ground. be as quiet as possible.” A quiet landing
means you’re using proper technique and
You’ll know you’re doing it right when limiting the impact on your joints. Consistently
you feel little or no shock upon landing. It landing softly allows you to get more benefits
should be gentle and quiet. Do five drops, from a plyometric program with less wear and
trying to soften and quiet your landing tear on your body.
more with each one.
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STEP 2: HOW TO JUMP

JUMP: STARTING POSITION

Keep your chest and

Tighten your core head up, and your eyes
muscles. on the target.

Your knees are in line with your hips and

ankles, and behind your toes.
Both your knees
and ankles bend as
you drop your hips
down and back.

Your feet are hip-width apart.

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STEP 2: HOW TO JUMP

JUMP: LIFTOFF

Keep your eyes

focused on your
landing target.

Swing your arms

forward.

Extend forcefully at the

hips, knees and ankles.

To practice your jumping technique, perform Box Jumps using a knee-high box. Stand a foot
away from the box and follow the above form tips as you jump on top of the box. Land on both
feet as gently as possible. Do five reps, trying to soften more on every landing. Between reps, step
down from the box. Do not jump down from the box, but rather step back down.
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WHAT SIZE BOX SHOULD I USE?

Taller is not always better. It may
look cool to leap on top of some-
thing that comes up to your chest,
but using a box that’s too tall too
soon is a way to get yourself hurt.
And it’s not even beneficial from a
training standpoint.

In a proper Box Jump, your hips

and knees bend about the same
amount when you land as they do
when you start your jump. If you
have to tuck your knees to your
chest to make a jump, your box is
too high—and frankly, it’s not safe.

For Box Jumps, Depth Drops and

Depth Jumps, start with a
box the same height as
your knees. As you move
through the program, progress to
taller boxes to keep the exercises
challenging.

For Depth Drops and Depth Jumps,

use a box that allows you to land
softly relative to your ability. You
need to judge what feels right.
It’s better to increase the difficulty
gradually than to try and make big
leaps and wind up with achy knees
or ankles.

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STEP 3: HOW TO JUMP, LAND AND JUMP

AGAIN—THE RIGHT WAY
In Step 3, you put it all together. It’s more difficult to maintain proper technique on repeat jumps,
because you need to be mindful of landing softly and taking off quickly simultaneously. But don’t
worry. If you’ve taken time to practice Steps 1 and 2, this final step will come naturally.

REPEAT JUMPS
Jump as high as possible.
Immediately explode up into
your next jump.
Land as softly as possible,
with your forefeet striking the
ground first.

To practice your Repeat Jump technique, perform Four Jumps with Time Focus. From a standing
position, jump up four times as quickly as you can. Spend as little time on the ground as possible.
The speed of your jumps is more important than the height you reach.

When you’re confident that you’ve mastered all three steps, and combined them into an efficient,
powerful machine capable of landing softly on every jump, you’re ready to make your way to the
launch pad.
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EXPLOSIVE PLYOMETRICS

Presents

EXPLOSIVE PLYOMETRICS

HOW TO
JUMP HIGHER
AND FARTHER
TODAY!
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PUMP UP YOUR JUMPS

The Vertical Jump and the Broad Jump are both effective ways to measure your
athleticism. Few other moves are better indicators of how much power you can produce.
And for an athlete, power translates to faster acceleration, quicker cuts, and, in contact
sports, harder hits.

That’s not just our opinion. Look any Pro Scouting Combine and you’ll see one or both of these
moves on the testing program.

The NBA Draft Combine tests athletes on their vertical jump for obvious reasons. What team
doesn’t want players who can play above the rim?

The NFL tests each prospect’s vert and broad jump. Typically, athletes who perform well in jumps
will be at the front of their position groups during the all-important sprints.

In EXPLOSIVE PLYOMETRICS, we use the Vertical Jump and Broad Jump as our measuring sticks.
Before you begin your training, test them both and record your numbers. That will provide your
baseline. After you follow the workouts in this plan, we’re confident you’ll jump higher and longer.

