1. Sprinting is a plyometric.
2. Top end?sprinting is a higher intensity plyometric than accelerative sprints.
3. Shorter ground contact times increase plyometric intensity.
4. Stiffer legs during landing?increase?plyometric intensity.
5. Single leg contacts?increase plyometric intensity.
6. The higher the drop height, the higher the intensity.
7.?Higher intensity will likely yield greater benefits for better athletes.
8. Sprinting into a plyometric will increase the intensity.
9. Two footed landings tend to lead to landings on the ball of the foot.
10. Single leg landings should be through heel-toe contacts.
11. Sprinting should be the bulk of a sprinters plyometric training.
12. Stiffer surfaces increase?intensity.
13. Start with timed, low level jump circuits (try to keep jump height around 12″, focusing on landing correctly).
14. Long jump, high jump, and triple jump takeoffs have potential to?be the most intense plyometrics.
15. Plyometrics illicit a stretch reflex. This can occur in the hip flexors during A skips, B skips, Hurdle Mobility, and sprinting .
16. Pick plyometrics that mimic the training objective.
17.?Overcoming inertia is important during acceleration. Plyometrics occurring through a large ROM may assist in developing rate of force development and slow stretch-shortening cycles.
18. Top end sprinting relies?more on elastic properties. Stiffer plyometrics may assist in developing reactive power and fast stretch-shortening cycles.
19. The higher the plyometric volume and intensity, the greater the risk of injury.
20. Plyometrics can be used to teach coordination. Lateral plyometrics are a great tool.
BONUS. More plyometrics are not always better. Keep in mind that almost all athletic movements in sport tend to rely on elastic components of the human body. These components are stressed in some fashion during a true plyometric. Shot put, changing direction, javelin, sprinting, jumping, skipping, hopping, medicine ball throws, olympic lifts, and squatting could elicit a stretch reflex. Anytime a muscle is lengthened and shortened within a small time frame, there is potential for a stretch reflex to take place.