Athletic Training
Plyometric training
The goal of plyometrics is to achieve as strong a muscle contraction in the shortest time possible. This can heavily increase your speed, agility, and vertical. These type of exercises consist of jump training and fast twitch exercises in short bursts. These toughen the muscles and condition nerve cells. Plyometrics are not necessarily the same at strength training because it is focused on the muscle working and better then stronger and bigger. Since jumping is a plyometric motion and uses fast twitch muscles, it is essential to practice jumping and train your legs. The result is more explosiveness and faster speeds.
The science behind plyometrics include the release of power in your muscles. This discusses the myotatic reflex that stretches the muscle to its maximum. Muscle contractions at fast speeds produce greater energy than slower speeds. This is why some people with similar strength training might have completely different explosiveness and vertical jump and agility. People can have similar strength but different explosiveness.
An effective way of plyometric training and scheduling your workouts is to have at least four to six different exercises with three sets of five to fifteen. It is important to have at least a ten or so seconds between reps to prevent injury and improve efficiently.
Strength training
Strength training is exactly what it sounds like it needs to achieve, making your body stronger. The results can burn fat, calories, and ultimately increase or decrease your weight positively. Strength training include exercises that are not as quick and fast as plyometrics. It can also help you with your joints, stability, health, and even your posture.
The basics of strength training is to break down your muscles and then you recover for a day or two so your muscles rebuild ultimately making you stronger. This is because when a muscle rebuilds, the cells increase and in size as well. What is taking place is called muscle hypertrophy.
Logically, you need to be lifting weights heavier than what your body is comfortable and used to. This does not mean to go super heavy because that will cause injury.
Strength training is typically two to three days a week that are spread out to recover and rest. Working out three to five exercises with three sets of five to fifteen for upper body and lower body each is essentially an ideal way of getting stronger.
Plyometric Exercises
There are so many different type of plyometric exercises, and there are some that you are even able to do at home without equipment.
Exercises that you can do include squat jumps, box jumps, depth jumps, alternating lunge umps, weighted jumps, burpees, tuck in jumps, kettle ball swings, jump rope, and step ups.
Strength exercises
Strength training include many exercises like calisthenics and the use of weights. Exercises like bench press, pull ups, push ups, dumbbell pullover, dumbbell raise, bicep curls, and many other variation of exercises exist as well.