Over the years, the physical side of sport has become increasingly more important, and, because of this, plyometrics has become quite popular in soccer recently.
If we compare the physical condition of today’s football players with those from the 70s and 80s, then the latter would be several steps behind. This doesn’t mean they didn’t work hard in their era, it’s just that these days there have been so many advances due to different areas of research in this area.
One of the latest innovations is plyometrics. This physical training method has gained considerable popularity in recent years and has become a complement for high-level athletes.
Plyometrics is directly related to muscle training and helps players to gain more speed and better reactions, preventing injuries at the same time.
In soccer camps, plyometric exercises are increasingly integrated to enhance players’ agility, power, and endurance. In this post, we’ll discuss everything related to plyometrics, its benefits in football, some recommended plyometric exercises, and how to incorporate this routine into your training sessions.
What is Plyometrics?
Plyometrics is a type of exercise training that works on your muscles and aims to shorten the stretching cycle in order to quickly reach the concentric or muscle-shortening phase.
The stretching cycle is when the muscle begins to stretch in order to develop its full power, while muscle shortening is the stage of the movement when the muscle is working at its maximum possible strength.
In short, plyometrics aims to shorten this period as much as possible.
This goal is achieved by stimulating the central nervous system with a series of exercises that enhance muscle elasticity, achieving an effective and rapid muscle contraction, which is ideal for high-performance athletes like soccer players, runners, and athletes.
Plyometrics is being widely applied in football because its positive effects are very noticeable in areas such as jumping, sprinting/explosive strength, and quick shooting.
Jumping and running speed are two very important factors in football, and can have a huge effect on team and player performance.
Plyometrics Phases
Plyometric exercises are divided into three phases, which work the muscles in different ways and prepare them to function optimally when needed.
- The first phase is the eccentric phase. This is when the movement begins, and the necessary energy to execute the movement is applied.
- The next step is the amortization phase. At this point, the muscle or muscles have received sufficient kinetic energy to carry out the movement, leading to the muscle’s myotatic stretch reflex.
- Finally, we reach the concentric phase, where all the accumulated energy is used to perform whatever action is being carried out.
The exercises aim to carry out these three phases in order to stimulate the myotatic reflex, make the muscles shorten, and then increase their performance.
The Benefits of Plyometrics in Soccer
When applied correctly by experienced coaches in high performance soccer academy, plyometrics has brought several benefits in football and high-performance sports in general.
It has been proven that soccer players have significantly improved their jumping ability, which is important for aerial duels and successful set-pieces.
Additionally, as we mentioned before, plyometrics is also used to improve players’ running speed. Modern football is much faster, which is why we hardly see those big strikers who used to spend much of the game in the opponent’s area.
Nowadays, every player in the team must be fit enough to press, defend, recover balls, and attack. These are the benefits:
- It improves the central nervous system’s flexibility, and enhances the player’s muscle reactions.
- It can improve the players’ running speed and acceleration.
- It improves jumping technique and the average height obtained in each jump.
- Intense workouts improve the players’ general physical fitness.
- It brings out the best possible performance from the muscles being worked on, enabling the player to be aware of the limits and avoid potential injuries.
Plyometrics Contraindications
Despite having many physical benefits, plyometrics can trigger some adverse effects if exercises are not performed correctly or if the muscles get overloaded from too many training sessions.
› These exercises are intense and high-impact, so they aren’t recommended for people with joint problems, joint instability, or those experiencing inflammation or joint pain.
› Furthermore, great care must be taken with plyometric exercises in those who are recovering from severe injuries, as they can impair muscle recovery.
The joints are subjected to constant stress during plyometric exercises. Therefore, we recommend that these types of sessions be carried out by qualified trainers in academies, soccer camps, or similar.
If you want to experiment with plyometrics on your own, make sure to take 2 to 3-minute rests between each series to avoid the risk of injury.
Types of Plyometric Exercises
Plyometric exercises are classified according to their intensity: low, medium, and high.
Beginners are recommended to start with low-intensity plyometric exercises to get their bodies used to these high-impact movements and prevent injuries.
