The key to sports performance is to execute as quickly as possible. To be quicker than your opponent, who or what that might be.
Your execution of a sports movement will take less time than it takes the muscle to develop a maximum contraction. Using approximately ONLY 60 - 80 % of your Absolute Strength
Plyometric Training is the key to developing that explosiveness & speed.

Since the 1960's, the former Soviet Union has been practicing what we now call, Plyometrics. The Soviets had been successful in the use of Plyometrics in their training regimes. The results showed in jumping events. It wasn't until 1975, when Fred Wilt, former Olympic runner, used the term Plyometrics here in the United States.
Yuri Verhoshansky could very well be call the "Father of Plyometrics". He has been the leading researcher and coach most recognized with the spread of Plyometrics. He also has be credited with most of the forms of Plyometric training that are used today!
Here in the U.S., the acceptance of Plyometrics has been slow. Most coaches, until now, believed that it hindered, not helped performance. That reseasoning could be because they did not understand how to apply it to training. Over the years, Plyometrics has been used more and more by coaches due to its significant increase in speed & explosiveness.
Now, if you've been following with me this far, you know that speed & explosiveness are essential in sports performance. Plyometric training incorporated into a workout schedule, is a MUST!

Plyometrics revolves around jumping movements. Your muscles act as springs. Push down on a spring and let go. What happens? The spring, SPRINGS INTO ACTION! That is the idea behind Plyometrics. You want to develop the greatest amount of force in the shortest amount of time. You want to be EXPLOSIVE! Isn't that the one of the key elements in sports performance? Of course!
In developing explosiveness, your muscles develop Elasticity. Elasticity is a result of Plyometrics. Just as in the example of the spring, your muscles, when loaded, act like a spring. They store the energy through compression, and upon release of that energy, they release Force. Ah hah! So, if we work on building a quicker release to the build up of energy, we could possibly increase Explosive Power, no? Of course!!! Plyometrics is another weapon to add to your arsenal to improve sports performance.





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