Plyometrics - does anyone use these?

J

Jester

Well-Known Member
Per title. I haven't been doing them since my high school basketball days. I know they're still pretty popular in Russia and within the basketball community but I haven't read much about them at all in weight training circles.
 
I use them almost every session. I find they help with strength in general for myself. I also do a small amount of ring work every session (Gymnastic Rings). I find it's a great way to warm up and activate my entire body before I lift anything heavy. My plyo's for chest include Medicine ball throws or clap push ups, for back it's either kettle bell pulls or explosive chins with a swing.
 
Can you describe 'with a swing' ... ? And just judging from your experience, are the body weight or light-weight exercises the more helpful?
 
When I mean swing I am referring to body momentum in your chin up. Almost like a kip up or like you are about to do a muscle up.

In regards to what is more beneficial; it really is dependent on what you are trying to achieve in my experience. I found that with the medicine ball throws after a heavy bench they would drag any last muscle fiber out of me kicking and screaming. I started with the 10kg (22lbs) ball and now i'm throwing a 23kg ball. My general rule of thumb is if it doesn't leave my hands when I throw it lying down on my back for the full 10 reps then I don't move up in the weight.

As for body weight movements. I think they are extremely important in any routine, for anyone strength training. Most people can barely do a push-up or chin up correctly from what I've seen and then attempt to get over-technical with super-routines that are only for advanced lifters who have been training for many years. I started with body weight exercises and I am always going back to them as they are a staple.

Hope that helps.
 
Re: bodyweight exercises

This is why I recommend as a staple in any routine that you include weighted dips and weighted chin-ups. There is nothing more unfortunate than a 250 lb dude who cannot do a dip or a chin-up.
 
I totally agree. Ultimately I think there is no argument that body-weight exercises are one of the most fundamentally important things when it comes to strength training (within the gym itself, Nutrition and Sleep is king). If there is ever any doubt that body weight training is effective I kindly point people to gymnasts as a real world example. On a more hilarious note I have seen individuals who bench over 100kg unable to perform a basic chin-up for more than 5 repetitions. Sad but true.

My advice if you are a beginner is to build a solid foundation before you move on to more complicated exercises. They are usually completely unnecessary until you reach a certain proficiency, which takes years, not months as is commonly misconceived. Generally speaking; large compound movements after you are proficient at basic body-weight movements are recommended, at least if I were training you.

Don't over complicate your program. Just be consistent and win at life.

P.s. Where is the like button on this mother ****?
 
Well re: plyometrics, I'm just wondering because obviously a medicine ball and your %bw for clap-ups or bw for chins are vastly different. I really like medicine ball throws, but I do my workouts at home now with my own equipment and don't have one. Last time I was benching I was ~ 125kg 1RM, is there a weight you'd recommend that corresponds to that? I'm not aiming for mad progression so much as improving the 'explosiveness' that plyometrics brings.

Do you do box jumps or jumping squats at all? I've started doing them again since taking up badminton and boxing work - quick movements without a lot of heel contact.

Re: bodyweight exercises in general - I couldn't agree more. I haven't used the flat bench in a LONG time, I like incline a lot whenever I travel and drop by a gym on my trip, but I've always like incline for some reason, just grooves for me. But anyway, as a chest exercise I haven't deviated from dips for years. The naturalness of the action just works, although I know a lot of ppl of similar height (186cm) who aren't fond of it, for me it's great.
 
I did a lot of contact sports (in many variations and styles) for about 7 years so I can safely say plyo's works great for that type of stuff. If you don't have a medicine ball but you have a Swiss ball you could attempt to push the ball into a wall as hard as you can for a certain number of reps e.g. 10 if you like after lifting heavy on the bench. If you don't have a Swiss ball either you can buy a cheap resistance band and do some very explosive right crosses, jabs, etc with the appropriate foot work to encourage good bio mechanics. If all else fails I would say explosive push-ups from a kneel. Although that would be my last port of call. You don't have to clap, just get your hands off the ground.

