Long Term Plyometrics Essay

BRIEF REVIEW DEMOGRAPHICS

Topic: Long Term Plyometrics

Long Term Studies

In this case, the study will be on long term plyometrics training which lasts for more than two weeks, to a maximum of 12 weeks. Long term plyometric training is known to increase the muscle strength and ability of athletes especially in sports that involve running and jumping.

Population

The population to be used is athletes of different sports that use plyometric training as a way to develop their muscular strength and improve their skills in their respective sports.

INTRODUCTION

Description, Theory, Mechanism Plyometrics consists of “jumping, bounding, and hopping exerises” included in many training programs around the world for the development of performance, especially on sprinting speed (Kelso). The theory behind plyometric training is stretch-shortening. When the muscle stretches and contracts eccentrically, it gets longer and makes elastic energy that is stored. Plyometrics makes the muscles more tolerant to more increased stretching. Transferring from the stretching to the lengthening is done faster which makes more power for the athlete. For example, a basketball player would be able to jump higher, a boxer would be able to punch harder, etc. (Wellness.com).

Plyometric training, if not practiced properly, is unsafe and any injuries that can come as a result of doing something wrong will be way worse than the potential benefits. Some injuries that may occur as a result of accident of wrong moves in plyometric training are: “back pain and injury, spinal shrinkage, heel-pad bruising and pattelar tendonitis (jumper’s knee)” (Wellness.com)Another negative effect about plyometrics is that it does not really aid those whose main goal is to be physically fit. Plyometrics has little effect on body composition. It does not develop muscle mass but only aids in strength.