It’s also been shown to improve power gains in cycling.Īnother way plyometric training can be beneficial is when it comes to running mechanics. These movements, when used in sufficient amounts and done technically well, improve your explosive power and allow your muscles and tendons to store and release more energy-and, in turn, have been shown in trained runners to reduce the energy used when running by about 6%. The fast nature of the movements allows you to use energy stored in your tendons to assist your muscles in generating more power, for greater performance.Ĭommon examples of plyometric exercises: hopping, jumping, skipping, and bounding. You would achieve this by quickly bending your hips and knees, then powerfully jumping. As an example, imagine if I asked you to jump as high as you could. It is, in essence, an explosive exercise. What is a plyometric exercise and how does it work?Ī plyometric exercise is simply one which requires a muscle to lengthen then shorten very quickly, using relatively long rest periods to allow you to perform these in an explosive manner. Our observations show triathletes can be quick to use plyometric exercises too advanced for them, or without building appropriate strength training first-leading to limited benefit or to injury. The demands of this training, however, do require a very considered approach in to avoid creating injury problems as well. Plyometric training is linked to increasing your ability to generate large forces fast, making it plausible there could a benefit in using this training to build injury resistance. As discussed in a previous article, distance running requires your muscles to create and cope with relatively large forces in very short, fast time frames. For example, research has extensively shown this enables you to reduce the energy cost of running, in essence allowing you to run at a given pace for longer or have more energy in the tank to utilize for greater speedĪ second, less well-known benefit is the potential link between plyometric training and the reduction of muscle and joint injuries.

Aside from the classic tool of endurance training to improve your run speed at duration, there’s been more research over the last twenty years that’s developed into using plyometric training, alongside traditional endurance training, in order to improve your speed more. Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members!Īs a triathlete, one of the most desirable goals for you is probably to increase your average running speed over an extended distance-ie.

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