Plyometric training. Do you know this type of exercise?

Plyometric refers to a type of intense and explosive training that uses maximum capacity of our muscles.

These specific exercises are widely used by athletes to enhance their performance. They recruit the largest number of muscle fibers for a short time and are very effective, not only in strength gains and resistance, but also on increasing the flexibility of the muscles and toning. Plyometric training consists in series of concentric or eccentric muscle contractions, which the muscles perform shortening of stretching movements. These movements consist of stretching of the tendon of a muscle, then performs the opposed movement, to shorten or shrink it. When muscles perform a quick effort, it resembles the behavior of a spring, which constrict to immediately after release the accumulated strength. The goal of this exercise is precisely to take advantage of the use of this thrust of the force in order to maximize athletic performance.

This form of training is applied to a variety of sports activities, such as swimming, soccer or even golf, despite the applied techniques vary depending on the specifics of each of the modalities. The vertical squat jump or vertical jump with knees to the chest, up and down stairs in sequence, are good examples of this kind of training.

Plyometric training brings a number of benefits that you cannot be unknown. Rapid fat loss, good muscle gains, improvement of motor coordination and balance, increased strength and performance, when combined with weight training, are great reasons to adopt it.

Plyometric is a form of training that also turns out to be particularly effective in the prevention and rehabilitation of injuries that athletes may suffer.