But why wait? In this section, you’ll find tips to hack the Vertical Jump and Broad Jump and add
inches to your totals. Your improvements will pale in comparison to the difference you notice after
six weeks of busting your butt in this program, but with the quick tutorials you’ll find in this section,
you can start jumping higher and farther right away.

THE VERTICAL JUMP

If you have access to a vertical jump tester (one of those tall poles with slats marking every half
inch of height), you can test your vert pretty easily.

If not, simply stand next to a wall, and with your feet flat on the ground, reach as high as you
can with your hand. Mark the spot at the end of your fingertips. Then jump and tap the wall,
using chalk dust or a piece of tape on your fingers to mark your reach. Measure both marks and
subtract the shorter one from the taller one. The difference between them is the height of your vert.

The Vertical Jump looks simple, but technique makes a big difference. The movement can be
broken down into six phases.

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1. The Set-Up

Stand with a
wall next to your
dominant side

Your inside hand should touch the

wall when you reach straight up Position your feet shoulder-
width apart (they can
be wider or narrower
depending on what works
best for you)

If you were using a vertical jump tester like the ones used at the NFL Combine, you would want to
place your toes even with the bottom crossbar and stand so that you could reach straight up with
your inside hand and touch the outside part of the slats. If you were testing against a wall (shown
above), stand as close to the wall as you can without striking it during the jump.
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2. The Upswing

Swing your arms up over

your head with your palms
facing forward

Stay balanced

Simultaneously rise
up onto your toes as
high as you can

The Upswing helps you generate momentum before your Vertical Jump by creating greater
distance for the downswing.
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3. The Downswing

Keep your back straight and your eyes on

the ground in front of you

Bend at the waist so Open your hands

your chest faces the
ground

Assume a quarter-squat
position with your knees bent

Your heels should be

touching the ground

The Downswing is the second action that helps you generate momentum before your Vertical
Jump. It should be fast, since a fast downswing helps you generate more momentum.
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4. The Explosion

Focus your eyes on

Throw your your inside hand
arms forcefully
up as you jump

Cock your hips so that the hip

on the side of your inside hand Explosively extend your
moves higher hips, knees and ankles
and push off the balls
of your feet to explode
straight up

After you’ve built up momentum and are ready to jump, you enter the explosion phase.
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5. The Touch

At the apex of your

leap, reach as high
as you can with your
inside hand and tap
the walls (or slats).
Don’t slap down or
Keep your eyes swipe your hand, since
locked on your that will reduce your
inside hand height. Just tap it.

Register the height of your reach by touching the wall (or the slats) with your inside hand.
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6. The Landing

Bend at your waist

with your chest over
your toes

Land softly with bent knees

Land as softly as possible after the jump.

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STRETCHED HIPS EQUAL BIGGER HOPS

When you jump, your hips obviously play a big role in propelling you up off the ground.
Thus, hip flexibility offers you a sneaky advantage once you’re airborne. One trick for add-
ing a couple of inches to your Vert is to stretch your hips and lats beforehand.

By shifting your hip and shoulder up on the side nearest the target, you can reach higher with
your hand on that side. To see what we mean, stand up and reach your right arm overhead
with your fingers extended. Notice where your hand is (image 1). Now push up with your
right foot, hike your hip up and reach through your shoulder on that side. Your hand should
be a few inches above your previous mark (image 2).

IMAGE 1 IMAGE 2

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This phenomenon also applies during a jump. If you hike up your hip on the same side
as your reaching hand, you’ll record more vertical distance with your jump.

Cocking your hips and reaching your arm in this manner is a lot easier when they’re
warmed up and flexible. We recommend performing Bodyweight Squats, Reverse Lung-
es with Reach, Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretches and Cross-Body Lat Stretches before your
test.

BODYWEIGHT SQUATS KNEELING HIP FLEXOR STRETCH

REVERSE LUNGE WITH REACH CROSS-BODY LAT STRETCH

One last tip: A strange-but-true fact is that most athletes don’t record their best jump score
until their third attempt. But in most testing situations, you only get two tries. That means you
don’t want to go up cold. Perform a jump or two before it’s your turn to be tested, so you’ll
be ready to hit your highest mark after takeoff.

