Part One in a Series
By Dr. Greg Shepard Plyometric Box Jumping can help your athletes become more explosive, quicker and faster. We recommend a 10 minute training session twice per week during the off-season and in-season. In the offseason, when weight training is done on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, we recommend Plyometric Box Jumping be done on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We have a step-by-step progression program which should be followed for the best results.
Nearly all athletes will be able to go through the basic program. I coach 8th grade football and only one very overweight lineman (5-9, 210) was unable to complete our three box course. Another one of our lineman is 5-2 and weighs 165 pounds. He was able to do it after three workout sessions. It gave him a real sense of pride and accomplishment to make it through the course. The first part of the BFS Plyometric Box Jumping Program utilizes just one box (see the top two photos). essential to step off the box. Never, never jump off a box unless your doing a series of jumps and even then, you step off the first box.
The athlete begins this first exercise by stepping off the box and landing in a hit or ready position as illustrated. Repeat this jump five times. Except in extreme cases, all your athletes should be able to easily complete this exercise.
The second exercise is to step off the box, land as before and then immediately and explosively jump straight up. Repeat this exercise five times. The third exercise utilizes two boxes. Place the second box 2 1/2 feet from the first. Now, step off the first, land and explosively jump on top of the second box. Again, repeat this exercise five times. The fourth exercise adds a third box 2 1/2 feet from the second box. Follow the same procedure but now jump immediately off the second box to the floor and then finally to the third box. Repeat five times. There are two options available on this exercise. First, after landing on the third box, jump off, land on the floor and jump straight up.
Second, add the booster box to the third box and go through the course.
To spot an athlete when trying the higher third box, the coach stands between the second and third box and grabs the athlete’s waist from behind with both hands and lifts up slightly. The coach also can steady the athlete as he is jumping. A spotter is good to use when the athlete is trying it for the first time. Most high school athletes should be successful with this basic three box course, even when using the booster box.
In our next issue, | will discuss and illustrate more advanced Plyometric Box Jumping exercises. Our entire BFS Plyometric Box Jumping Program can be seen on a brand new video. (see the P| Ill. Using Three Boxes.
BFS PLYO BOXES YOU GET:
* HIGH GRADE HEAVY PLYWOOD * SPECIAL NON SKID SURFACE ALSO AVAILABLE BY STEFAN BOX JUMPING VIDEO: $20.00 BFS PLYO BOXES boxes: Makes for many combinations.
From BFS Magazine — Winter 1989. Part of the BFS Magazine Archive (1980–2014).
