The growing popularity of boot-camps, cardio classes, and CrossFit has made plyometrics a integral part of almost every training program.  The infamous P90X is notorious for their plyometric DVD, and has termed plyometric training as “jump training”.  Although jumping is an example of a plyometric mmovement, we can also perform upper body plyometrics as well.  Since we don’t jump with our arms, the term jump training is almost as bogus-bullshit as P90X’s  famous “muscle confusion” terminology!

Plyometric exercises are those movements that enable a muscle to reach maximal force output in the shortest possible time.  Plyometrics have become so popular lately in all programs because they’re very intense, and can produce amazing results if done properly and systematically.  Before you decide to strap on your Reebok pumps and throw in your P90X jump training DVD, let me share some important information about the risks involved with plyometrics.

A very common movement you’ll see in any gym or class is a body weight squat jump or some form of box jumps (using a box, step, or bench).  Most people won’t even think twice that there is a correct/incorrect technique to jumping and landing.  Even worse, most trainers will NEVER even correct a faulty jump mechanic.  There’s so much more that goes into a jump than simply jumping from here to there.  During the landing phase of any jump, forces of nearly five times your body weight may be experienced.  That’s an excessive amount of force your body has to overcome with EVERY single jump or repetition.  It’s not just jumping either, runners experience forces of three to four times their body’s weight with each foot strike.  The average runner will stride 1,500 times per mile. If your mechanics are off and you simply go out for a 3-mile run, that’s 4,500 times your body has to compensate for a faulty movement.  You’re obviously not going to get injured on the first jump or the first mile, but most of these programs are very high in volume and over time you can dramatically increase your risk of injury.  Women are up to six times more likely to tear an ACL performing a plyometric movement as compared to males.

Over the years I’ve witnessed two people rupture their Achilles tendon by doing something as simple as running in place with a high-knee action.  Then I’ve known others who suffered the same injury from simply jumping up for a rebound during a pick-up game of basketball.  It’s shocking to me that more trainers and instructors don’t take a more cautious approach when it comes to plyometric training.  What’s even more alarming is watching clients go through a generalized dynamic warm-up of skipping, jumping, and bounding across the gym floor, before they even know how to control a body weight squat or lunge properly.  You’d be surprised how many people suffer injuries during their warm-up because their warm-up is not in sync to what their physical abilities/limitations are.

If you want to save yourself 6-8 months of recovering from a torn tendon or ligament, I highly suggest you follow the plyometric guidelines below.

• For lower body plyometrics, you should be able to squat (not half-squat) 60% of your body weight 5 times in 5 seconds.  I don’t know about you, but I see a lot of 140+ lbs women jumping around like kangaroos in classes, that I know can’t squat 85 lbs 5 times in 5 seconds!
• For upper body plyometrics, you should be able to bench press 60% of your body weight 5 times in 5 seconds.  These first two guidelines are crucial to be able to handle the speed component of plyometric training.
• For beginning plyometrics, you should be able to stand on one leg without falling over for at least 30 seconds.  As you get more advanced with training, you would go down into a quarter-squat and a half-squat position on one leg and still hold for 30 seconds.  This addresses the balance component of plyometrics.
• People at a weight over 220 lbs are at an increased risk for injury when performing plyometric exercises.  If you’re 225 lbs and 8% body fat, this obviously doesn’t pertain to you and you should be in the NFL, but if you’re over 220 lbs and doing box jumps and single leg bounds, I strongly suggest you go back to the third paragraph and read where I mention about forces applied during jumping.
• If you can’t meet the above criteria, then I recommend you don’t attempt any plyometric movements until you’ve been coached under a qualified trainer for at least 3-6 months.  If you’re not an elite athlete and your trainer or instructor has you jumping within the first 2 weeks of training, you better run like hell and get your money back.  As far as I’m concerned, that’s negligence on the trainer’s part.

Training volume is another component that often gets overlooked in many plyometric programs.  The table below expresses what the average volume should be for beginner, intermediate, and advanced, athletes/exercisers[i].

What worries me the most, is there is an alarming amount of programs and classes out there that are well over 150+ jumps per workout.  To get in-depth about jumping and landing techniques would be a whole other blog post in itself.  I guess that’s why I’m such a big fan of “personal” training and not group or in-home DVD training.  Exercise is a very conscious activity, and if you’re not fully engaged and aware of every rep of every set, you dramatically increase your risks of suffering an injury.  If Tony Horton from P90X were able to correct your form through the TV, he’d go from a millionaire to a billionaire.  But sadly he can’t, and I guarantee he’s not going to send you a refund or a get-well card when you tear an ACL or meniscus doing “Double Airborne Heisman”  jumps for 30 seconds (yes, they really have a jump called that).

Don’t follow the trends, find what works for you, and KNOW that every-body is different.  It’s going to be very difficult achieving your health and fitness goals while you’re rehabbing an injury for half the year.  In a future post I’ll share with you how to incorporate plyometrics concurrently with your strength training to achieve awesome results………only if you’re physically ready!   Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone!

P.S. Who says white guys can’t jump?  Check out the video of my boy below doing some pretty amazing acrobatics.  Not only is he white, but he’s a redhead as well.  It doesn’t get any whiter than that my friends!