Plyometrics for Runners: You’re (Probably) Doing them Wrong.

Last Updated on October 25, 2022 by Heather Hart, ACSM EP, CSCS

Uncomfortable truth: plyometrics are one of those modalities of exercise that most runners – and many coaches – get wrong. 

Plyometrics are a fantastic training tool for helping improve running economy, power, and speed in runners.  But, not every bouncy, dynamic, super hard exercise that spikes your heart rate is truly a plyometric movement.  

(Further – spiking your heart rate, or turning plyometrics into a cardio focused exercise, shouldn’t be the goal.)

And, like almost all training modalities, there are ways to incorporate plyometrics into your training that are far more appropriate and effective than others when it comes to making improvement in running performance. 

In this post we’ll break down everything runners need to know about effectively adding plyometrics to their training, so that you can be well informed before jumping into the next “plyometrics for runners” workout you see on Instagram.

Part 1: Breaking down the science behind plyometrics.
Part 2: Different types & modes of plyometrics explained
Part 3: What are the benefits of plyometrics for runners?
Part 4: Plyometrics FAQ’s
Part 5: Common plyometrics mistakes runners make

Looking for actual plyo exercises to add to your workouts? Or perhaps a better understanding of how to structure a plyometrics session? Visit the post: Plyometric Exercises for Runners: 20 Best Plyo Moves to Add to Your Workout

What are Plyometrics?

Plyometrics are quick, powerful movements that typically involve very short periods of ground contact, and high force production (meaning: how quickly your muscles can exert force).  

Some examples of plyometrics exercises that most people are familiar with include jump squats or box jumps. 

Plyometrics train the muscles, connective tissue and nervous system to effectively carry out the stretch-shortening cycle, and can improve performance in most competitive sports (5).

What Is the Main Goal of Plyometrics Exercises?

The goal of plyometrics is to increase the rate of force development, or, the the amount of force AND how quickly you can achieve that force, in any given muscle.

Further, the goal of specific plyometrics exercises is to develop power specific to the movements of a given sport.

Plyometrics movements should be thought of similar to resistance training exercises, as they are designed to improve specific characteristics of muscle fibers, connective tissue and the nervous system.

While plyometrics exercises can and will increase your heart rate, the goal of plyometrics is NOT a cardio workout.

For example, the instagram video below shows a workout that involved a lot of bouncing around, and it kicked my butt. It wasn’t, however, plyometrics.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Heather Hart – Exercise Physiologist · CSCS · Ultrarunning Coach (@relentlessforwardcommotion)

How do Plyometrics Work?

Plyometrics use a countermovement (or pre-stretch) that utilizes the stretch-shortening cycle, which enables a muscle to reach maximal force in the shortest possible time.

Picture this: if someone asks you to jump as high as you possibly can, you’ll instinctively, and quickly, bend your knees and dip into a quarter squat before pushing your body off of the ground. That pre-jump-squat is an example of countermovement. 

When you land back on the ground after the jump, your muscles lengthen to decelerate your body, storing that force as elastic energy, which can immediately be used into repeating the next jump.

What is the Stretch Shortening Cycle?

We’ve got to get a little sciencey here: the stretch shortening cycle (SSC) combines mechanical and neurophysiological mechanisms, and is the basis of plyometrics exercises.  

There are elastic components in our muscles and tendons that, when rapidly stretched through an eccentric muscle action (lengthening of the muscle), have the ability to store that elastic energy.  If a concentric muscle action (shortening of the muscle)  follows immediately after that stretch, the stored energy is released, increasing total force production.  

We add to this what is known as the myotatic reflex.  When the agonist muscle is stretched, proprioceptors in the muscle tissue sense the stretching, send signals to your spinal cord, and activate alpha motor neurons that cause an involuntary contraction of those muscle fibers. 

An example of the myotatic reflex that most of us are probably familiar with is the “knee jerk reflex”:  when the doctor hits the patellar tendon just below your kneecap with the tiny rubber hammer and your leg reflexively kicks forward. 

Simply put: the stretch shortening cycle results in the agonist muscle contracting even harder and faster than it would normally.   And that increased contraction can help us increase power. 

