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FUZO
03-31-2015, 03:43 AM
Sharpen Your Arsenal of Workouts With Plyometric Exercises



This Article was originally posted on www.FitnessGeared.com ,


Think back when you were a child on the playground. You would run, jump, swing, fall, and nothing would stop you. (Folks, don’t try this at home) One of my personal favorite things to do was to find the highest possible spot on the playground, climb on top of that and then jump right off. Oh what a joy that was. Fast forward to the typical human being in their late twenties and beyond, and doing that very same jump will most likely result in a shattered tibia. What has happened since then and now, and what can we do to condition our bodies to benefit from impact, instead of put a cast around a broken bone.


Benefits Of Plyometric Exercises

Many athletes and sport enthusiasts will agree with the benefits of plyometric exercises. Mainly, plyometric work will help one in their athletic ability by enhancing your type II fast twitch muscle fibers. These muscle fibers are what makes a boxer throw a knockout haymaker, just as the same as a little bunny rabbit escape the chase from a coyote.


Plyometric exercises also can help improve bone density. Thinking back to us as kids jumping around on the playground, our bones are not as firm as they are when we are adults. There is still room for growth and development, thus a jump off the highest point in the playground may not result in broken bones. Including plyometric work in your weekly exercise routine will increase bone density, due to how the bones respond to impact.


When it comes to weight loss as well, plyometric work is an important contributor as well. A weight loss exerciser can reap the benefit of utilizing multi-joint compound movements to maximize calorie burn. When following a weight loss exercise program, often plyometerics is included as part of a circuit to keep the heart rate up. These exercises require a lot of energy because they are intense, and often enough use both upper and lower muscles at the same time. Most often plyometric exercises use some sort of a jumping movement. The entire contraction of the whole leg on each and every repetition will get that heart pumping!


Balance is an issue as well that many people struggle with especially when they age. Small stabilizer muscles, and muscle fibers eventually get used so little, that they lose their strength and function. Overall, plyometric work can help improve balance by firing more and more of those fast twitch muscle fibers.


Things to Consider

Be wary of the disadvantages of plyometric exercises. Although the number of disadvantages are few and far between, it is still not for everyone for a couple of reasons:
1. If you are concentrating on gaining strictly size by packing on pounds with a bodybuilding routine, a whole lot of plyometric work may take necessary energy away from your normally heavy lifts. This type of exerciser should limit their plyometric work.
2. Anyone with specific injuries in certain areas should not worsen it with plyometric work. Make sure to keep precaution on these exercises because they are high impact. Anyone that has trouble with dizziness or fainting should take precaution as well.


With any type of workout or exercise plan, it is important to start with the basics and work your way up from there. Plyometric work may need a few weeks or months before you start to progress to some more challenging lifts to keep up with the demands of your goals.

There are a vast number of plyometric exercises to consider to add. Most common ones you may see people at your location of exercise might include the ever popular burpee. Which is a great method to get that heart rate running. Also the jumping jack (not just used in elementary gym class). But other than these, and box jumps, many people stay away from exercises that can be a very beneficial ingredient to your regimen.


A great alternative to the pushup would be the pushup clap. This is a great way to incorporate upper body work into your plyometric routine. Not only will these help shred up your pectoral muscles, but it will also improve forearm strength similar to how a jumping jack would to your calves.


Try giving a plyometric lunge a try and see how quickly you get gassed out. These will for sure get that burn delivered very quickly to your quads, glutes, and hamstrings.


If you are ready for an advanced exercise, give a plyometric addition to your standard pull up. Try pulling up at an explosive level to create enough momentum in your body for a quick release and catch with the hands. Again, not only will this do wonders to getting a great burn in the lack and other back muscles, but as well as the biceps and forearms will get their fair share of soreness the next day.