Plyometrics

Surprisingly, I've learned a lot about exercising and what makes a good work out. More specifically I've learned a little about plyometrics. Which should be very helpful in this oncoming year as I intend to be part of five different 5k's (even though I loathe running). Why is plyometrics so helpful to running you ask? How inquisitive of you, allow me to elaborate.

Plyometrics enhances your absolute involuntary strength. Absolute involuntary strength is, as you may have guessed, involuntary. However, there is a way to use and improve these  involuntary movements despite the fact that you have no control over them and that way is plyometrics.

One plyometric exercise involves standing on something that is a little elevated from the ground then jumping off it. The trick to this is to jump back up in the air the very second your feet touch the ground. All plyometric exercise’s involve quick movements that improve your involuntary ones. For obvious reasons quick movements are helpful in running but what about these quick movements is really helping? Clearly being quick is a large part of running (sort of the only part actually) but what specifically is polymetrics doing?

In the pyometric exercise I explain in the above paragraph the goal was to let your feet touch the ground for as little amount of time as possible. When you’re running this ability to burst back off the ground when you've just barely touched it can add quite a bit to your speed, so of course plyometrics will become a large part of my workouts when I train for my upcoming 5k's.