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Plyometrics

Sudden explosive bursts of power are what make the memorable moments in so many sports. Plyometrics can give you the edge for those sporting moments - the jump, the kick or the serve - that can make all the difference on the day.

Plyometrics aren't for everyone - not least because their explosive nature means they entail a higher risk of injury than most other exercises.

What they can do, however, is prepare you for those fleeting seconds of all-ornothing effort. Whether your goal is that winning judo throw, an awesome kick or the speed spurt that leaves tacklers and rivals clutching at empty air, you'll need to train for bursts of power. Enter plyometrics.

The idea behind plyometrics is much like that of a spring. The more you 'load' a spring by pushing down on it, the higher it bounces back when you let go. Similarly you can 'load' a muscle by contracting it 'eccentrically', by lengthening it, then immediately contracting it 'concentrically' (by shortening it). The idea is that you get a boost in the force of the second contraction. If it sounds like hard work, that's because it is, and because it involves a double contraction in such a short period of time it is very demanding and only to be considered by those already in very good shape. There are a few other sensible precautions to take with plyometrics:

Always warm up thoroughly. Cold muscles are the most likely to tear at any time. Start shocking them with load and explosive release and you increase that risk.

Don't do plyometrics after a strength workout when the muscles are already tired. Remember that sprinting is already a plyometric workout, so attempting lower-body plyometrics (like jumping) after a sprint or interval session is courting fatigue or worse.

Keep the volume low. OK, so you can do forty press-ups on one arm, but that doesn't mean you can do ten with a clap thrown in. Plyometric sets mean six to ten reps. If you're doing jumps, then start at around fifty jumps per session as a maximum (count landings - that's what your spine is doing) and work up to a hundred - gently.

Give yourself plenty of rest between sessions. These exercises are very intensive so two sessions a week should be your maximum.

Cushion the fall. Wear proper sports shoes, avoid concrete floors and don't do plyometric press-ups without a mat to land on.

LOWER BODY

Standing jump - Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Squat down slightly and immediately explode upwards, reaching both arms up for the ceiling (brownie points if you touch it). Take care to land with knees slightly bent to cushion the shock.

Side jump - Start as for the standing jump but this time jump sideways about a foot, landing both feet together. Immediately bounce back again.

UPPER BODY

Clap press-up - The first time you try this you'll think the above is a spelling mistake. Take up the normal press-up position, drop down fast, then push up so hard you lift up off the ground, clap your hands together in the air, then get them back into the original position fast enough to catch yourself on the ground. Repeat.

Sideways throw - Take a heavy but bouncy ball (football or basketball - a rugby ball would be showing off) and stand few feet away from a solid wall with your side towards the wall and your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold the ball in front of you in both hands and twist first away from the wall then swing back the other way releasing the ball at the wall with enough force that it bounces back into your hands. As soon as you've caught it you should be swinging back the other way. This is good for co-ordination, as well as working those obliques and abs.

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