My first experience with structured plyometric training was in my early teens, when my USA volleyball coach had us spend an entire summer doing plyo box training. As a 14 year old who at that point was more in it for the love of the game than invested in the science behind training for better results, I was not highly interested in stepping away from the ball and net to instead spend so much time jumping off of boxes. With that said, after that summer of training, each and every one of us had a vertical jump that was significantly improved; we each blew away our stats from the beginning of our training.

Plyo training is meant to produce fast, powerful movements and is ideal for highly competitive athletes who want to improve their performance. It can also be great for advanced fitness enthusiasts who are training for an event, or for people who want to challenge themselves and burn a great deal of calories while building fast twitch muscles (also known as Type 2 muscles that produce quick movements).

Plyometric exercises don’t necessarily have to involve jumping off of a box; coming down from a vertical jump (for example, from a previous repetition of a jumping exercise) can create the same eccentric contraction of the muscles that jumping off of a box does, and if you move directly into jumping upward again (a concentric contraction), you can get the same result.

This routine has five different highly effective plyometric exercises; only one of them actually uses plyo box jumps. We used a chair to do the box jumps; we recommend that you stick to boxes meant for this purpose for safety reasons, but if you do end up using a chair or improvised piece of furniture, make sure that it’s sturdy as it is very easy to get injured with improper equipment.

Workout Structure
5 Plyometric Exercises
10 Repetitions
2 Rounds each
12 Minutes Total
You will need; plyo boxes, or a sturdy chair or stool

Printable Workout
Broad Jumps
Knee Tuck Jumps
Power Jacks
Jumping Lunges
Box Jumps

How often can I do this workout?
We recommend that you not do plyometric workouts more than 3 times per week, with at least one full day of rest in between each plyo session. If you are in the full swing of an intense training season, you may want to reduce the frequency down to once a week. Proper rest is as important as regular, effective training, and overdoing it can do more harm than good.

How many calories does this routine burn?
We estimate that this workout burns roughly 75-120 calories total, but the exact rate of expenditure depends on a long list of variables, including gender, muscle mass, weight, baseline fitness level, and how hard you push yourself.

Note: Plyometric drills are frequently used by professional level athletes and are only meant for those with a good baseline of advanced physical fitness; balance, endurance, bodily control, and strength. Please do not attempt plyometric workouts if you don’t meet those criteria.