Low-Intensity Exercises
- Submaximal jumps
- Bounds
- Lateral bounds
- Forward and backward bounds
- Unilateral bounds
Medium-Intensity Exercises
- Box Jump (Jumping onto an elevated surface)
- Drop Jump (Falling from an elevated surface and then immediately jumping as soon as you touch the ground)
- Horizontal jump (A long standing jump aiming for the longest distance)
- Squat Jump (or Jump Squat)
High-Intensity Exercises
- Chain jumps: Consisting of jumping on one leg, as if running, but continually taking advantage of the longest possible distance and height in each continuous jump.
- Continuous jumps with obstacles.
- Jumping while grouping together different body sections.
Best Plyometric Training for Soccer
Soccer drills are also measured by their intensity. During the training week, coaches usually rotate the exercises to avoid overloading muscles and to work on different areas.
Plyometrics is also very useful in training to improve full-body coordination.
Exercises with Ladders and Obstacles
Low-intensity plyometrics in football is carried out through exercises that develop coordination and rapid lower-body movement, using ladders or obstacles.
In these exercises, players must follow a high-paced movement pattern, in one-legged exercises where each foot is placed on each square of the ‘ladder‘.
The intensity and complexity of these exercises can vary with more personalized obstacles, but the purpose is the same: to train the muscles to improve coordination and dynamism.
Jumps and Laterality
Just as in the previous section, footballers carry out medium-intensity exercises with jumps and also jumping down from surfaces.
The jumps can be performed with either one or two legs, with lateral movements to stimulate side-to-side movement and improve the sense of positioning on the field.
These exercises exert a lot of pressure on the knee area, which results in stress on the joint. These exercises shouldn’t be excessively intense, and you should always check the condition of your body after the sessions.
Optimal Height and Length Jumps
High-intensity plyometric exercises, like optimal vertical jumps, are often used a few times a week in football.
The idea here is that the player trains their jumping ability and the muscles in their legs as intensely as possible to improve their elasticity.
However, it isn’t recommended to carry out more than two sessions of these exercises in a single training session, as it can be very exhausting and lead to injuries.
How to Incorporate Plyometric Exercises into Your Routine
The best way to introduce plyometric exercises into your training routine is by starting with low-intensity exercises.
In soccer, we suggest that you adapt the drills and include small obstacles and objects. You can use cones and accessories to create a high-paced routine.
With jumps, it’s the same, and we recommend that you measure and gradually increase the heights as you advance in the training. Please note that some plyometric exercises put a fair amount of stress on the joints and these can cause injuries if done incorrectly.
Do a maximum of four sets per exercise, with 2-3 minute rests between each.
Additionally, why not devote about 20-30 minutes of your daily routine to plyometric exercises, combining them with strength exercises, calisthenics, and others?
However, always try to alternate plyometric work on your muscles with strength training exercises. What we mean here is that if you carry out plyometrics exercises that are focused on one area of your body one day, then don’t do high-impact strength exercises that day, in order to prevent potential injuries.
If you have any questions, always consult an expert or join specific plyometric exercise camps designed for high-performance sports.
Recommendations for Safe Practices with Plyometrics
- Start with low-intensity exercises during your first week.
- Have rest periods of at least two minutes between sessions to avoid muscle and joint fatigue.
- Devote about 10-15 minutes to plyometrics in your first sessions, and increase it as your body allows.
- In jumping exercises, start with reasonable heights that are achievable for your body.
- Rotate plyometric exercises and strength training exercises throughout the week.
- Avoid overloading one area or muscle.
- Don’t overexert yourself in the movements or exercises.
- Stop and consult an expert if you feel that plyometrics is negatively affecting your body.
Conclusion
Plyometrics is a training method that has been gaining more and more followers in recent years. Its proven benefits in elasticity, coordination, speed, and sprinting/explosive strength make many elite-level football players opt for this type of routine.
With a healthy plyometric exercise routine, a footballer can improve in various areas which will positively impact their performance on the pitch.
Plyometrics helps footballers improve their:
- Coordination
- Explosive strength
- Speed
- Jumping ability
- Elasticity