Background

Plyometric exercises are specialized and intense training techniques for developing muscle and strength. Plyometrics consists of exercises where the muscle is first moved eccentrically, or stretched, and then immediately moved concentrically, or contracted.

An example of a plyometric exercise is push-ups with a clap in between each push-up. In this case, the pectoral muscles are elongated and loaded by the downward force of the body, stretching eccentrically, then immediately contracted to push the body back up, stretching concentrically. The clap push-up, as opposed to a normal push-up, ensures that there is only a short amount of time between the eccentric and concentric contractions of the muscle.

Plyometrics has been used in different sports training programs. For example, proponents use plyometrics with the intention of improving a boxer's punch, or increasing a basketball player's vertical jump.

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Effectiveness Effectiveness definitions

INSUFFICIENT RELIABLE EVIDENCE TO RATE

Muscle strength. Preliminary clinical research shows that plyometric exercises may increase peak bone mass in adolescent girls as compared to girls who are not undergoing plyometric training after a period of nine months. The plyometric exercises used in this study include squats, lunges and calf raises using weighted vests, and hopping, bounding and box depth jumps.

More evidence is needed to rate plyometrics for this use.

Natural Medicines rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate.

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Mechanism of action

Plyometrics, as an exercise technique, has been promoted for building muscle and building bone.

The underlying principle of plyometric training is the stretch-shortening cycle. As a muscle stretches and contracts eccentrically, theoretically, it produces stored elastic energy. Then, as the muscle shortens and contracts concentrically, the stored elastic energy will be used to increase the force of the contraction. Therefore, in theory, a muscle that is stretched before it contracts, will contract more forcefully. Plyometric training places increased stretch loads on the working muscles. In theory, as the muscles become more tolerant to the increased loads, the stretch-shortening cycle becomes more efficient due to increasing stores of elastic energy. It can transfer from the eccentric or stretching phase to the concentric or lengthening phase more rapidly, thus generating peak power.