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THE BROAD JUMP

As with the Vertical Jump, there’s a simple way to measure your Broad Jump performance. All
you need is a measuring tape and two pieces of solid-colored tape.

First, put a large piece of solid-colored tape on the turf or a rubber surface. That’s your start
marker. Run a measuring tape perpendicular to it, so that the “0” lines up with the base of the
tape. Place another piece of solid tape over the start of the measuring tape to secure it to the
ground. Then walk the tape out slightly farther than you think you can jump (10 feet should be a
good starting point). If you want, you can place a large strip of tape at every foot marker, which
gives you points to aim at.

The Broad Jump can be broken down into seven phases.

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1. The Set-Up

Focus your eyes

straight ahead

Keep your back straight

Position your feet shoulder-

width apart (they can be wider
or narrower depending on Point your toes straight ahead
what works best for you)

The set-up refers to how you align yourself to get ready for the Broad Jump.
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2. The Upswing

At the top of the swing,

your palms should be
facing forward

Swing your arms

above your head

Extend your hips

Rise onto the balls of your feet

The Upswing is how you begin generating momentum for your Broad Jump.
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3. The Downswing

Open your hands

Bend at the waist so your

chest faces the ground

Keep your back

straight and your
eyes on ground in
front of you

Quickly and forcefully swing your arms

back behind you and fully extend them

Assume a quarter-
squat position with your
knees bent
Your heels should
be touching the
ground

The Downswing is the second part of generating momentum for your Broad Jump. It should be
quick, since a fast downswing is best for creating momentum.
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4. The Explosion

Focus your eyes

slightly slightly
past your
expected jump
distance

Explosively extend Throw your arms

your hips forward forward as forcefully
as you can

Explode forward out of

the downswing

Drive off the ground,

pushing off your toes

Propel yourself forward by swinging your arms and pushing off the ground forcefully.

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5. Hang Time

Keep your arms above your

head and your eyes locked on
your target

Keep your hips extended and

your feet behind you

During the first phase of your jump, you’ll be on an upward trajectory.

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6. The Transition

Continue looking slightly past

your aiming point

Bring your arms down

as your feet come
forward

Bring your knees

toward your chest
and throw your feet
forward

As you feel yourself transitioning from upward to downward, move your feet out in front of you.
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7. The Landing

Stick the landing and hold

Bend at the waist with
that spot until the distance
your chest over your
can be measured
toes

A deep knee-bend will

help you soften your
landing
Land flatfooted with your
weight slightly forward

Sticking the landing is absolutely crucial to the Broad Jump. The rules dictate that if you fall
backwards, your point of contact is where you’ll be measured. Keeping your weight forward when
you land can help you stick the jump.

ROCK FOR A ROCKET-POWERED JUMP

Here’s a simple trick that can help you increase your Broad Jump: rock before you launch.
When it’s your turn to jump, don’t just upswing-downswing-jump. Instead, repeat the up-
swing-to-downswing motion two or three times, then jump. The extra rocking and stretching
motion helps you generate elastic energy, which your muscles can use to help you jump farther.
Experiment with the technique to find the pace and number of pre-jump rocks that work best
for you.

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Presents

EXPLOSIVE PLYOMETRICS

26 PLYOMETRIC
EXERCISES
TO BUILD
SPEED, POWER
AND STRENGTH
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1 BOUNDING
Stand with your feet
hip-width apart.
Drive off your right
leg by powerfully
extending your hip,
knee and ankle to
bound forward.
Swing your arms
to create forward
momentum.
Land softly on your
left foot.
Immediately repeat
with your left leg,
spending as little time
on the ground as
possible.

2 BOX BLAST
Stand with your
right foot on a knee-
high box.
Drive off your right
leg to jump up as high
as possible. Bring your
left knee up to hip
level and drive your
right arm up.
Land softly with
your right foot on the
box and left foot on
the ground.

