Plyometrics

Words to live by…                        
"Any jumper without plyometrics as part of their training regimen will never reach their full potential."                       
"If you want to dunk a basketball, nothing can get you there faster than a regular plyometrics routine."                       
"Plyometrics overload muscles to develop power and strength.  Be very careful in performing these exercises and give adequate recovery before the next workout."                  
                    
Beginners/Youth - pick 8 items from the list
Experienced - pick 10 items from the list
Elite/Hardcore - pick 12 items from the list
(...there are also a suggested number of repetitions for some activities based on the level of the athlete)
                      
Essentials - should be done with every plyometrics workout to warmup                  
1 - Skip for Height (2 x 30 meters)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19mYGqUMHSc
2 - Skip for Distance (2 x 30 meters)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19mYGqUMHSc
3 - Backward Run - heels high (2 x 30 meters)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NzGNoy3-Eg
4 - Bunny Hops - low to ground and quick (20 jumps)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDZBGzeQea0
                      
Jump Training - high-impact plyometric exercises (no more than 4-5 of these exercises per session)
5 - Pogo Jumps - quick rebound to next jump (10, 15, or 20 jumps)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kM-fTtwC5eM
6 - Star Jumps - full extension of limbs (8, 10, or 12 jumps)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6wu4_LOhyU
7 - Squat Jumps - hands behind head, explode up (8, 10, or 12 jumps)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utQShuge6Vk
8 - Box Jumps - up and down quickly (10, 12, or 15 jumps)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opuA4Ej2GDs
9 - Box Jumps with ankle weights - up and down quickly (8, 10, or 12 jumps)
10 - Row of 3 Box Jumps - 3 boxes, continuous jumps (3 sets of 3 boxes, 4 sets of 3 boxes, or 5 sets of 3 boxes)
11 - Depth Jumps - hop off a box, jump up quick    (6, 8, or 10 jumps)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9o8_GvhG10
12 - Quick Rim Jumps - jump for height, quick next jump    (8, 10, or 12 jumps)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxDx9CdiFbY
13 - Step Up, Jump Up - step up to box, to jump up (6, 8, or 10 jumps)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iThe3vF2q4
14 - Skater Jumps - think speed skater (8, 10, or 12 jumps on each side)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlIcZK3c3g4
15 - Scissors Jumps with ankle weights - on ankles and/or wrists (20, 40, or 60 leg-switch jumps)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJBPjLf7lCs
                      
Extras - additional lower-impact plyometric exercises                      
16 - Jump Rope - develop a quick rhythm    (80 skips, 100 skips, or 100 continuous skips)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzFCUPVZqLI
17 - Heavy Rope - weighted jump rope (1, 2, or 3 minutes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hb8tcSGACc8
18 - Front-Back Hops over a Cone (10, 15, 20 hops x 3 sets)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=och4mFqC5vA
19 - Side-to-Side Hops over a Cone (10, 15, 20 hops x 3 sets)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RL4Tme4OPrA
20 - Jump Rope with ankle weights (40 skips, 50 skips, or 60 continuous skips)
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Plyometric Workout Examples:

Hardcore Box Jumps Plyometric Workout-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofPBeulRZ58

Explosive Box Jumps Plyometric Workout-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3YxDXblnNc

Increase Your Vertical Jump Workout-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQg5M_Xg2hU

Hurdles

Here are a number of videos to help hurdlers with instruction, technique, drills and to give examples of various common hurdle training items.

All track and field athletes can benefit from hurdle mobility drills.  Here's a good video with a number of common exercises demonstrated:

Hurdle Mobility Drills-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8brPabMEVE0

Routine:
Step Overs, One Foot Over Each Hurdle
Step Overs, Two Feet Over Each Hurdle
Backward Step OVers, One Foot Over Each Hurdle
Sideways Step Overs with Rhythm
Hurdle Holds, Step Overs with Lead and Trail Leg
Step Overs, Squat Unders - Hurdles at Different Heights
Sideways Step Overs, Squat Unders - Hurdles at Different Heights

Hurdle Walking Drills-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGA-myGjMUc
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Aeita Raphael Hurdle Training-

Aeita was a fantastic hurdler at UCLA and she breaks down a number of warmup activites, hurdle drills, and exercises specific to hurdlers.

Introduction and Warmup Explanation-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyJKQ2VKoQ8

Warmup A, B, and C Skips, High Knees, Carioca Kick, Butt Kicks, Window Washers-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1Rv2pvJJ2M

Hurdle Warm Up Drills - Leg Swings, Hip Flexor, Flexibility, Trail Leg Drill-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DWgqsYtPig

How to Determine Lead Hurdle Leg-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCcZWg0j7cE

Carioca Hurdle Drill - Inside, Outside, Down and Back-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIalUTX36M8

Skipping Hurdle Drills - Lead Leg, Trail Leg, Walking Skip Over-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JugWQRlAK2o

How to Alternate Steps-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4wrR_4QYEE

Quad Raise Exercise for Hurdlers-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOc_6s0_tYI

Bounding Drills in the Grass-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bawjQioW0cM

Stadium Drills - Double-Leg Hops, Single-Leg Hops, Lunges-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g91OLCDYmlA

Straight Leg Skip Drill-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xE1o1Qflxw
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Various Instructional Hurdle Drills-

Here's a high school track and field team going through early-season hurdle drills:
Kingswood Hurdle Drills-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk6sMLUOXp4

...and another - O'Neill HS in Nebraska doing drills-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATUfTQ7tESE

Here's a great drill to pull the trail leg faster:
Hurdle Explosive Trail Leg Drill-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1ADZofoPY0

Some wonderful hurdle drills with queues:
David Warren Hurdle Drills-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiZCcY7Vg3k

An interesting video on how the IAAF teaches hurdle progression:
IAAF Hurdle Progression-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiF-yTKeO2o
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Tony Veney Hurdle Drills-

Coach Veney has a lot of knowledge around sprint and hurdle mechanics.  Here are a couple of great hurdle drills he uses and why:

Trail Leg Slide Drill-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-5LtqNXOFE

Leg Swings Hurdle Drill-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvxHsm03-2Y
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One-step hurdling is great practice because you get to go over lots of hurdles without the stress and strain of sprinting to get that same repetition.  Incorporate lots of these into your hurdle training.

One-Step Hurdle Drill-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MID3aAx4oa8

...and another-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nePtkOyWHOs

Steve McGill - One-Step and Three-Step Drills-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UA8eraZifhI
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Jenny Pacey breaks down hurdling technique and performs the drills here:

Hurdle Technique-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcL8Te2W2n0

Sprint Start Technique-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=Drdm1WsRQwA

Lead Leg Drill-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k630E4mskxA

Trail Leg Drill-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-k9WGZQlVEM

Hurdle Walking-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uno2NASPX6s

B Skips-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdKdTxZ6cMI

High Knees-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teS7o-kR0aY

Butt Kicks-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzt1GeT2fDM

Ankling-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NogX-AvZd3Y
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Great Hurdle Races:

Nebraska State High School Championships 2011 - Hurdles Races:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGlrbZVTVz8
...particularly watch LaQue Moen-Davis.  She is amazing!

Womens 100m Hurdles - 2008 Beijing Olympics:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0JybqmsF9w

Mens 110m Hurdles - 2004 Athens Olympics:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V09H08Q0UQA
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