As outlined in our last post, increasing your ability to produce power is essential for sports performance and injury prevention. Training for VELOCITY is the key to maximizing power output and plyometric training is a great way to accomplish this. However, a plyometric training program should be SAFELY introduced and PROGRESSED based on COMPETENCE OF THE MOVEMENT PATTERN, not by a predetermined timeline. You wouldn't jump straight into an ironman competition without first learning to swim, run, and bike, so why would you immediately begin a multiple-box jump plyometric program?
You can progress in any fasion you wish, but we cannot stress enough how important it is to learn to summate landing forces thru eccentric muscle control. Here are some tips:
- Focus on jumping and landing mechanics first.
- Land "softly"
- Avoid medial knee collapse. Knees over toes.
- Utilize a hip strategy. Trunk forward. Butt back.
- Landing position on box jumps should never be deeper than a parallel squat position.
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