Get Your Leap On With These Plyo Exercises

Hooray it’s leap year! Put a little more leap into your workout with plyo exercise! Try these these 18 plyometric (jumping) exercises!

Plyo Exercise 1: Front Box Jump – increases vertical jump (3×10)

1. Plyo box 6 inches in front. Squat-shoulder width apart
2. Explode up, including arms
3. Land softly on the box on the balls of feet
4. Step down, reset and repeat.
5. Increase difficulty: Add a weight via vest, dumbbells, or bare ball or increase box height.

Plyo Exercise 2: Broad Jumps- build leg strength. (3×15)

1. Use a surface that has some give to it
2. Squat position, shoulder width apart
3. Squat down and explode up
4. Land softly on the ground and immediately transition into next rep.

Plyo Exercise 3: Skater Jumps-build lateral strength and power in quads/glutes (3×10)

1. Squat position with feet close together and majority of weight on the right leg
2. Push off right leg to the opposite side
3. Land softly on left legs and move your right leg behind like performing a curtsy lunge
4. Repeat on left leg. That’s one rep

Plyo Exercise 4: Scissor Jumps- increases adductor and gluteal muscle strength (3×10)

1. Alternate between left and right leg.
2. Place left leg in front and left leg in beg, like going into a lunge
3. Lunge down explode and alternate onto the opposite leg. Repeat

Plyo Exercise 5: Burpees- great full body exercise- (3×10)

1. Start in a standing position feet shoulder-width apart
2. Drop down into a push up position, complete one push-up
3. Bring knees up to chest
4. Explode up, jumping into air
5. Land softly on the ground and repeat
6. Watch this video for more tips

Plyo Exercise 6: Plie Squat Jump- abs, butt and legs (45 sec)

1. Stand feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, toes pointed out
2. Lower into a deep plié squat with hands clasped in front of chest
3. Jump as high as you can tapping heels together in midair
4. Land with knees soft in plié squat position

Plyo Exercise 7: One-Legged Dead Lift Hop- abs, butt, legs (30 sec x 2)

1. Stand on left leg, right knee lifted to hip height
2. Raise arms out to sides and bend elbows
3. Keeping back flat and arms raised, hinge forward. Extend right leg bending you
4. Reverse motion, returning upright, and as right knee lifts forwards push off left leg to jump on
5. Land softly on left leg. Repeat

Plyo Exercise 8: Double Jump- abs, butt, legs (45 sec x 2)

1. Similar to scissor jumps, stand with feet hip-width apart and arms by sides
2. Lower into a deep squat and bring hands together in front of chest
3. Jump as high as possible and land in a lunge position with left leg forward (bend both knees 90 degrees)
4. Jump as high as you can and land in squat position, legs hip width apart
5. Jump as high as possible and land in lunch position with right leg forward
6. Repeat

Plyo Exercise 9: Lateral Lunge- abs, butt, legs (45 sec x 2)

1. Step left leg out to left side, bending left knee while keeping the right leg straight
2. Hinge body from the waist. Touch right hand to floor between feet and place left hand on top of left thigh
3. Pushing off left heel, shuffle to right two times, ending in side lunge to right with right knee bent and left leg straight. Touch left hand to floor between feet. Repeat movement to left side.

Plyo Exercise 10: Plank Straddle Hop- triceps, abs, butt, shoulders inner and outer thighs (30 sec x 2)

1. Start on floor in plank position with feet hip-width apart balancing on forearms and toes, elbows directly under shoulder, palms flat on floor
2. Hop feet out to side into a wide V, then hop feet back to start position
3. Straighten arms, pressing palms into floor (hands slightly in front of shoulders on floor)
4. Reverse motion, lowering arms to floor

Plyo Exercise 11: Plyo push-up

1. Perform standard push-up
2. Explode from the bottom push up until hands completely leave the ground
3. Attempt to get max. Height off ground.
4. Cushion landing and repeat 15 sec. straight

Plyo Exercise 12: Traveling Pushups

1. Set up a low platform (the top of a step works great, nothing higher than 6 inches)
2. Assume a pushup start position with one hand on flat ground and the other on the platform
3. Do a pushup, and on your press exploder over to the opposite side, so the opposite hand is on the box and the other is on the flat ground
4. Continuously travel back and forth

Plyo Exercise 13: Toe Taps (30 sec x 2)

1. Using a box or bench, stand with right food on top of the surface near the edge to make a right angle.
2. With the right ball of the foot touching on the surface, jump as you switch feet, landing with the left ball of the foot touching the surface.
3. Switch back to right foot to complete one rep.
4. Continue alternating feet with a jump in between each switch

Plyo Exercise 14: Jumping Jack Push Press

1. Grab a weighted fitness ball and stand with feet together and arms holding ball in a relaxed fashion near chest.
2. Jump feet out wide, beyond hip-width as you simultaneously thrust the ball directly in front of chest.
3. Jump feet back to the narrow starting position as you bring the ball back towards chest.
4. Jump feet out wide again beyond hip-width, but this thrust the ball overhead using the strength of shoulders. Jump the feet back to the narrow starting position as you bring the ball down toward your chest. That’s one rep.

Plyo Exercise 15: Plank Jumping Jacks (repeat 30 sec x 2)

1. Kneel into plank position, hands stacked beneath shoulders, core engaged and hips tucked
2. Keeping hips as level as possible, jump both feet out wide beyond shoulder-width, like doing a horizontal jumping jack with the lower body
3. Jump feet back to the starting position to complete one rep.

Plyo Exercise 16: Double Leg Butt Kick- muscle targeted: quadriceps

1. Stand with knees slightly bent
2. Squat a short distance, flexing hips and knees and immediately extend to jump for max vertical height
3. As you go up, tuck your heels by flexing the knees, attempting to touch the buttocks
4. Finish the motion by landing with knees only partially bent, using your legs to absorb the impact

Plyo Exercise 17: Jumping Jacks- muscle targeted: quadriceps

1. While standing, jump into an X position with your hands over your head and your legs a little wider than shoulder width apart.
2. Then jump back to a natural standing position.

Plyo Exercise 18: Mountain Climbers

1. Begin at the top of a push-up in good plank form.
2. Shift your weight to your hands more than to your feet.
3. Drive one knee up toward your chest while squeezing your core.
4. As your first leg returns to its starting position, drive the other knee to the chest.
5. Alternate legs back and forth.
6. Watch this video for more tips.