Newsletter
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Jumping into Plyometrics
Story by: By Sherry Strupp, MPT
When performed appropriately, plyometrics can be a great addition to a strength and conditioning program, helping athletes to achieve more power. Learn how to add plyometrics to your workout routine.
Plyometrics are strengthening exercises that use quick, powerful movements to improve athletic power. Plyometrics use a muscle pre-stretch, or counter-movement, that involves the muscle's stretch-shortening cycle (SSC).
Why Ploymetrics?
The goal of plyometrics is to overload the working muscle groups in order to increase the power of subsequent movements. Plyometrics have been shown to increase muscular power for athletes involved in a formal training program.
The stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) facilitates maximum muscle use over a minimal amount of time. There are three phases to the SSC.
Phase I is the eccentric (lowering) phase, which involves pre-loading the muscle group. In this phase, elastic energy is stored in preparation for the muscle action.
Phase II is referred to as the amortization phase and is the short duration pause between phase I and phase III. This phase maybe the most crucial to generating the most power. The duration must be kept short otherwise the stored energy will be lost as heat.
Phase III is the concentric phase in which the stored energy is used to increase force production of the following movement. A high rate of stretch in the muscle and tendon results in greater muscle recruitment during this last phase.
Who Can Use Plyometrics?
Plyometrics can be divided into upper and lower body plyometrics.
Lower body plyometrics are appropriate for almost any athlete, including track and field, sprinting, soccer, volleyball, basketball, football, and baseball.
Upper body plyometrics are important in sports requiring rapid, powerful upper body movements such as baseball, softball, golf, tennis, and throws in track and field.
Performing Safe Plyometrics
Plyometric exercises are not inherently dangerous, but the risk of injury can be present. Injuries typically occur when proper training guidelines are ignored or may be the result of inadequate warm-up, improper progression, inappropriate volume or intensity, poor shoes or surface, or lack of skill.
Before beginning a plyometric program, an athlete must be taught proper technique. Proper landing technique is essential for lower-body plyometrics.
An athlete's strength level must also be considered. For lower-body plyometrics, the athlete's 1RM (one repetition max.) squat should be at least 1.5 times their body weight. For upper-body plyometrics, the 1RM bench press should be at least 1.0 times their body weight.
Plyometrics involve quick movements, which makes speed an essential part of a good program. In the case of lower-body plyometrics, an athlete should be able to perform five repetitions of the squat with 60% body weight in 5 seconds or less. In upper-body plyometrics, the athlete should be able to perform five repetitions of the bench press with 60% body weight in 5 seconds or less.
In addition, a solid base of support is also needed before performing plyometrics drills. A minimum requirement for balance is the ability to stand on one leg for 30 seconds.
Athletes weighing over 220 pounds should avoid high volume, high intensity plyometrics. Athletes with a history of muscle strain joint laxity, or spinal dysfunction should exercise caution when beginning a plyometric program. Prepubescent children should not complete plyometrics, because the epiphyseal plates of the bones have not yet closed.
Ensuring that the proper area and equipment is used during plyometric drills also prevents injuries. The landing surface should consist of grass field, suspended floor or rubber mat. Most running plyometric drills require at least 33 yards of straightaway. Standing jump drills require only a minimal surface area but a height of 10 to 13 feet. Maybe most important of all is proper footwear with good ankle and arch support and lateral stability.
By following these guidelines, plyometrics can safely and effectively be used to enhance athletic performance.
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6th Annual
sports medicine symposium
and golf outing
Thursday, August 3rd, 2006
Mark your calendars for our 6th Annual Sports Medicine Symposium and Golf Outing. Once again, the event will be held at Windwood Country Club in Watertown. This FREE symposium will include information to help coaches succeed at all levels of competition. Once the symposium is over, join us for a FREE lunch, and a FREE 9 holes of golf.
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Speed and Agility Camp
Starting June 12th through July 28th
6 weeks excluding the week of July 3rd through July 7th
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays
9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Cost: $110
WAHS Sports Medicine believes that speed, agility, and conditioning are essential to athletic success. In order to help you achieve your full potential, our highly trained performance enhancement staff at WAHS Sports Medicine has developed a 6 week speed and agility camp.
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Functional Strength and Power Camp
Starting June 13th and ending July 27th
Excludes week of July 3rd through July 7th
Tuesdays and Thursdays
9:00 AM– 10:30 AM
Cost: $85
WAHS Sports Medicine has developed challenging, functional, and effective alternative to weightlifting. Unlike traditional weightlifting, the camp integrates traditionally proven exercises as well as advanced exercises to work all muscle groups in unison, thereby increasing overall strength, power and coordination, while decreasing the risk of injury.
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Related Links
Careers:
www.nata.org National Athletic Trainers Association
www.apta.org American Physical Therapist Association
Health and Injury Information:
www.acsm.org American College of Sports Medicine
www.ncaa.org National Collegiate Athletic Association
www.wiaawi.org/health/nutrition Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic
Association
www.gssiweb.com Gatoraide Sports Science Institiute
www.iasm.com Institute for Arthroscopy and Sports Medicine
www.physsportsmed.com The Physician & Sports Medicine
www.ORTHOsupersite.com The Orthopaedics Supersite
www.sportsdentistry.com Academy for Sports Dentistry
www.aapsm.org American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine
www.biausa.org Brain Injury Association of America
www.subtlebraininjury.com Subtle Brain Injury Website
www.sportsmedresources.com Sports Medicine Resources Website
www.asmi.org American Sports Medicine Institute
www.ortho-u.net Wheeless' Textbook of Orthopaedics
www.lightningsafety.com National Lightning Safety Institute
www.webmd.com WebMD
www.nocsae.org National Operating Committee on Standards for
Athletic Equipment
Strength and Conditioning:
www.athleticsearch.com Athletic Search on Web
www.nsca-lift.org National Strength and Conditioning Association
www.nasm.org National Academy of Sports Medicine
www.coaching.usolympicteam.com Olympic E-Coach Magazine
www.ncsf.org National Council of Strength & Fitness
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