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3 BOX JUMP
With your feet hip-
width apart, stand 12
inches behind a plyo
box.
Lower into a
quarter-squat and
immediately explode
up as high as possible.
Land softly with
your feet on the box.

4 BROAD JUMP
Stand with your feet
shoulder-width apart.
Lower into a quarter-
squat and immediately
drive off the ground while
simultaneously throwing
your arms forward to
jump as far as possible.
Land softly with bent
knees and immediately
jump again, spending as
little time on the ground
as possible.

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5 DEPTH DROP
Stand with both feet
on a plyo box.
Step off the box
with one foot, then the
other.
Land softly with both
feet on the ground and
your knees and hips
bent in a quarter-squat
position.
Step back onto the
box and repeat.

6 DEPTH JUMP
Stand with both feet
on a plyo box.
Step off the box with
one foot, then the other.
Land softly with both
feet on the ground and
your knees and hips
bent.
Explosively extend
your hips, knees and
ankles to jump up as
high as possible.
Again, land softly on
both feet.
Step back onto the
box and repeat.

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7 EXPLOSIVE MED BALL CHEST PASS

Holding a med ball
in front of your chest,
stand 3 or 4 feet in front
of a wall with your feet
hip-width apart.
Keeping your core
tight, bend at the
waist to tilt your torso
forward.
Simultaneously drive
your hips forward to
stand up straight and
explosively throw the
med ball at the wall
by pressing your arms
forward.
Catch the ball on the
rebound and repeat.

8 FOUR JUMP - HEIGHT FOCUS

Stand with your feet
shoulder-width apart
and your hands on
your hips. Lower into a
quarter-squat.
Explode up into
a jump. Keep your
legs straight in the
air and your ankles
dorsiflexed.
On contact,
immediately explode
up into the air as high
as possible.

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9 FOUR JUMP - TIME FOCUS

Stand with your feet
shoulder-width apart
and your hands on
your hips. Lower into a
quarter-squat.
Explode up into
a jump. Keep your
legs straight in the
air and your ankles
dorsiflexed.
On contact, jump
up again as quickly as
possible.

10 ICKEY SHUFFLE - STICK LANDING

Stand to the left of
the first ladder box.
Step into the first
square with your right
foot and then step into
the same square with
your left foot.
Step to the right of
the ladder with your
right foot and bring your
left foot into the air.
Hold this position for
one count.
Step forward into
next square with your
left foot. Continue
through the ladder.
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11 LATERAL BOUND
Standing on your
right leg, jump up and
to the left.
Land softly on your
left foot.
On contact, switch
back to your right leg.
Immediately repeat.
Perform a set in the
opposite direction.

12 LATERAL BOX JUMP

Lower into a
quarter-squat with a
box to the side.
Keeping your chest
up, jump up and to the
side.
Land softly with
both feet on the box.
Perform a set in the
opposite direction.

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13 LATERAL BOX JUMP WITH ROTATION

Lower into a quarter-
squat with a box to
the side.
Keeping your chest
up, jump up and rotate
your body toward the
box.
Land softly with
both feet on the box.
Perform a set in the
opposite direction.

14 LATERAL HURDLE HOP - STICK LANDING

Stand on one foot
next to a hurdle.
Jump laterally over
the hurdle.
Land softly on the
same foot with your
hips back and your
knee aligned with
your ankle. Hold this
position for one count.
Jump back over the
hurdle, and repeat.

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15 MED BALL BOX BLAST

Stand with your
right foot flat on a
knee-high plyo box
and hold a med ball in
front of your torso.
Drive through
your right foot, fully
extending your hip,
knee and ankle to
propel your body into
the air.
Bring your left knee
up until your thigh is
parallel to the ground.
Land softly and
repeat.

16 MED BALL FRONT ROTATIONAL THROWS

Stand 3 or 4 feet in
front of a wall with your
feet hip-width apart,
holding a med ball next
to your left hip.
Keeping your core
tight, throw the med
ball at the wall with an
underhand toss.
Catch the med ball
off the bounce, reset
and repeat on the same
side.
Perform a set
with your opposite
side.