The three phases of the stretch- shortening cycle include: 

1. Eccentric Phase – the eccentric stretch of the agonist muscle (the main muscle responsible for movement in a given exercise), where elastic energy is stored in the series elastic components of the muscle. 
2. Amortization Phase – the pause between the eccentric and concentric phase, where neurons transmit signals to agonist muscle groups.
3. Concentric Phase – Shortening of the agonist muscle fibers, where elastic energy is released, and neurons simulate the agonist muscle group

It’s important to know these phases in order to understand how to effectively perform plyometrics.   If the amortization phase is too long, the stored energy dissipates, and the myotatic reflex will not happen. 

Keeping that in mind, you can see how exercises like burpees, which can sometimes be slow and grueling, aren’t truly a form of plyometrics. 

Types & Modes of Plyometrics:

Not all plyometric exercises are the same, in the same way that a 100 meter sprint and a 100 mile ultramarathon are both running, but are hardly the “same thing”.

Lower Body Plyometrics

Lower body plyometrics are useful for pretty much all athletes across all sports, and are the main type of plyometrics runners will want to focus on.  Lower body plyometrics utilize – you guessed it – the muscles of the lower body, and can be done at a variety of intensities, and in various planes of direction. 

Upper Body Plyometrics

Upper body plyometrics help develop rapid, powerful upper body movements. These are less essential for runners and improvements in running performance as they would be for an athlete such as a baseball player or shot put thrower.

Regardless, incorporating some upper body plyometrics can help runners maintain a strong, powerful upper body for overall health and fitness purposes.

Trunk Plyometrics

The existence of trunk (often referred to as the “core”) plyometrics is up for debate among the exercise science world. According to the National Strength and Conditioning Association, it is difficult to perform true plyometrics that directly target the musculature of the trunk, because the “stretch reflex is not sufficiently involved during many trunk exercises to potentiate muscle activity. “

Nevertheless, many sources do include various plyometric movements designed to target the trunk or core.

Related Post: Simplifying Strength Training for Runners – 7 Moves to Balance Lifting & Running

Repeated vs. Single Contact Plyometrics

In plyometrics, contacts refer to the number of times your foot (or hands, if it’s an upper-body plyometric move) hit the ground in a single workout. For simplicity, you can think of “contact” as a “repetition”, or rep.

For example, 4 sets of 5 repetitions of squat jumps would be the equivalent of 20 foot contacts.

Plyometrics exercises can be repeated one contact/rep immediately followed by another for multiple reps, or can be performed one at a time, with a rest period in-between.

Rapid, repeated plyometrics are going to help develop power endurance, whereas single repetitions will allow an athlete to use a much higher intensity (for example: attempting to hit a maximum vertical jump).

Low Intensity vs. High Intensity Plyometrics

When speaking of plyometrics, intensity does not refer to “how difficult” an exercise feels, but rather, the amount of stress placed on involved muscles, connective tissues, and joints.  

Intensity of plyometrics exercises can be affected by:

• Points of contact – a single limb plyometric exercise (such as single leg bounds) is going to place more stress on the body than a double limb exercise.
• Speed – greater speed increases intensity
• Height of Drill  – the higher the body’s center of gravity, the greater the force on landing
• Body Weight – the greater the runner’s body weight, the move stress will be placed on muscles, connective tissues, and joints.

Complex Training vs. Focused Plyometrics Workout

Complex training refers to a training method where traditional high intensity resistance training is followed by plyometrics. This approach helps further enhance gains in muscular power.

An example of a complex set would be a heavy back squat (85-90% of 1RM) followed by box jumps.

Complex training is an advanced approach, and should only be performed by runners with adequate strength and plyometrics experience.

The Benefits of Plyometrics for Runners

Plyometric training helps improve running performance for endurance athletes by allowing muscles to produce more force with less energy, which in turn results in improved running economy (meaning, it takes less energy for your body to run at any given pace.)

Research into the benefits of plyometrics for runners has shown that incorporating plyo workouts has resulted in:

• Improved tendon stiffness. While this may sound like a bad thing, increased tendon stiffness, especially in the lower legs (such as the Achilles) results in faster recoil speeds, greater power production, and greater efficiency while running (5).
• Improvements in running time-trial performances from sprinting to 10K. (5)
• Improvements in VO2max (the amount of oxygen your body can actually use with each breath you take). (8)
• Improvements in bone density. (4)
• Decreased respiratory exchange ratio (the ratio between the volume of CO₂ being produced by the body and the amount of O₂ being consumed.)  (6)
• Increased flight times and reduced step rate at the same running speed (2)
• Improved running economy (9)

Do Plyometrics Help Long Distance Runners?

