Adding plyometrics to your training program can help you build muscle, which means you’ll be able to gain more speed and power.

A little reminder first though; Plyometric exercises are not suitable if you are a beginner. This is because plyometric exercises are explosive exercises and require rapid and forceful recruitment of muscle fibers. These exercises are the last building block of your strength development training program and you should only do plyometrics once you have developed a solid foundation.

We recommend that you have at least 8-10 weeks of running-specific strength development program under your belt before you start adding plyometrics to your regimen. Additionally, you should also be able to practice using proper form during your plyometric exercises. Poor form during plyometric exercises can significantly increase your risk of injury.

Using the principle of hard days and easy days, we recommend that you do your plyometrics after your hard training days. You should only do them once a week and use other strength training days to train your core and other injury prevention workouts.

Here we have compiled examples of six plyometric exercises that you can incorporate into your training regimen:

change lunge

You start in the lunge position and have one of your feet in front and the other behind your body. You should bend your knees at a 90-degree angle and make sure your front knee is just above your front ankle. After this, you jump up, switch legs in the air and land in another lunge position on the opposite side. You need to do between 20 and 30 repetitions.

single leg jumps

You need to jump in place using one foot 15 times and then switch using the other foot to jump for the same reps.

leg limits

You should move forward using exaggerated running form and jump with each step for about 30 meters. Repeat between 2 and 3 times.

bench taps

You start this exercise by standing in front of a bench and then quickly hit the top of the bench with each foot. Your arms should be in a running motion as your feet touch the bench. You need to do between 20 and 40 reps.

box jump

You should get a box that is about 2 feet tall and stand in front of it. You then squat and jump onto the box swinging your arms forward to gain momentum. After this, you jump back off the box and land softly. You have to do 10 repetitions.

rocket jumps

You should stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and then lower into a squat position. Then you need to touch the ground with your hands and explode upwards with your hands stretched over your head. When you land, you should return to the squat position. Do between 10 and 15 repetitions.