Passing Plyometrics

When people talk about plyometrics, most of us think about working on a basketball player's vertical jump or lateral speed, but did you know that plyometrics can also improve your (team's) passing?

This article in the most recent edition of the National Strength and Conditioning Association's Performance Journal discussed plyometric training of the upper body.

The author recommends throwing a medicine ball upwards while lying on a bench (make sure someone is spotting you!) and performing clapping push-ups (where you clap your hands together at the height of your pushup and catch yourself before your hands hit the floor).

While he doesn't mention it, the thought occurred to me that these exercises might be useful in improving basketball passing velocity (chest pass).

A little research led me to a 2006 article from the Japanese Journal of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine which concludes that "plyometrics, by using the drop jump and medicine ball throw, are effective training methods for improving jump, footwork and chest pass ability in competitive basketball players".

While I can't comment on the accuracy of these findings (anybody out there able to translate Japanese?), it shouldn't be too hard to add these two plyometric exercises to the routine of an older teenager.

It just might improve their passing ability.

Jump! - Plyometrics in Youth Basketball - Part 2

Last month, I promised to continue my discussion about the use of plyometrics in youth basketball.

In this entry, I offer some suggestions about appropriate times to train, amount of training, length of training, and some useful and credible resources.

Like most pre-season programs that cause neuromuscular changes, you should start plyometric training at least 6 weeks before the start of practice.

A good youth plyometrics program is based upon these 5 principles:

1) Sufficient warmup – Any good workout should start with a dynamic warm-up to get the muscles ready for training.

2) Appropriate overload – Work first with simple body weight exercises that are enough to challenge you. Don't use heavy weights or deep jumps.

3) Gradual progression – Don’t try to do too much too soon. If you do, you’re just asking for a good case of Osgood-Schlatter Disease or Sever’s Disease. Start with less intense exercises and then gradually progress to more advanced ones.

4) Cool-down Period and

5) Adequate Rest- Most experts recommend 2 or 3 days of rest between plyometric training to enable your muscles to recover and grow from the previous workout. This usually works out to twice each week on non-consecutive days.

Make sure that when you do plyometric exercises, you:

Use soft training surfaces.(Jumping on concrete or asphalt can lead to knee, ankle, and hip damage).

Use non-skid training surfaces.

Use jumping boxes that will not move.

Wear proper shoes.

Keep the jumping area free of clutter.

Remember:

Learn and practice proper landing form on all jumps because landing with stiff, straight legs puts pressure on the ligaments and bones and not the muscles. This can cause injury and reduces the effectiveness of your training.

Plyometric drills should be performed when your legs are fresh and before lifting weights.

When it comes to plyometric drills, more is not necessarily better.

For more information about plyometrics, read Progressive Plyometrics for Kids by Faigenbaum, Falkel and Chu and Jumping into Plyometrics by Donald Chu, PhD.

Jump to it!

Jump! - Plyometrics for Youth Basketball

You've heard and seen the ads.

Want to jump higher? Try this!!

Guaranteed to increase your vertical jump by 3-6 inches!!!

Learn the secret behind (insert celebrity athlete's name here)'s athleticism!!

Behind the explosion of products and programs designed to increase your vertical jump, there's a common thread: Plyometrics

What is Plyometrics?

Plyometrics is the use of dynamic movements that involve a rapid stretch of a muscle (eccentric muscle contraction) that is immediately followed by a rapid shortening of a muscle (concentric muscle contraction).

It's a type of exercise that helps muscle fibers learn to contract with more strength and speed which is especially helpful in an explosive sport like basketball.

What's more, childhood may actually be the best time to start plyometric training because a child's neuromuscular system may "learn" it's plyometric lessons more quickly than an adult who trains in a similar fashion.

Why is Plyometrics so Popular?

There are many potential benefits to plyometric exercises, including:

• Increased muscle strength
• Increased muscle power
• Improved balance
• Enhanced agility
• Increased speed
• Enhanced sports performance
• Reduced risk of knee injuries in female athletes ( http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=16686562&ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum )
  

What are Some Different Types of Plyometric Exercises?

When most people think of plyometric exercises, they imagine someone doing jumps over hurdles or off of tall jump boxes while they wear special shoes.

But plyometrics can be as simple as skipping rope or doing jumping jacks. There are hundreds of exercises with thousands of variations that can be used to design an effective plyometrics program: cone hops, backward hops, single leg jumps, double leg jumps, power skipping, hurdle jumps, box jumps, alternate leg bounding... you get the picture.

Dangers of Plyometrics

Because of its emphasis on quick, repetitive eccentric/concentric muscle contractions, plyometrics tends to cause more muscle damage than some other types of exercises. Too much plyometrics (in amount or intensity) for a teenager can lead to muscle soreness and decreased performance. Too much plyometrics for a younger athlete can lead to tendon injuries.

So what should you look for in a good plyometrics program? More to come.......