While the explosive movements of plyometrics certainly carry over better to sprinting than they do long distance running, plyometrics can still benefit longer distance runners, especially if it involves a potential sprint towards the finish line.

In the research review, “The Effects of Resistance Training on Endurance Distance Running Performance Among Highly Trained Runners“, the authors conclude that properly programmed concurrent plyometric and endurance training could be beneficial for for middle and long distance runners in their competitive performance, especially in events characterized by sprinting actions with small time differences at the end of the race. (8)

Plyometrics Workout FAQ’s:

Let’s cover some of the most commonly asked questions about plyometrics for runners (and plyometric exercises in general):

Are Plyometrics Dangerous?

According to the National Strength & Conditioning Association’s Position Statement on Explosive/Plyometric exercises: “carefully applied plyometric exercise programs are no more harmful than other forms of sports training and competition, and may be necessary for safe adaptation to the rigors of explosive sports” (5).

That said, the NSCA also recommends that only athletes who have already achieved high levels of strength through standard resistance training should engage in plyometric drills (5).

If you’re a runner who avoids any form of strength training at all costs, starting with high intensity or single limb plyometrics is generally not advised. Rather, focus on lower volume, lower intensity plyometrics, focusing on technique and proper progression.

When Should Runners Avoid Plyometrics?

Runners who are currently injured, have any sort of preexisting orthopedic conditions (such as osteoarthritis, joint degeneration) or have had any sort of surgical joint intervention (such as knee or ankle surgery) should consult their physician or physical therapist before beginning plyometrics. 

How Often Should Runners Perform Plyometrics?

The frequency, or number of plyometric training workouts per week, typically ranges from one to three. However, this will vary greatly based on your current fitness level, your experience with plyometric exercises, and where you are in your particular running training cycle.

How Should You Incorporate Plyometrics into Run Training?

For most runners, plyometrics are best used as a means of strength training during specific phases of training. Typically, you’ll want to place your plyometric workout in the phase of training where you are focusing on power and speed.

For a short distance runner, this may be closer to your goal race. For a long distance runner, power and speed are typically addressed earlier in the season.

Plyometrics Before or After Running: What’s Best?

Because aerobic exercise, such as running, may have a negative effect on power production, it is recommended that runners perform plyometric exercise before a running workout. 

Related post: Does Running Burn Muscle? A Guide to Concurrent Training

Are Plyometrics the Same As Speed & Agility Drills?

While plyometrics exercises can absolutely help with aspects of speed and agility, they are not necessarily the same thing.

Speed drills are exercises that help increase your ability to achieve high movement velocities. (In other words: they help increase your ability to run faster.)

Agility drills help increase your change direction, velocity, or mode in response to an unknown stimulus. For example, the person on the trail right in front of you trips and falls, and you need to quickly jump laterally while avoiding some rocks in order to not fall on top of that runner. That’s an example of agility.

Do Sprints Count as Plyometrics?

Sprinting is not a form of plyometric exercise, but rather, is a form of speed training. However, sprinting speed (velocity) has been showed to improve by incorporating plyometric exercises into training.

Do You Need Special Equipment for Plyometrics?

There are plenty of plyometrics exercises and workouts that can be done without any equipment. However, some of the more advanced movements do require some sort of equipment.

Plyo Box

A plyometric box, often called a “plyo box”, is used in a number of plyometric exercises as a surface to jump on or off of. Typically the box is not a perfect cube, but rather, will offer different heights based on how the box is positioned. Heights traditionally range from 12 inches to 42 inches high.

Plyo boxes should be sturdy and stable, as to not tip over easily, and have a non-slip surface for safe landing.

I personally have the BalanceFrom 3 in 1 Foam Plyometric Box that we ordered from Amazon. All I all, I have been very pleased with this box, and it has withstood a lot of abuse from our garage workouts.

That said, at a weight of only 16 lbs, it isn’t as stable as I wish it could be for box jumps. If I were to purchase another, I would opt for either the heavy duty, 60 lb version of the same box, OR a reinforced, wooden plyometric box, as they tend to be far more stable.

Weighted Exercise Ball

Many upper body plyometric exercises use some sort of weighted exercise ball, such as a slam ball, medicine ball, or wall ball.

For single arm work, a ball of up to 5lbs is sufficient, and for double arm work, up to 15lbs.

If you are throwing the ball, I highly recommend a durable “slam ball” such as this one from Rage Fitness, over one of the larger “wall ball” type of medicine balls. The later tend to fall apart much easier when thrown around.