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17 MED BALL FRONT ROTATIONAL THROWS - REACTIVE

Use the same
setup and throwing
technique as Med
Ball Front Rotational
Throws (#16).
Instead of resetting
after each rep,
catch the med ball
off the bounce and
immediately throw it
again as quickly as
possible.
Perform a set with
your opposite side.

18 MED BALL SIDE ROTATIONAL THROW

With your feet
shoulder-width apart,
stand with a wall to your
right. Hold a med ball at
your waist.
Bring the med ball to
your left hip and shift
your weight onto your
left leg.
Drive off your left leg
and explosively rotate
toward the wall to
throw the ball with an
underhand toss.
Catch the med ball and
repeat.

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19 MED BALL SPLIT SHUFFLE LOWERING

Holding a med ball at your chest, assume
a split stance with your left foot in the first
box and right foot just behind the box.
Push off both feet and switch your legs
in midair, landing with your right foot in the
first box and left foot just behind the box.
Immediately push off both feet and switch
your legs in midair, landing with your left
foot in the second box and right foot behind
the box
Lower into a Lunge.
Drive up out of the Lunge and step your
right foot into the second box and left foot
behind the second box.
Continue this pattern through the entire
ladder. Perform a set in the opposite
direction.

20 SEATED BOX JUMP

Sit on a box or
bench so your hips
and knees are at
90-degree angles.
Forcefully extend
your hips, knees and
ankles to jump onto a
box positioned a foot
in front of you.
Land softly with
bent knees.
Step off box and
repeat.

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21 SINGLE-LEG BOUNDS
Stand on your right
leg with your hips and
knee slightly bent.
Powerfully jump
forward off your right
leg.
Land on the ball of
your right foot, with
your hips and knees
slightly bent.
Immediately
explode up into the
next jump off your
same leg.
Continue jumping in
this pattern.

22 SINGLE-LEG LATERAL BOUND

Stand on your right
leg with your hips and
knee slightly bent.
Jump to your left,
keeping your knee
aligned over your
ankle.
Land on the ball of
your right foot, with
your hips and knees
slightly bent.
Immediately jump
off your right leg in the
same direction.
Perform a set with
your opposite leg.

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23 SKATER JUMPS
Stand on your right
leg with your hips and
knee slightly bent.
Drive off your right
leg to jump up and to
your left so your body
forms an arc in the
air.
Land softly on your
left leg. Allow your trail
leg to come behind
your body. Hold the
landing for one count.
Repeat in the
opposite direction.
Continue jumping from
side to side.

24 SKATER JUMPS - REACTIVE

Use the same setup
and jumping technique as
Skater Jumps (#23).
Instead of holding the
landing for one count,
immediately jump in
the opposite direction,
spending as little time on
the ground as possible.
Continue jumping from
side to side.

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25 SPLIT SHUFFLE LOWERING

Assume a split stance with your left
foot in the first box and right foot just
behind the box.
Push off both feet and switch your
legs in midair, landing with your right
foot in the first box and left foot just
behind the box.
Immediately push off both feet and
switch your legs in midair, landing with
your left foot in the second box and right
foot behind the box.
Lower into a Lunge.
Drive up out of the Lunge and step
your right foot into the second box and
left foot behind the second box.
Continue this pattern through the
entire ladder. Perform a set in the

26 STANDING LONG JUMP

Stand with your feet
shoulder-width apart.
Sit your hips
back into a quarter-
squat.
Explosively extend
your hips, knees and
ankles, and swing your
arms forward to jump
forward at a 45-degree
angle.
Land softly in a
quarter-squat.

