Plyometric Exercises for Legs
This article is a guide to thirteen of the best plyometric exercises for legs. These exercises will help you boost leg power.
Here are the thirteen best plyometric exercises for legs. You can incorporate these exercises and upper body plyometrics into your workouts for more power.
- Jump Rope
- Hops
- Single Leg Hops
- Squat Jumps
- Single Leg Star Jumps
- Tuck Jumps
- Split Squat Jumps
- Box Jumps
- Weighted Squat Jumps
- Single Leg Box Jumps
- Single Leg Tuck Jumps
- Standing Broad Jumps
- Depth Jumps
Let’s discuss each of these exercises in more detail.
Jump Rope
Jump rope is actually a beginner plyometric drill. This exercise helps prepare you for more advanced drills while building coordination and agility. Aim to push through your ankles and get some air time with this exercise. You can start with simple two foot hops and progress to more advanced styles as you go. To truly improve power, use only a few reps at a time. Try 2-4 sets of 25-50 reps.
Hops
This beginner drill can help you build up to more complicated plyometric drills. It helps you practice your landing mechanics and helps you build power to hop continuously on two feet. This drill also helps you build some strong tendons and ligaments so that you survive more advanced drills.
To perform this exercise, simply hop forward on two feet. Extend knees, hips and ankles in the air before landing softly. Immediately start the next jump.
Try 2-3 sets of 12-15 hops.
Single Leg Hops
Single leg hops improve single leg power. They also give you practice landing and rebounding on one leg. Finally, they help you practice good landing mechanics on one leg, helping you reduce injuries during more advanced drills or sports.
Perform hops on one leg. You can travel forward, backward or sideways. This drill helps you boost single leg power. Try 2-3 sets of 12-15 hops per leg.
Single Leg Star Jumps
This exercise improves single leg power and helps decrease knee injuries. This drill improves knee control, hip control and ankle control. You can try this drill to improve coordination and help prevent those season-ending ACL injuries.
Jump on one foot in five different directions, forming a star. Use good landing mechanics. Perform 3 stars on each leg.
Tuck Jumps
Tuck jumps will improve your power and help you improve jump skills for sports. This drill will truly boost athletic ability.
To perform tuck jumps, perform a two leg hop and lift knees to chest. Land softly before preceding into the next tuck jump.
You can try 3 sets of 8 to 12 tuck jumps.
Split Squat Jump
This drill boosts coordination and leg strength too. You will gain the power to switch legs mid air. Aside from boosting leg power and strength, this drill will train your brain to react quickly too.
Perform a lunge, immediately jump into the air, split legs and land in the other leg lunge. Try 3 sets of 6-12 jumps on each leg.
Box Jump
This drill boosts vertical jump power. It will pave the way for a better vertical jump and more leg power. It also helps you boost tendon and ligament strength and lets you practice good landing technique.
Perform a vertical jump and land softly on a box with knees bent. You can step down or perform continuous jumps.
Try 3 sets of 5-8 jumps. Use good mechanics.
Weighted Squat Jump
This exercise really improves leg power and strength. Can you imagine how good of a jumper you can become from this exercise? Performing squat jumps against resistance will help you jump sky high. Can you imagine how easy a lay up or volleyball spike will feel after performing this exercise?
Wear a weight vest or hold a dumbbell and perform a normal squat jump. You can also do this exercise with a barbell on your back. Try 3 sets of 6-8 jumps. Don’t use too much weight here.
Single Leg Box Jump
This exercise helps you build that single leg power. It also boosts confidence and helps you prevent those pesky knee injuries by boosting knee, hip and ankle control on each leg.
Start with a 2-6 inch box. Perform a single leg jump to a box. Land softly with good knee mechanics. Do not perform continuous jumps. Step down from the box.
Try 3 sets of 5 reps on each leg.
Single Leg Tuck Jumps
This exercise builds crazy single leg power. I remember this one from my gymnastics days as a great drill to build powerful legs.
With one foot stationary, perform a single leg tuck jump. Practice landing with good mechanics before performing multiple single leg tuck jumps in a row. Try 3 sets of 6-8 jumps on each leg.
Standing Broad Jumps
The standing broad jump improves forward leg power. Forward leg power helps athletes who must generate power in a forward direction. Triple jump athletes will really benefit from this movement.
Perform a standing maximum distance jump. Land with good mechanics before the next rep. Try 2-3 sets of 5 to 8 reps.
Depth Jumps
This exercise originates from the Soviet countries, which dominated power and strength sports for a long time. The depth jump prepares the body to safely absorb high forces. This type of drill boosts leg power, maximum strength and resilience. However, you should only try this drill if you already have advanced levels of strength and have already progressed through all the other exercises on this list. Ideally, you should only try the depth jump once you can back squat 1.5 times your body weight. Also, start with a 12 inch box and progress to a box no higher than 42 inches.
To perform this exercise, stand on top of a box.
Step down off the box. When your feet hit the floor, immediately perform a countermovement jump. Land softly and then repeat.
Try 1 to 3 sets of 3-5 depth jumps.
Final Thoughts
I hope you enjoyed these thirteen plyometric exercises for legs. Did trying these exercises boost your leg power? Let me know in the comment section below.
