Posted on January 09, 2019 by Jenny Cromack
Wanting to get a bit more powerful and explosive? Perhaps you play a sport that you want to improve at? Or perhaps you just want to feel athletic in your training? Here’s a great power and plyometric workout that you can blast through in around 45 minutes.
1) Reactive Counter-movement Jumps – 3 sets of 8. Resting 2 minutes between sets
You’re aiming to perform all 8 jumps from the quarter squat position, jumping as high as possible each time. Every time you hit the ground your goal is to absorb the force as softly as possible and rebound quickly. We’re aiming to really utilise your SSC (stretch shorten cycle) to develop great reactive strength and power qualities.
2) Seated Box Jump – 3 sets of 5. Resting 2-3 minutes between sets
Start seated on a box of around 24″, and jump onto another higher box. You’ll be developing what we call ‘starting force,’ which is the ability to synchronise recruitment of muscles from a static position. Being seated stops you using momentum and forces you to work finding a smooth but aggressive movement pattern.
3) Kneeling Med Ball Throws – 3 sets of 6. Resting 2-3 minutes between sets
A great upper body power development exercise. On both knees you’ll be essentially performing a chest pass, using your arms and chest muscles to throw the medicine ball as hard as possible. I recommend throwing the ball against a stack of plyo boxes or mats so that you don’t have to run and fetch it every time. If it gets too easy you can either grab a heavier med ball or start performing 1 arm variations.
4) Hang Power Cleans – 3 sets of 5. Resting 2-3 minutes between sets
Since power is related to both strength and speed, hang power cleans are a perfect as they’re a combination of both. You’ll be focusing on achieving a full extension of the hips, knees and ankles and catching the bar nice and strong. My advice is to start with light weights whilst you learn the technique, then once you’ve got that down start adding on weight and really trying to overload the movement.
Top Tip: the rests might seem a little longer than the workouts you’re used to, but this is perfect for power development work. Aim to put maximum effort into every set and enjoy those recovery periods.
Have fun!