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Presents

EXPLOSIVE PLYOMETRICS

6-WEEK
PLYOMETRIC
WORKOUT
FOR STRENGTH,
SPEED AND POWER
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HOW WILL EXPLOSIVE PLYOMETRICS HELP

ME GET MORE POWERFUL?
EXPLOSIVE PLYOMETRICS is a three-day-per-week training program consisting of 15- to
20-minute workouts that challenge and improve the stretch-shortening cycle. The work-
outs complement each other, developing your power, vertical jump, broad jump, sprint-
ing speed and multi-directional agility. After six weeks, you’ll be able to move faster and
more explosively in every direction.

The workouts include three types of exercises: body control moves, reactive moves and power
moves.

Body Control Moves

Body control exercises focus on the first phase of the SSC, lengthening. Using moves like
Depth Drops, you will focus on decelerating while maintaining technique and balance. The
exercises will teach your muscles to absorb more elastic energy and help you enhance your
body control—a skill that’s critical for preventing injuries, which often occur during the ec-
centric (landing) phase of a movement.

Reactive Moves

Reactive exercises include traditional plyometric moves such as Bounding. They focus on
quick and explosive movements. The goal is to spend as little time on the ground as possi-
ble by landing and immediately exploding off the ground. Reducing the amount of time in
the loading phase teaches your muscles to transition faster between the Lengthen and Fire
phases. You’ll learn to spend less time stuck on the ground and more time moving in the
direction you want to go.

Power Moves

Power exercises improve the final phase of the SSC, firing. Max-effort moves like Box Jumps
increase the power you need for explosive moves in your sport.

Also, each workout has one upper-body exercise to improve pressing and rotational power.

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HOW TO USE THIS PLAN

EXPLOSIVE PLYOMETRICS is not a standalone training routine. The short workouts it calls for are
meant to be paired with strength workouts. Perform the plyo workouts after your warm-up but be-
fore your strength exercises. That way, you’ll be able to execute the moves when you’re fresh and
explosive. Remember, plyometrics are all about producing maximum force.

Ideally, you should follow the program as written, but you know your body best. Listen to it
throughout the workout. If you have difficulty performing an exercise or find a move uncomfort-
able, you can choose from many other great exercises. Do a simple search on STACK.com to find
alternatives.

If you’re feeling exhausted or just “off” one day, it might indicate that you’re overworking your
body. It’s OK to cut that workout short.

YOU’RE TRAINING FOR POWER,

NOT CONDITIONING
Plyometrics must be performed quickly with maximum power and speed. You achieve this by
performing 3 to 6 sets of 3 to 8 powerful and clean reps. The exact numbers depend on the type
of exercise and where you are in your training. You should take about 30 to 60 seconds of rest
between sets to recover, so you can maintain your power throughout the workout.

The most common way people misuse plyometrics is by performing sets that are too long to im-
prove conditioning. You see this pretty regularly in certain gyms, or in videos that try to make
plyometrics into fat loss workouts. That’s a terrible idea for two reasons.

First, conditioning workouts are designed to make you tired—the exact opposite of what you
should be doing during a plyometric workout. The whole point of plyos is to perform every
rep quickly and powerfully. If you’re not doing that, you’re not making improvements in your
stretch-shortening cycle—and you may as well just do cardio.

Second, hopping, skipping and jumping are all challenging moves, and they create a lot of impact
forces not suitable for a conditioning workout. If your goal is to improve your conditioning, there
are many more effective ways to do it with exercises, such as Sprints or Burpees.

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The last thing you want to do during any workout is perform high-impact moves with sloppy form.
Not only is this not plyometric (meaning it’s not challenging your SSC), it’s downright risky.

To prevent your plyometric workouts from becoming conditioning sessions, be diligent about taking
an appropriate amount of rest between sets. Follow the prescribed break times in this plan to the
letter. If you’re still feeling fatigued after this period, add 30 seconds more. Allow your muscles to
fully recover. Just because you’re not gasping for air doesn’t mean you’re not working hard.

BE STRICT ABOUT TECHNIQUE

Keep your form clean and precise during every set of every exercise in this program. Proper form
ensures you’ll get the most out of each movement and decrease your risk of injury. If you’re unfa-
miliar with an exercise or drill, review the technique in the 26 Plyometric Exercises to Build Speed,
Power and Strength section. The photos show you how to perform each move. If something is
unclear, follow the link to a video demonstration. Just click the play button. As you perform each
move, remember to focus on form. Quality is always better than quantity.

