Plyometric exercises train your muscles to apply maximal force in the shortest time period possible, which improves your agility -- the ability to accelerate, decelerate and change directions quickly. Agility is important if you play sports such as baseball, basketball, football, soccer, softball and volleyball, just to name a few. You can use plyometric boxes, between 6 and 36 inches tall, to perform a variety of plyometric exercises for your lower body.
Box Shuffle
The box shuffle exercise requires a 6 to 12 inch tall box. Place your entire left foot on top of the box with your knee flexed to about 90 degrees and your right foot behind the box. Lean forward so your shoulders hover over the front of the box. Bend your elbows to 90 degrees with your hands outside your hips. Powerfully extend your left leg and thrust your arms forward and upward, jumping as high as possible and slightly to the left. Adjust your feet in the air so you land with your right foot on the box and left foot behind the box, opposite the way you started. Upon landing, immediately push off with your right leg and jump back to the starting position. Continue alternating sides for at least 10 total repetitions.
Depth Jump
Depth jumps place significant stress on your ankles and knees, don't attempt them if you are weak in either area. Stand on top of a box with your feet close together and toes close to an edge. Let your arms hang at your sides. Step off the edge of the box and land on both feet, absorbing the impact by flexing your knees to about 90 degrees. Immediately extend both legs and drive your arms forward and upward, reaching above your head, to jump as high as possible. Limit horizontal movement during the jump as much as possible. Use a 6-inch box at first, then gradually increase the height.
Drop and Sprint Drill
The drop and sprint drill trains your muscles to accelerate your body quickly after landing from a jump. If you play basketball, the drill will help you get down the floor quickly after rebounding the ball. Position a box on a flat surface and a cone at least 10 yards in front of the box. Perform the drill just like depth jumps, but after you land on the floor, sprint forward through the cone. Do not squat down after you land; start sprinting immediately. Land on one foot only after you step off the box to make the drill more challenging.
Lateral Box Jumps
Lateral box jumps prepare your body to jump and move quickly from side to side. Stand on the left side of a box, about 2 feet away, with your right side closest to the box and arms at your sides. Squat until your thighs are about 45 degrees to the floor, then jump on top of the box, keeping your chest facing forward. Step off the opposite side of the box, reset your feet with your left side closest to the box, then jump up in the opposite direction. Continue alternating sides for 10 or more total repetitions.
References
- "Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning"; Thomas Baechle and Roger Earle; 2000
- "Training for Speed, Agility, and Quickness"; Lee E. Brown and Vance A. Ferrigno; 2005
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