All of my articles are about health and fitness and you are probably wondering why plyometrics is good for your health. As we age, I rate it in the top three types of exercise you should do (along with strength and cardio).  There are a few reasons why plyometrics is good for you:

• Improves bone density – your bones will be stronger and resist breaking better
• Stronger muscles and joints
• Better balance and coordination – reduces your risk of a fall
• Boosts power and mobility – when you trip, you need your other foot to quickly support you
• It’s fun!

What if you are already doing the Longrun Meadow parkruns and reasonably fit?  The good news is that plyometrics can make you faster, stronger and reduce your risk of injury – every runner wants this!  For the athletes I train I will always include plyometrics.

As with any exercise, it is important to start slowly and safely, even if you are already quite fit.  I like to start my clients with double leg hops (think pogo jumps), then move onto single leg hops.  If you only did this for 5 mins twice a week then you are getting some benefit.  

Just doing hops could get quite boring and there are many more, advanced, exercises that you could do. My two favourites are jumping off a box (then bouncing up into the air) and skater jumps – sideways jumps, just like a speed skater in the Olympics.

One thing to remember when doing plyometrics is to bounce, think you are on a hot floor and you don’t want to keep your feet on there very long. Or imagine you are Tigger! This is the magic ingredient.

My usual caveat applies, if you are at all unsure about this, then seek the advice of your doctor or a personal trainer such as myself.  Whilst plyometrics have many benefits, safety is paramount.

The best thing about plyometrics is that you do not need any special equipment to do them, no running shoes, no weights, perhaps just a piece of chalk to draw on the pavement!  The next time you are waiting for the kettle to boil, try some hopping, your bones will thank you!