To perform front bounds, with your feet at shoulder-width apart, lower into a quarter squat and then take off into a jump, traveling as far forward as you can. Front and Lateral Boundsįinish your plyometric session with front and lateral bounds, which will improve your sprinting speed and lateral movement abilities. Perform two sets of five reps of each exercise. As soon as your feet hit, take off into a maximum height vertical jump. Step off the box and land on the floor with both feet. Depth jumps involve starting on top of the box. Lower into a quarter squat and then take off into a maximum-height jump, landing on top of the box with both feet.

To perform box jumps, stand on the floor in front of the plyo box with your feet set to shoulder-width apart. You’ll need a plyo box for both exercises. Move onto box jumps and depth jumps, which build power in your jumping and sprinting muscles. Complete two sets of eight reps of each exercise, resting 30 to 60 seconds between each set. Jump over each cone in a diagonal, zig-zag manner as quickly as possible. Stand behind and slightly to the side of the first cone. Zig-zag jumps are similar, except that instead of jumping forward over the cones, you jump diagonally over them. Stand facing the first hurdle or cone and hop over each cone, trying to reduce the time your feet are in contact with the ground. To perform hurdle hops, set out short hurdles or small cones in a single-file line, with each one a few feet apart. Hurdle Hops and Zig-Zag Jumpsīegin your workout with two-foot-hop exercises such as hurdle hops and zig-zag jumps, which improve how quickly you’re able to take off from the ground. For workouts to be effective, when doing plyometrics perform each repetition as explosively as possible. Before each session, perform five to 10 minutes of light cardio, followed by dynamic stretches that target the lower body. Therefore, spread two workouts throughout a week period, with three days off in between each one.

Including tuck jumps in a Tabata is one of the most effective ways to get your HIIT on.Because of the intensity of plyometrics, your neuromuscular system needs at least three days off in between training sessions. They can also improve muscle stabilization – which is important for barbell movements.Ī solid set of tuck jumps is one of the best ways to spike your heart rate and propel you into that magic HIIT zone of 85 – 100% Heart Rate Max. The explosive nature of tuck jumps is key to helping us build strength for heavy barbell movements like deadlifts. Targeting the quadriceps, glutes and hamstrings, tuck jumps are a fantastic way for Olympic weightlifters, powerlifters and athletes to develop greater power production in the lower body. THEY IMPROVE YOUR STRENGTH FOR WEIGHTLIFTING They can be especially effective for sports such as soccer and basketball. Tuck jumps are a type of plyometric movement, which can increase the rate of muscle contraction, increase power output, enhance muscle performance and ultimately result in enhanced athletic performance. When the core is properly engaged, the force generated from the leg muscles is transmitted to the upper body efficiently through the spine without reducing acceleration as you lift off the ground. The energy required not only to jump but to pull the knees into the body is incredibly taxing, and therefore will torch calories and burn fat fast.īoth the rectus abdominis and external obliques work significantly harder during tuck jumps than regular squat jumps because the core muscles are required to generate a high level of support to lift the knees towards the chest, as well as land safely. Love them or hate them, they remain a staple of LES MILLS GRIT ™ and BODYATTACK ™ and in the UNITED releases, they make a surprise appearance in BODYCOMBAT ™ Track 8! Apart from looking super impressive (kind of like you can fly), what do tuck jumps actually do for us?Īs anyone who has performed several tuck jumps in a row will know, they are a hugely demanding exercise.

Tuck jumps.