Have you ever wanted to do jumps like Toni Bou? To have a riding style like Raga? If you answered yes, you should try to make plyometrics an important component of your overall training and conditioning program. Most elite athletes use some form of plyometric exercise to improve the agility, speed, and power needed for explosive movements, which we should always be prepared to do. It is a popular form of training to acquire speed, power and explosive strength, which is essential in trial.
Text, photos and video: Fran Delfín
As we have commented on a few occasions, in the Physical preparation in the Trial, we must take into account the peculiarity of the explosiveness in some of its movements, although, in this sport it is also required that the pilot has some Great motor skills, although strength represents a basic ability, training this ability (strength) is very important for the Trial rider, the Plyometric exercise is a training protocol used to create muscle strength in the shortest possible time.
More force can be generated by pre-stretching a muscle immediately before the Concentric muscle contraction that when only concentric muscle contraction is performed, plyometric exercise attempts to combine the natural physiological characteristics of the stretch-shortening cycle in the muscles with strength and power, to create a Truly explosive movement.
The transition period between the eccentric and concentric phases is known as the amortization phase. Plyometric workouts focus on training the muscles to move quickly through this amortization phase and that’s why more powerful movements occur. Fortunately, plyometric workouts They can be made with parts of equipment that are easy to find, such as sturdy wooden boxes or crates, tires, and heavy balls.
One of the exercises is the depth jump, like the one you see in the photo. In which the pilot not only has to exert extra force as soon as he falls to the ground, but also must then do stabilization work when falling on the jumper. (watch video)
We can also work on the In the upper body, medicine balls are usually used, plyometric exercises provide numerous benefits. In this exercise specifically, not only is a plyometric exercise done, but we have also used an unstable base to work this unbalanced capacity, more or less as it occurs when we go with the bike.
It’s possible to get many of the same benefits that are achieved in other types of strength and power training, such as the increase in Muscle Strength and Bone Endurance, in addition to an improvement in functional power, with great transfer to our specialty, producing improvements in power, in general performance improving the ability to move the bike and support the weights.
It also has disadvantages and limitations, as most public facilities lack the appropriate space and equipment for this type of exercise. And due to the intensive nature of plyometric exercises, they should not be performed without an appropriate base of strength, for this it is necessary to develop a routine training program and a minimum strength base before adding plyometric activities, in addition to a good warm-up.
Then you will learn the appropriate techniques to perform these exercises, although they must be guided by specialized professionals. These activities should not be done more than two or three times a week to give the muscles time to rest and recover from the activity. Consequently, plyometric exercise can be very beneficial for people who are trying to maximize the power their muscles can generate.
These exercises will help improve athletic performance while being active, high-intensity exercises. In reality, plyometric exercises are only necessary if you are taking part in competitive sports and want to make the most of the power that your muscles can generate.
Here’s this training video:
