162 Plyometrics
Recommended shoes are those that provide ankle and arch support, lateral stability,
and have a wide, non-slip sole.Equipment
Boxes that are used for in-depth or box jumps should have a non-slip top and should
never exceed a height of 1.2 m (0.5 - 0.75 m is recommended: 1.5 to 2.5 ft. and less than 4
ft.).Medicine balls are commonly used for many of the exercises. This is a ball that
weighs no more than 10% of your typical training weight. For example, if you regularly
train with a 200 pound bench press, then the medicine ball you use should be no more than
20 lbs. These balls can be covered with leather, plastic, rubber, or any type of fabric.Technique
As with other exercises, attention should be paid to proper technique. For example,
when performing lunges, the knee angle should not exceed 90°. Any movement beyond
this angle will place undue stress on knee cartilage and ligaments. Keeping the knee
directly over and in line with the big toe will help maintain technique. The step should be
straight out, not to the side. The shoulders should always be over the knees during landing
when performing in-depth jumps.Fatigue from high-volume training can compromise technique and result in injury.
When technique begins to fail, it is time to stop the exercise and rest.Program Design and the Overload Principle
Plyometrics training should be tailored to account for individual characteristics and
the activity for which one is training. More stress will be placed on the muscles, joints, and
connective tissue of heavier individuals, therefore, bigger operators (weight greater than 90
kg or 198 lbs.) should not perform high-intensity plyometric exercises. Persons with a
previous history of injury should be cleared by a medical officer prior to plyometric
training. As previously stated:Persons with any type of musculoskeletal injury should
not consider plyometrics training.A plyometrics program for the special operations community should incorporate
those types of movements (i.e., linear, vertical, lateral, or a combination) required for
operational performance. For example, downhill skiing would require diagonal
movements, close-quarters battle (CQB) would
require horizontal, vertical, and diagonal movements.