As for jump squats, I do them every leg session. Same with alternating lunges. I find dumbell jump squats hit my traps at the same time as holding the weight in your hand gives you a ton of eccentric load. Box jumps are good too, although I prefer using the jump squat to either jump over obstacles or with weight in hand. A variation is jumping with a weight in hand and throwing the weight away before you land if you have knee issues or are new to them so as to minimise injury. If boxing is your thing, go for the alternating lunges, and go for high jumps when you do it.

In regards to what I think you should focus on if boxing is your primary goal. Power and endurance. So more explosive lifts, coupled with plyo is a good mix and your bodyweight training already occurs most likely at your training gym if it was anything like mine.

Give me a definition of what your end goal is and I can give you a more accurate answer.

Peace.
 
Well the plyo's I'm doing atm are:

-Clap-ups
-Jumping squats and occasionally box jumps (they're boring :P)
-Resistance band punches (works for crosses and jabs, not for hooks or uppercuts but it's more about increasing non-banded speed than working on individual techniques)

And currently I'm looking for a way to add 'explosion' to rotation through the hips (ala every boxing strike, ever, comes from hip rotation). The best I can think of is holding a plate/dumbbell and then rotating at the hips, as if turning around over my shoulder without moving my legs or lifting feet. I'm not sure if there's a negative impact on the sign though, twisting right->left for a set and then left->right for a set, holding the weight etc.

Can you recommend a starting weight for buying a medicine ball? I'm planning on getting one for the throw-drills anyway, progression of weight isn't the priority atm.
 
If you want to increase your torque power get a medicine ball with handles. Grab the handles and face a mirror, now space your legs apart as if you could turn left or right by rotating you could throw the ball right or left. Now pivots as hard and fast as you can as if you were almost going to throw a right or left cross, but instead of throwing the ball in that direction throw it in front of you and pup the handles as quickly as you can to your body while you pivot on the ball of your foot. I hope I explained that ok, I'm on my phone at the moment. I will see if I can find you a video later. Alternatively if you have the resistance bands practice your torque by trying to throw the band across your body like swinging a baseball bat or over like a Joel throw. Your anterior sling will activate in either case. Until later, peace.
 
Yeh a video would be fantastic if possible, it's slightly confusing :p. Swinging with the band makes a lot of sense, will definitely incorporate that.
 
Yea sorry, it's pretty hard to explain. Much better if I can just upload something if I can't find it. Also, for your strength, which is extremely similar to mine (Your almost identical height, although i'm not as strong on the bench), you would probably benefit from a 15-17 kilo the most, as it allows you a bit of a challenge but doesn't overdo it. If you want a heavy ball I would go for at least a 20.
 
Single arm throws or double? I'll check them out then, cheers. You do the throws lying down then, Uma Thurman in the coffin from Kill Bill style (swapping a punch for a throw etc)? I used to do an exercise in high school where one throws the ball straight up, alternating arms. Works the pushing muscles like crazy.
 
Yep you got it man. If you are too fatigued grab the ball with both hands and place it on your sternum then plyo throw as hard as you can for ten. Killse every session, especially the single arm throws.
 
This tutorial seems to be the closest I could find. When he is throwing the ball against the wall with hip torque (facing the wall directly not side on like later), you can do that without the wall, just throw your arms out gripping the handle as if you were going to throw it but instead rip it back into your body to the opposite side as hard as you can. That way it will work anterior and posterior slings. The other drills are good too.

video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bq2IWko31tI

Let me know if that helps.

Peace.
 
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How many rep-&sets of clapping push-ups do you do?

Also, tangent, this competitive swimmer I know recommends swimming 50m freestyle bursts (think of each 50m sprint as a 'set') fully clothed for maximum resistance. Being slightly less strict on form ofc. Kinda want to try it but I think I'll get ejected from the pool :p
 
It depends, at the moment I'm doing 20 claps after each heavy set of bench or dips. I usually die at 15 and have to go to my knees by the second set. But that's just me. Find your own groove. As far as swimming is concerned I'm totally the wrong person to ask. I look like a drowning baby when I'm trying to freestyle.
 
Haha, I'm fine for swimming, was just throwing something new your way if you ever feel inspired. Atm I can comfortably do 15, but I'm not getting as high as I'd like. I figure it will come w/time.
 
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