How can you avoid mistakes when doing plyometric exercises?

1 Wrong warm-up

Before you start jumping, hopping, or throwing, you need to prepare your body for the high-intensity demands of plyometric exercises. A proper warm-up should include dynamic stretches, mobility drills, and activation exercises for your joints and muscles. This will increase your blood flow, range of motion, and stability. Avoid static stretches, as they can decrease your power output and increase your injury risk.

2 Too much volume

Plyometric exercises are taxing on your body, especially on your joints, tendons, and ligaments. If you do too many reps, sets, or sessions, you can overload your tissues and cause inflammation, pain, or damage. To prevent this, you need to follow the principle of quality over quantity. Focus on doing each rep with good form, speed, and power. Limit your plyometric exercises to 2-3 times per week, and no more than 10-15 minutes per session. Also, make sure you have enough rest and recovery between sessions.

3 Poor landing technique

One of the most important aspects of plyometric exercises is how you land. If done incorrectly, it can lead to excessive impact, stress, and force on your joints and muscles, resulting in injuries such as sprains, strains, or fractures. To avoid this, you should learn how to land softly, safely, and efficiently. When landing, it is important to land on the balls of your feet, not your heels or toes; bend your knees and hips to absorb the shock and lower your center of gravity; keep your chest up and back straight; align your knees with your toes; and avoid landing with your feet too close or too far apart. Following these tips will help you improve your landing technique and prevent any potential injuries.

4 Inappropriate progression

Plyometric exercises are not for beginners. They require a solid foundation of strength, stability, and coordination. If you jump into plyometric exercises without having these prerequisites, you can hurt yourself and limit your progress. To avoid this, you need to follow a progressive approach that matches your level and goals. Start with low-impact and low-intensity exercises, such as skipping, bounding, or box jumps. Gradually increase the complexity, height, distance, or speed of your exercises as you improve your skills and confidence. Don't rush or skip steps, and always listen to your body.

5 Lack of variety

Plyometric exercises are not just about jumping. They can also involve lateral, rotational, or multi-directional movements that mimic the demands of your sport or activity. To get the most out of these exercises and develop your power and agility in different planes of motion, it’s important to vary your plyometric exercises and challenge your body in different ways. Examples of exercises that add variety include lateral skater jumps, rotational medicine ball throws, single-leg hop and stick, and depth jump to sprint. Although plyometric exercises can be a fun and effective way to enhance your functional training, they also come with some risks and challenges. To do them safely and successfully, you should avoid common mistakes and follow these tips.

6 Here’s what else to consider

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