In Taekwon Do we need to be able to jump at a certain time during our evolution and climb through the belts, some people find this a challenge! Plyometric exercises are the key to increasing your jump height, your power, improving your reaction time, and taking your athleticism to the next level.

With the below exercises the key is to undertake them as perfectly as possible, there are a couple of key rules to follow:

  • Ideally do not be exhausted from other exercises before you do these for maximum gains. You need to be relatively fresh when conducting these to enable the max force output.
  • The plyometric action should undertaken as fast as you can utilising a short stretch shortening cycle reducing the amortisation phase as much as possible.

(http://athletics.wikia.com/wiki/Amortization_phase)

Here are seven plyo exercises to help you build power quickly:

Box jumps: Performed correctly, they build power and increase your speed and agility, as well as having a cardiovascular effect.

To do them, you’ll need a ploy box or a sturdy elevated surface. Beginners should start with a lower box, as the higher the plyo box, the more difficult this exercise will be:

  1. Stand in front of a plyo box with your feet approximately shoulder-width apart.
  2. Jump forward and up onto the box, landing with your knees slightly bent.
  3. Step back down before repeating the jump.

To make box jumps more difficult, you can work on stringing them together rather than breaking them up as described above:

  1. Stand in front of a plyo box with your feet approximately shoulder-width apart.
  2. Jump onto the box, then jump (or step) back down to the starting point.
  3. Briefly absorb the shock of the jump, then jump immediately back onto the box without resting.

 

 

Lateral jumping:  These will increase your lateral power and speed. They are an essential exercise for a martial artist when sparring with the need to switch directions quickly:

  1. Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart.
  2. Jump as high and far as you can to one side.
  3. Immediately jump back to the starting place.

Get creative with lateral jumps and make them harder by adding an obstacle to jump over. The higher the obstacle, the more difficult the jumps will become. 

Depth jumps:  A phenomenal exercise to build power and increase your vertical leap. Performing depth jumps from lower plyo boxes (around 30”) will lead to the greatest explosive strength and reaction gains, while performing them from higher plyo boxes (around 42”) will lead to the greatest strength development:

  1. Stand on top of a plyo box with your feet about shoulder width apart.
  2. Step off the box, bending your knees to absorb the shock as you land.
  3. Immediately jump up as high as you can.

Long jumps:  A classic power building and conditioning exercise. They will strengthen your legs and increase reaction time:

  1. Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
  2. Bend your knees, then jump as far forward as possible.
  3. Absorb the shock immediately, then take off into your next jump.

To make long jumps even more challenging, add obstacles to jump over in between jumps.

Single leg long jumps: Make long jumps even harder and build single leg explosiveness. As a bonus, they also force you to work on your single leg balance and coordination:

  1. Stand up straight while holding one leg off of the ground.
  2. Squat down and jump as far forward as you can on one leg, pumping your arms as you do so.
  3. Try to go as fast as you can while still maintaining your balance.

Just like with regular long jumps, adding obstacles will increase the difficulty of single leg long jumps even more.

Jump lunges: Build single leg coordination and power which will assist in all aspects of your martial arts delivery:

  1. Start in a lunge position with one leg bent forward in a ninety degree angle and the other bent behind you.
  2. Jump up explosively with your back leg, then switch positions in the air and land with the opposite leg forward.

To make jump lunges even harder, place your back foot on a raised surface such as a mat or bench as you perform the exercise.

Ply push ups: To build explosive upper body strength and power necessary for blocking and striking. There are many variations of the plyo push up. Try some of these advanced variations to mix up your training:

Plyo Clap Push Ups - 

  1. Get in a push up position with your hands directly underneath your shoulders.
  2. Bend your elbows so that your chest is a few inches above the floor.
  3. Push up explosively, clapping your hands as you reach the top position before landing back in a push up.

Full Body Explosive Push Ups -

  1. Get in a push up position with your hands directly underneath your shoulders.
  2. Bend your elbows so that your chest is a few inches above the floor.
  3. Push up explosively with your entire body so that both your hands and feet leave the floor.

 Push Up Onto Higher Surface -

  1. Get in a push up position with your hands directly underneath your shoulders.
  2. Bend your elbows so that your chest is a few inches above the floor.
  3. Explode up as you push yourself up and forward onto a mat, yoga blocks, or a higher surface.

The more explosive you become, the higher surfaces you can jump onto.  The options for plyo push ups are endless. Be creative and work on pushing your body higher and higher up in the air.

Keep Challenging Yourself

Whether your goal is to excel at a sport or to conquer some personal ambitions, increasing power and reaction time with plyometric exercises is a must for any athlete. You can try adding them to your workout routine in different ways:

  • Use them to work on improving individual skills. Paying special attention to your technique and form, particularly when you’re new to the movement, will help you master the exercise and prevent future injuries. Box jumps and depth jumps specifically should be treated with due care.
  • Although you will not achieve the maximum gains from this you can add them to a circuit or HIIT workout. This will help you maximize your workout efficiency by elevating your heart rate and improving your conditioning as you work to increase power.

Just as with any new skill or exercise, the key to hitting your goals is to work these exercises consistently and keep pushing yourself to avoid plateaus. As you get better and stronger at the movements, get creative and add obstacles to keep yourself challenged and improving.

Adapted from an article by Krista Stryker

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