Summer is coming and the weather is warming up. Soon it will be bikini diet time, getting ready for holidays. But diets, as Dan Chapman, our resident personal trainer has said before, will not do the trick. You have got to burn fat. Whether thats with HIIT training or… this weeks fitness feature, Plyometric training.
What is plyometric training
Plyometrics are also known as Jump Training. It’s one of Dan’s favourite methods of training. Not requiring any equipment, it’s explosive, taxing, exhilarating, and great for conditioning your entire body. Plyometric movements are commonly done with just your bodyweight and include movements such as plyo pushups, box jumps and jump squats. The goal is to perform each movement as explosively as you possibly can.
Dan set me the challenge to work my way through his six fat stripping plyo moves. So I dragged Mr to the local park in the sunday sunshine and put myself through my paces. It was hard. But it was good. There’s nothing like a little jumping around in the sunshine! Do these exercises for 30 seconds for six times each. Rest for 10 seconds in between each rep then 30 seconds between sets. Repeat five times and job done!
1. Explosive staggered push-up
- Great for upper body + core
Begin in a push-up position but stagger your hands by placing one hand further back than the other with your elbows bent at 90 degrees. Now push through the movement and explode up with enough force to jump the hands off the ground and switch position before landing.
This one might be best to practice from the knees and with the goal of working towards doing them from the toes. It is tough. Don’t let that put you off as the first exercise. You will conquer it.
2. Snowboarders
- Great for lower body
Start in a normal squat position with your feet a little wider than shoulder width apart. You’re now going to squat down into a normal squat position until you are a little lower than 90 degrees. Now explode upward as if you were performing a jump squat springing as high as you can but instead you are going to rotate your whole body around a half turn so that you are facing in the opposite direction landing back into a deep squat again.
This is similar to that of a snow boarder performing a 180 degree half spin and is rather a lot of fun!
3. Lateral Burpee
- Great for full body + core
Starting in a standing upright position with feet shoulder width apart. Drop down into a full burpee hands reaching the floor first, then jump both feet back while simultaneously bending your elbows so that your chest lowers to the floor. Now explosively spring back up onto your feel and now jump laterally to your right using explosive power. As soon as you land on your feet again drop down to another full burpee, repeating the same sequence jumping to the left.
4. Power jumps
- Great for lower body + core
Starting in a standing upright position with feet shoulder width apart. Make sure you have a good 10 feet space in front of you for this exercise. Squat down into a normal squat position until you are a little lower than 90 degrees. Now swing your arms backward and with explosive power propel yourself forward into a big jump landing on both feet at the same time and absorbing into a squat.
Dan’s tip here is to “land like a ninja”, make it graceful and land softly bending your knees as you land. Now this is fun, I really enjoyed it. Maybe I should have been a professional long jumper.
5. Surfers
- Great for full body + core
Lie flat on the floor on your front with chest on floor and your hands placed as if your were about to do a push up. Look straight ahead and now push up until your chest comes up off the floor. Brace your core and with explosive power and effort jump your legs and feet forward underneath you so that your hands come off the floor and you transfer your bodyweight to your feet.
You should end up on your feet in a low staggered position legs strong with arms out wide for balance. You should now look like your on a surf board, well kind of!
6. Plyo push jacks
- Great for full body + core
Starting in a standard push up position with shoulders above your hands and balancing on your toes with feet shoulder width apart. brace your core keeping your body straight and in-line like a plank. Jump both your hands and your feet outward at the same time so they end up super wide then immediately jump them back to the starting position. Keep repeating as if you were performing a jump jack.
Yes it is tough. But you started tough, you can end tough. It will be worth it.
You may like to add these individually to your workouts or even group these together to make a circuit. Remember to make sure your workouts are balanced meaning alternating upper and lower so you don’t over exhaust one muscle group. Keep it fun and if you want to ask Dan any exercise and fitness related questions then he’d love to hear from you on twitter @danchapmanPT and he’ll answer any questions you may have.