EQUIPMENT
Explosive Plyometrics doesn’t require a lot of gear. The equipment you need—two knee-high plyo
boxes, a medicine ball, a speed ladder and mini-hurdles—can be found in most weight rooms. If
you don’t have access to a piece of equipment, you can either buy it online or find a substitute for
the exercise (see Question 6 in 8 Things You’ve Always Wanted to Know About Plyometrics for
substitution ideas).

TRACK YOUR PROGRESS

As you perform each move in a workout, write down the number of sets and reps you complete
and record any weight you use. Note if you feel something isn’t challenging your explosive capa-
bility, or if something made you struggle. Over time, you should see your jumps gain altitude and
distance, and the time it takes you to run from point A to point B decline.

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Week 1
Day 1 - Body Control
Exercise Sets/Reps Rest Notes
Depth Drop 4x3 30 sec.

Med Ball Front Rotational Throws -

4x3 each side 60 sec.
Reactive

Split Shuffle Lowering 3x4 each direction 30 sec.

Bounding 2x10 yards 30 sec.

Box Blast 4x3 each leg 30 sec.

Day 2 - Reactive
Exercise Sets/Reps Rest Notes
Four Jump - Height Focus 2x1 60 sec.

Explosive Med Ball Chest Pass 4x3 60 sec.

Skater Jump 3x3 each leg 60 sec.

Standing Long Jump 4x3 60 sec.

Lateral Hurdle Hop With Stick 3x4 each direction 30 sec.

Day 3 - Power
Exercise Sets/Reps Rest Notes
Box Jump 3x3 60 sec.

Med Ball Side Rotational Throw 4x3 each side 60 sec.

Lateral Box Jump 2x3 each side 30 sec.

Forward Diagonal Shuffle - Stick 3x4 each direction 30 sec.

2x10 yards each

Lateral Bound 30 sec.
direction

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Week 2
Day 1 - Body Control
Exercise Sets/Reps Rest Notes
Depth Drop 4x4 30 sec.

Med Ball Front Rotational Throws -

4x3 each side 60 sec.
Reactive

Split Shuffle Lowering 3x5 each direction 30 sec.

Bounding 3x10 yards 30 sec.

Box Blast 5x3 each leg 30 sec.

Day 2 - Reactive
Exercise Sets/Reps Rest Notes
Four Jump - Height Focus 3x1 60 sec.

Explosive Med Ball Chest Pass 4x3 60 sec.

Skater Jump 4x3 each leg 60 sec.

Standing Long Jump 5x3 60 sec.

Lateral Hurdle Hop With Stick 4x4 each direction 30 sec.

Day 3 - Power
Exercise Sets/Reps Rest Notes
Box Jump 3x3 60 sec.

Med Ball Side Rotational Throw 4x3 each side 60 sec.

Lateral Box Jump 3x4 each leg 30 sec.

Forward Diagonal Shuffle - Stick 3x5 each direction 30 sec.

2x10 yards each

Lateral Bound 30 sec.
direction

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Week 3
Day 1 - Body Control
Exercise Sets/Reps Rest Notes
Depth Drop 5x4 30 sec.

Med Ball Front Rotational Throws -

4x4 each side 60 sec.
Reactive

Split Shuffle Lowering 4x5 each direction 30 sec.

Bounding 4x10 yards 30 sec.

Box Blast 6x3 each leg 30 sec.

Day 2 - Reactive
Exercise Sets/Reps Rest Notes
Four Jump - Height Focus 4x1 60 sec.

Explosive Med Ball Chest Pass 4x4 60 sec.

Skater Jump 4x4 each leg 60 sec.

Standing Long Jump 6x3 60 sec.

Lateral Hurdle Hop With Stick 4x5 each direction 30 sec.

Day 3 - Power
Exercise Sets/Reps Rest Notes
Box Jump 3x4 60 sec.

