With the number of videos on instagram and tik-tok claiming 'do these exercises to get faster' then prescribing a load of very high intensity plyometrics I thought it would be wise to lay out the framework from which I view plyometrics.

The three levels I use when I think about plyometrics are:

Level 1: Extensive Plyos

Extensive plyos are submaximal continuous jumps. The goal when performing these is fluidity of movement, each jump should smoothly transition into the next.

Level 2: Intensive Plyos

Intensive plyos are maximal jumps performed individually. The goal here is pretty straight forward; jump as high or as far as you can.

Level 3: Shock Plyos

Shock plyos involve a sharp landing prior to a jump e.g. a drop jump or continuous hurdle jumps. The goal with these jumps is to minimize ground contact time and maximise jump height.

This framework follows a simple progression from low intensity to high intensity. By gradually progressing through each level you will not only improve your ability to jump through how you interact with the ground (specifically through the use of the stretch shortening cycle) but also reduce your risk of injury by increasing the capacity of your body to handle progressively higher forces.