Stairs

If you are using stairs, you are going to want to make sure they are:

• Close faced (no open spaces between steps to get your toes caught in)
• No more than 8 inches high
• No more than 8-12 inches deep
• At least 3 feet wide

Typically stairs in public stairwells or at stadiums meet these requirements.

Agility Hurdles or Barriers

A number of standing jump or hopping plyometric exercises utilize barriers or hurdles as targets to jump over.

I purchased this agility kit off of Amazon for my teenage boys last Christmas, and I’ve ended up using it just as much as they do! It comes with four adjustable hurdles that vary in height from 7.87 inches – 11.6 inches high (as well as a bunch of other equipment).

What Are the Best Shoes for Plyometrics?

The BEST shoes for plyometrics will have the following features:

• Wide, nonslip sole for safe landing.
• Good ankle & foot support
• Good lateral stability
• Moderate cushion to absorb impact

When performing plyometric exercises, avoid shoes that:

• Have a narrow sole or poor upper support (may lead to ankle problems in lateral movements)
• Have a significantly high heel to toe differential, as this may cause instability in lateral movements.
• Have insufficient foot support, as this may lead to arch or lower leg injuries (7)
• Are OVERLY cushioned, as this may extend the amortization phase.

8 Common Plyometric Training Mistakes Runners Make

Now we get to the “you might be doing it wrong” part of the post. As a fitness professional who has been in the industry for over a decade now, I can tell you that I’ve not only witnessed these common plyometric training mistakes in many others…but I’ve made them myself in the past, before I knew better.

And so I share not to pass judgement, but hopefully, so that you can avoid making these mistakes in the future.

1. Too Many Contacts (Inappropriate Volume)

Remember, plyometrics workouts are designed to improve muscular power and speed (rate of force production). They are not intended to be a high intensity cardio workout, where you continue repeatedly until total failure, as often seen in bootcamp style classes.

Further, the number of contacts performed by a runner in a single workout depends greatly on their experience level.

General recommendations from the National Strength and Conditioning Association suggest the following for appropriate plyometrics volume:

• Beginners (no experience): 80-100 contacts per workout session
• Intermediate (some experience): 100-120 contacts per workout session
• Advanced (considerable experience) 120-140 contacts per workout session

2. Not Enough Rest Between Sets

I know I sound like a broken record, but it’s important to remember that plyometrics are not meant to be a cardiovascular workout. Rather, they should be thought of similar to strength training, where rest intervals are an integral part of the workout, to ensure you are able to complete the workout.

Because plyometric exercises involve maximal efforts, sufficient recovery is necessary between sets.

The suggested work to rest ratios for plyometrics are 1:5 to 1:10.

Meaning, if it took you 10 seconds to perform 8 squat jumps, then your rest interval before beginning the next set should be anywhere from 50 – 100 seconds.

According to the NSCA, plyometric drills should not be performed when an athlete is fatigued (5). Adequate time for complete recovery should be allowed between plyometric exercise sets.

3. Too Long of an Amortization or Eccentric Phase

If the amortization phase of a plyometric movement lasts too long, or if the eccentric phase requires too much motion around a given joint, the stored energy from the stretch shortening cycle dissipates and is lost as heat.

Let’s look at this in practical examples:

• A runner performing a depth jump pauses too long after hitting the ground and before performing a vertical jump (amortization phase), the vertical jump will not be performed nearly as high or as powerful as it could have been.

• A runner performing jump squats sinks down into a below-parallel squat with each landing. The eccentric phase is too long, resulting in the runner unable to utilize the stretch shortening cycle.

4. Choosing the Wrong Intensity Plyometrics Exercises

As mentioned above, beginner athletes or those unfamiliar with plyometrics exercises should start with low intensity, double contact (both legs or both arms) exercises and progress from there.

Athletic readiness can be assessed in a number of ways beyond simply athletic experience, including joint stability and mobility, muscular strength, balance, and understanding of proper technique.

5. Placing Plyometrics Exercises in the Wrong Phase of Training

As with all types of resistance training, programming and periodization is everything. Where in your training cycle you incorporate plyometrics will greatly on your goals as a runner.

A shorter distance runner, such as a sprinter or 1 mile competitor, may benefit from incorporating plyometrics closer to their goal race. That’s because these distances require more emphasis on power and speed.

A longer distance athlete such as an ultrarunner, will likely benefit from incorporating plyometrics earlier in the season, in order to help build muscular power before diving into higher volume, endurance based training.

