Combining Plyometric Exercise with Other Training

Plyometrics are an effective form of exercise for specific needs, but should only play a part in a total-body exercise program. This blog will discuss the idea of effectively combining plyometrics with other exercise types either on same days or opposing days.

Plyometric Exercise and Resistance Training

By combining different training types in the same day, athletes are generally not recommended to combine heavy resistance training and plyometrics of the same body parts in the same day. Instead, by splitting upper and lower body training can become effective and efficient. For example, one day, an athlete may want to use high-intensity upper body resistance training, and should therefore only use low-intensity lower body plyometric training. The opposite of that would be the next day where the individual would then perform low-intensity upper bod resistance training and highly intense lower body plyometric training.

There are, of course exceptions to almost every rule. In one instance, an athlete could greatly benefit from combining some resistance training with plyometric training. An example of this would have the athlete using about 30% of their 1-rep maximum load in their squat jumps.

Another exception to the rule would be for highly trained individuals only. In this case, by using complex training known as "post-activation potentiation" (P.A.P.), an individual would use a weighted resistance exercise immediately followed by a plyometric or explosive exercise. Research has shown that these "complexes" are highly effective at recruiting high-threshold muscle motor units.

Plyometric and Aerobic Exercise
It should be noted that plyometric exercise, when used as power training, should be used before, and separated from aerobic exercise. However, by understanding the needs of specific athletes (basketball, soccer, hockey players), one would understand the need for the combination of plyometric exercise (anaerobic power) with aerobic conditioning, so the two forms of exercise can be combined, but the aerobic exercise can limit some of the power benefits gained from the plyometrics.

-Tyler Robbins
B.Sc. PTS