Med Ball Side Rotational Throw 4x4 each side 60 sec.

Lateral Box Jump 4x4 each leg 30 sec.

Forward Diagonal Shuffle - Stick 4x5 each direction 30 sec.

3x10 yards each

Lateral Bound 30 sec.
direction

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Week 4
Day 1 - Body Control
Exercise Sets/Reps Rest Notes
Depth Jump 4x3 30 sec.

Med Ball Front Rotational Throws 4x4 each side 60 sec.

Med Ball Split Shuffle Lowering 3x4 each direction 30 sec.

Single-Leg Bounds 2x10 yards each leg 30 sec.

Med Ball Box Blast 4x3 each leg 30 sec.

Day 2 - Reactive
Exercise Sets/Reps Rest Notes
Four Jump - Time Focus 2x1 60 sec.

Explosive Med Ball Chest Pass 4x4 60 sec.

Skater Jump - Reactive 3x3 each leg 60 sec.

Broad Jump 4x2 60 sec.

Lateral Hurdle Hop With Stick 3x4 each direction 30 sec.

Day 3 - Power
Exercise Sets/Reps Rest Notes
Seated Box Jump 3x3 60 sec.

Med Ball Side Rotational Throw 4x4 each side 60 sec.

Lateral Box Jump With Rotation 2x3 each side 30 sec.

Forward Diagonal Shuffle - Stick 3x4 each direction 30 sec.

2x10 yards each

Single-Leg Lateral Bound 30 sec.
direction

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Week 5
Day 1 - Body Control
Exercise Sets/Reps Rest Notes
Depth Jump 4x4 30 sec.

Med Ball Front Rotational Throws 5x4 each side 60 sec.

Med Ball Split Shuffle Lowering 3x5 each direction 30 sec.

Single-Leg Bounds 3x10 yards each leg 30 sec.

Med Ball Box Blast 5x3 each leg 30 sec.

Day 2 - Reactive
Exercise Sets/Reps Rest Notes
Four Jump - Time Focus 3x1 60 sec.

Explosive Med Ball Chest Pass 5x4 60 sec.

Skater Jump - Reactive 4x3 each leg 60 sec.

Broad Jump 5x2 60 sec.

Lateral Hurdle Hop With Stick 4x4 each direction 30 sec.

Day 3 - Power
Exercise Sets/Reps Rest Notes
Seated Box Jump 3x3 60 sec.

Med Ball Side Rotational Throw 5x4 each side 60 sec.

Lateral Box Jump With Rotation 3x4 each leg 30 sec.

Forward Diagonal Shuffle - Stick 3x5 each direction 30 sec.

2x10 yards each

Single-Leg Lateral Bound 30 sec.
direction

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Week 6
Day 1 - Body Control
Exercise Sets/Reps Rest Notes
Depth Jump 5x4 30 sec.

Med Ball Front Rotational Throws 5x4 each side 60 sec.

Med Ball Split Shuffle Lowering 4x5 each direction 30 sec.

Single-Leg Bounds 4x10 yards each leg 30 sec.

Med Ball Box Blast 6x3 each leg 30 sec.

Day 2 - Reactive
Exercise Sets/Reps Rest Notes
Four Jump - Time Focus 4x1 60 sec.

Explosive Med Ball Chest Pass 5x4 60 sec.

Skater Jump - Reactive 4x4 each leg 60 sec.

Broad Jump 6x2 60 sec.

Lateral Hurdle Hop With Stick 4x5 each direction 30 sec.

Day 3 - Power
Exercise Sets/Reps Rest Notes
Seated Box Jump 3x4 60 sec.

Med Ball Side Rotational Throw 5x4 each side 60 sec.

Lateral Box Jump With Rotation 4x4 each leg 30 sec.

Forward Diagonal Shuffle - Stick 4x5 each direction 30 sec.

3x10 yards each

Single-Leg Lateral Bound 30 sec.
direction

65 STACK.COM/PLYO-PLAN
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WON’T STOP.
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