Regardless of goals, in order to be MOST affective, you should be following a purposefully designed plyometric training program with progressive build in both intensity and volume.

6. Focusing on Speed over Technique

Speed absolutely matters when it comes to plyometrics, as you are working on increasing the rate of force production in your muscles. The “work” of the exercise has to be done quickly in order to achieve this.

HOWEVER, if you are focusing on speed over technique, you risk not only compromising the effectiveness of the exercise, but you risk potential injury as well.

If your form falls apart, either slow down, or decrease the number of repetitions per set until you find the sweet spot where you can maintain technique.

7. Performing Plyometrics After a Run

As already mentioned above, running may have a negative effect on power production. And the goal of plyometrics exercise is to produce maximum power output. So it is recommended that runners perform plyometric exercise before a running workout. 

Coach Tip: I usually program plyometrics as the main workout, and give my athletes a 20-30 minute “cool down” run immediately after.

8. Using Exercises that Aren’t Truly Plyometrics or Making Plyo Moves Overly Complex.

Just because your feet leave the ground, or a given body part moves fast during an exercise, doesn’t mean that exercise is a plyometric.

For example: burpees are not plyometrics.

Are burpees difficult? Absolutely. Do burpees contain elements of plyometrics at times? Yes they do. But as a whole, burpees are more of a means of targeting muscular strength (that pushup!) and increasing your heart rate for improved cardiovascular fitness.

Sorry burpee lovers.

Remember the goal of your workout: to build power. Something like basic single leg hops may not “look” badass or instagram-worthy, but they are incredibly running specifically, and beneficial towards your goal.

Plyometrics for Runners: Final Thoughts

Plyometrics are an awesome tool for runners to incorporate into their training for performance benefits.

But in order to truly reap those benefits, it’s important to remember the proper structure behind a plyometrics workout. If you take nothing else from this post, remember this: plyometrics are short, powerful, explosive movements repeated in just a handful of repetitions. Plyometrics are NOT a cardiovascular exercise meant to leave you in an exhausted, anaerobic puddle on the gym floor.

Questions? Please leave them in the comments section below!

Resources:

1. C. Chambers, T. D. Noakes, E. V. Lambert & M. I. Lambert (1998) Time course of recovery of vertical jump height and heart rate versus running speed after a 90-km foot race, Journal of Sports Sciences, 16:7, 645-651, DOI: 10.1080/026404198366452
2. Gómez-Molina, J., Ogueta-Alday, A., Camara, J., Stickley, C., & García-López, J. (2018). Effect of 8 weeks of concurrent plyometric and running training on spatiotemporal and physiological variables of novice runners. European journal of sport science, 18(2), 162–169. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2017.1404133
3. Haff, G.G., & Triplett, T.N (2016).  Essentials of Strength and Conditioning (4th ed.). Human Kinetics.
4. Kato, T., Terashima, T., Yamashita, T., Hatanaka, Y., Honda, A., & Umemura, Y. (2006). Effect of low-repetition jump training on bone mineral density in young women. Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985), 100(3), 839–843. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00666.2005
5. Lum, Danny & Tan, Frankie & Pang, Joel & Barbosa, Tiago. (2019). Effects of intermittent sprint and plyometric training on endurance running performance. Journal of Sport and Health Science. 8. 471-477. 10.1016/j.jshs.2016.08.005. 
6. Lundstrom, Christopher & Betker, Morgan & Ingraham, Stacy. (2017). Effects of Plyometric and Explosive Speed Training on Recreational Marathoners. Journal of Sports Science. 5. 10.17265/2332-7839/2017.01.001. 
7. POSITION STATEMENT: Explosive/Plyometric Exercises. National Strength and Conditioning Association Journal: June 1993 – Volume 15 – Issue 3 – p 16-16
8. Ramírez-Campillo, R., Alvarez, C., Henríquez-Olguín, C., Baez, E. B., Martínez, C., Andrade, D. C., & Izquierdo, M. (2014). Effects of plyometric training on endurance and explosive strength performance in competitive middle- and long-distance runners. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 28(1), 97–104. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3182a1f44c
9. Yamamoto, L. M., Lopez, R. M., Klau, J. F., Casa, D. J., Kraemer, W. J., & Maresh, C. M. (2008). The effects of resistance training on endurance distance running performance among highly trained runners: a systematic review. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 22(6), 2036–2044. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e318185f2f0