Plyometric exercises, the explosive training that Harvard recommends for legs and glutes

Jumping from side to side, jumping rope, and jumping forward are 3 plyometric exercises on Harvard Health Institute The vision has been established. They say that this recommendation is suitable for beginners and people inexperienced in sports practice, but honestly, we cannot ignore it These types of exercises are very demanding And they are commonly included in the routines of professional athletes and CrossFit enthusiasts.

obviously there is different levels Under plyometric exercises. Those proposed by Harvard are the most basic and are accompanied by a series of tips to limit the risk of injuries that are present if you want to carry out this training without prior contact with this type of movements. “Plyometrics are used by competitive athletes who rely on fast, powerful movementsSuch as in basketball, volleyball, baseball, tennis and track and field,” says Thomas Newman, senior performance expert at the Harvard-affiliated Mass General Brigham Center for Sports Performance.

You may be interested in

What are the types of plyometric exercises?

As Harvard defines it, Plyometric training involves short, intense bursts of activity that target fast-twitch muscle fibers. In the lower part of the body. These fibers help generate explosive power, which increases the speed and height of the jump, which is the basic movement in this training. In addition, practicing plyometrics exercises improves the pumping of blood to the heart, as well as allows you to develop coordination, balance, agility and flexibility.

People who know the technique usually practice this type of training in gyms, usually in spaces dedicated to exercises. crossfit where available Drawers, pulls and drawers Ideal for plyometrics. However, to reach that level First you have to prepare the body So that the joints do not suffer excessive damage due to the impact of activities.

3 plyometric exercises for beginners from Harvard

Before you start, Harvard experts advise condition the training space To reduce the risk of injury. You should choose a surface that is comfortable to jump on, this can be a thick, wide mat (yoga mat will not work), on a carpeted wooden floor or on the grass outside so that in any case you will be able to land after the jump. The effect is less. absorbed. Jump. Forget about jumping on hard ground And always keep small jumps in mind when starting to practice plyometric exercises. also try bend your knees when fallingto soften the landing And while falling, try to support the entire sole of the foot, Heel to Toe.

With these clear instructions, you can start practicing the 3 plyometrics exercises for beginners that Harvard recommends to improve power, agility, and strength in our lower body:

1. Lateral jumps. Start by placing your feet together to see the change in weight on one foot. Let’s say you start on the right side, from there, you have to jump as far as possible to the left and continue the series while changing sides at a certain speed. First of all, it is not necessary to break a distance record; It’s also better to control your technique without getting too high off the ground. doing One of 3 series complete with 5 to 15 repetitions Which experts advise.
2. skipping rope. This exercise seeks to emphasize the coordination of repeated jumps and the lack of contact time with the ground while measuring height. You have to start with a series of two minutes And then extend the time or add series to increase demand. You can also split consecutive series 30 second extension If exhaustion prevents reaching the limits stated above. Firstly, you can also simulate jumping without a rope.
3. Leaps forward. With one or two legs, we look for the maximum space to jump forward and turn our body and, in turn, jump forward again. Remember to bend your knees when you land and start from less to more and, as you master the exercise, place obstacles (such as a stack of books) to increase the demand. with 10 jumps complete one of 3 series What they recommend doing at Harvard to see strength and power effects in the legs and glutes.