| There are many sports experts out there
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| | good) who added plyometrics to their
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| that claim you can increase vertical
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| | normal weight training. They saw an
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| height by using plyometrics alone!
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| | increase in vertical leap of 11%. There
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| Let's see why this statement is untrue!
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| | was also a description of a study done at
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| There are many studies that prove that
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| | the Human Performance Lab at Oregon State
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| plyometrics are not the best way to
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| | that compared plyometrics (jumps onto a
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| increase vertical height!
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| | box, double leg hops and split squat
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| An 8-week study found no significant
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| | jumps) and squatting twice per week to
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| improvement in long jump performance or
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| | one or the other. The squat only group
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| vertical jump by 26 college-age subjects
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| | increase vertical leap 3.30 centimeters.
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| who performed depth jumps 2x a week (1).
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| | Plyometrics only showed a 3.81 cm
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| Another study reported no significant
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| | increase and the combination training
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| difference in the vertical jump between a
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| | increased 10.67 cm which is a big
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| group training with an isokinetic leg
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| | difference.
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| press and a group training with depth
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| | My issue with plyometrics is that it has
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| jumps (2).
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| | not been studied enough for the average
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| A study by Clutch concluded that
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| | person to take up this kind of workout.
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| plyometrics exercises (depth jumps of
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| | The height that people jump from has to
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| various heights) are no more effective
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| | be exact, the technique at which the land
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| than a regular jumping routine for
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| | has to be as near perfect as possible,
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| increasing vertical jump and leg strength
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| | the coach has to really know what they
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| (3).
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| | are doing. If you are doing it from a
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| And yet another study showed no
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| | book, then stay well away from
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| significant differences in the 40-yard
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| | plyometrics. If you have a qualified
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| dash and the vertical jump between a
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| | coach who has done this kind training and
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| weight training group versus a group
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| | really knows there stuff, then go for it.
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| using plyometrics (4).
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| | References
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| Another study found no significant
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| | 1) Scoles, G. 1978. Depth jumping! Does
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| differences in dynamic leg strength and
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| | it really work? "Athletic Journal" 58
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| leg power between a group who only
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| | (January):48-50,74-76. 2) Blattner, S.,
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| performed maximum vertical jumps (from
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| | and L. Noble. 1979. Relative effects of
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| ground level), and two groups who
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| | isokinetic and plyometric training on
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| performed depth jumps from varying
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| | vertical jumping performance. "Research
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| heights(5).
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| | Quarterly" 50 (4):583-588. 3) Clutch, D.,
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| And it gets even better, because a couple
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| | M. Wilton, C. McGown and G.R. Bryce.
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| of other studies concluded that
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| | 1983. The effect of depth jumps and
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| plyometrics have no effect on power
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| | weight training on leg strength and
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| development/performance (6,7). Yet
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| | vertical jump. "Research Quarterly"
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| another study found no significant
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| | 54:5-10. 4) Ford Jr, H. T., J.R. Puckett,
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| differences in the vertical jump, the leg
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| | J.P. Drummond, K.Sawyer, K.Gantt and
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| press and peak power of the quads between
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| | C.Fussell. 1983. Effects of three
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| a group who performed a strength training
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| | combinations of plyometric and weight
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| program and a group who performed a
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| | training programs on selected physical
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| strength training program and
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| | fitness test items. "Perceptual and Motor
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| plyometrics(8).
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| | Skills" 56:919-922. 5) Blakey, J. B., and
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| But plyometrics might be good for one
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| | D.Southard. 1987. The combined effects of
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| thing and that is causing sport injuries!
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| | weight training and plyometrics on
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| Cook and his coworkers noted the risk of
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| | dynamic leg strength and leg power.
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| injury associated with plyometrics (9).
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| | "Journal of Applied Sport Science
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| Hutchins states that the use of
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| | Research" 1(1):14-16. 6) Durak, E. 1987.
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| plyometrics exercises is "irresponsible"
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| | Physical performance responses to muscle
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| (10). The most common plyometrics related
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| | lengthening and weight training exercises
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| injuries are patellar tendonitis (11,12)
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| | in young women. "Journal of Applied Sport
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| and stress fractures (11). Many others
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| | Science Research" 1(3):60. 7)
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| have questioned the safety of
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| | Christenson, D., and S. Melville. 1988.
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| plyometrics.
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| | The effects of depth jumps on university
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| Having said that, you can see why,
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| | football players. "Journal of Applied
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| plyometrics are not the best way to
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| | Sport Science Research" 2(3):54. 8)
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| increase vertical height! There is
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| | Kramer, J. F., A. Morrow and A. Leger.
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| absolutely no scientific basis to it- the
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| | 1993. Changes in rowing ergometer, weight
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| scientific evidence proves it to bee
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| | lifting, vertical jump and isokinetic
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| harmful and not beneficial.
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| | performance in response to standard and
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| At best you can be injured if you do not
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| | standard plus plyometric training
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| have the necessary strength base! Having
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| | programs. "International Journal of
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| said that, it is imperative to develop a
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| | Sports Medicine" 14:449-454. 9) Cook,
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| foundation of strength with strength/
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| | S.D., G. Schultz, M. L. Omey, M. W. Wolfe
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| weight training program before using
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| | and M. F. Brunet. 1993. Development of
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| plyometrics!
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| | lower leg strength and flexibility with
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| Plyometrics should be performed only if
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| | the strength show. "The American Journal
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| your body is strong enough to handle it.
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| | of Sports Medicine" 21:445-448. 10)
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| Here are a few studies that prove that a
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| | Hutchins, K. 1992. "Super Slow: The
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| plyometrics training system in
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| | ultimate exercise protocol." 2d ed.
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| combination with a strength training
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| | Casselberry, FL:Super Slow Systems. 11)
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| program can give you good results
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| | Wikgren, S. 1988. The plyometrics debate.
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| In an issue of the Penn State Sports
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| | "Coaching Women's Basketball" 1 (May
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| Medicine Newsletter there are numerous
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| | June):10-13. 12) Horrigan, J., and D.
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| studies that prove this point!
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| | Shaw. 1990. Plyometrics: The dangers of
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| One was of Finnish volleyball players
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| | depth jumps. "High Intensity Training
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| (whose jump skills were already very
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| | Newsletter 2(4):15-21.
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