Strength

What are the best plyometric exercises for a beginner?

Build Strong Foundations: Top Plyometric Exercises for Beginners

Hi, Ian. The plyometric exercises, I tend to favor for beginners, either a youth athlete or even an older athlete with a younger training age could probably fall under two categories. The first would probably be titled neuromuscular control and just taking your conventional jumping exercises, stationary counter movement jump, standing long jump, a lateral hop, and focusing more on a soft, cushioned, controlled, stable landing. And the second category would be your short-response plyometric to work on ground reaction time. Similar to some of the other answers, those would be line hops in multiple directions, short hurdle hops, or jumping rope, something to work on a quick response of the ground. I think if you build in those two categories you're addressing a strong plyometric program for beginners.

For beginners, plyometric exercises should include neuromuscular control and short-response drills such as line hops, short hurdle hops, and jumping rope.

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For beginners, there are two categories of plyometric exercises that I recommend. The first category is focused on neuromuscular control. These exercises include stationary counter movement jumps, standing long jumps, and lateral hops. The emphasis here is on landing softly, with control and stability.

The second category is short-response plyometrics, which aim to improve ground reaction time. Examples of exercises in this category are line hops in multiple directions, short hurdle hops, or jumping rope. These exercises help develop quick responsiveness to the ground.

By incorporating exercises from both categories, you can establish a solid foundation for a beginner's plyometric program.

Do you think swearing or profanity is appropriate in coaching?

Swearing in Coaching: Yes, but with Big Qualifiers

Do you think swearing or profanity is appropriate in coaching? I'm going to go against the expert grain just slightly on this one and say yes, but with three big qualifiers. Number one, age and population, number two, type, and number three, timing. For age and population, only with adult athletes, college age or older, never with high school, adolescent or younger, those athletes will model, they will repeat what they see and what we do, definitely inappropriate for a youth athlete. Number two, type. We know there's a range of profanity and swear words that go from fairly harmless and I barely even noticed he said it all the way to like insulting and vulgar. I would stay away from that end of the continuum for sure. And then the final one is timing. To me, to use a profanity or a swear word to emphasize and drive home a point is when it is appropriate, sort of like the parent that's always cool and calm and collected and understanding and all of a sudden they raise their voice. It's a way to call attention to a moment that otherwise may be ignored or is being dismissed. So I say yes to profanity, but only with those three big qualifiers attached. Great question, Daniel. Thanks for asking.

Yes, swearing or profanity can be appropriate for coaching, but only when used with adult athletes, in a mild way, and to emphasize a point.

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Swearing or profanity in coaching can be appropriate, but with three important qualifiers. Firstly, it should only be used with adult athletes, college age or older, and never with high school, adolescent, or younger athletes who may model and repeat such language. Secondly, the type of profanity matters. It's best to stay away from insulting and vulgar language and stick to milder expressions. Lastly, timing is crucial. Swearing should be used sparingly to emphasize and drive home a point, similar to a parent who is typically calm but raises their voice to capture attention. It should be used to highlight important moments that might otherwise be ignored or dismissed. So, while swearing can have a place in coaching, it should be approached with caution and consideration.

Key takeaway: The risks and challenges of early AM practices in team sports.

I'm at my thoughts on early morning practices and conditioning particularly in the team sport. Setting are to First understand the coaches rationale behind that schedule. Is it born out of a? You know, this is the way we've always done it type thing and the coach wants to hang on to that, or is it tied to an actual need? May be a logistical challenge of facility conflict or maybe the bulk of the team has to practice at that time due to scheduling conflicts Once you understand that, I think you can have real dialogue with the head coach regarding some of the risks Associated. It's fair to think that maybe at the University or professional level, the athletes will enter that practice, sleep compromised, which increases the risk of injury, probably going to decrease mood, maybe some hydration and nutrition energy availability. Challenges, there are just some built-in obstacles to having a successful environment of early morning, training, not impossible, but but the head coach should just be aware of that and there should be some strong real conversations around trying to maintain that type of schedule.

To understand the rationale behind early morning practices and conditioning, especially in team sports, it is important to discuss the risks associated with this type of schedule. Sleep deprivation, increased risk of injury, decreased mood, hydration and nutrition energy availability can all be issues that should be considered when making decisions about early morning practices. Coaches should have real conversations regarding these risks before implementing any changes.

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My view on early morning practices, particularly in team sports settings, is that it's important to understand the rationale behind the coach's decision. Is it based on tradition or is there a genuine need, such as facility availability or scheduling conflicts?

Once you have a clear understanding, it's crucial to have an open dialogue with the head coach about the potential risks associated with early morning practices. At the university or professional level, athletes may enter practice with compromised sleep, which can increase the risk of injury and negatively impact mood, hydration, and nutrition. There are inherent challenges to creating a successful training environment in the early morning, but it's not impossible. The head coach should be aware of these challenges and engage in honest conversations to ensure the best possible schedule for the team.

The Key to Coachable Athletes: Mindset and Feedback

What makes an athlete coachable? I'm going to answer this question. Two ways both as a former pro strength coach and as a parent because I talk to my son about this kind of stuff all the time. I think, the first thing is that it starts with a mindset. I think of the Carol dweck stuff, a growth mindset versus a closed, mind set, and this idea and this willingness to always do what it takes to grow and develop and get better recognize that mistakes are, okay, that they are what we Earn from, that's how we develop from there. I think it's three steps. The first one is, when a coach brings you over and tries to help you get better, you look them in the eye. You are very willing to listen to what it is. They're going to say, number two, you make a genuine effort to correct. What it is? They brought up and the third part is some type of close the loop. That there is a debrief even if it's informal to let the athlete know that they did better coach. Says hey, great job. That's exactly what I was talking about. The athlete circles back at some points at coach, how did I do? But there's some type of feedback loop closure, so that we know that the efforts were acknowledged by both sides. So, I hope you found that answer helpful and thanks for your question.

To be coachable, an athlete must have a growth mindset and be willing to listen to the coach's instructions, make a genuine effort to correct mistakes, and provide feedback to the coach to ensure that their efforts are acknowledged.

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An athlete is coachable when they possess a growth mindset and are willing to do what it takes to improve. They embrace mistakes as opportunities for growth and development. There are three key steps to being coachable. First, when a coach offers guidance, the athlete looks them in the eye and listens attentively. Second, the athlete genuinely makes an effort to correct the areas pointed out by the coach. Lastly, there should be some form of closure, such as a debrief or informal feedback, where the coach acknowledges the athlete's efforts and the athlete seeks feedback on their performance. This feedback loop ensures that both sides recognize and appreciate the athlete's commitment to improvement.

What leadership qualities in professional athletes stand out to you as a coach?

Unwavering routine, leading by example, and respectful communication: Key athlete leadership qualities

What leadership qualities in? Professional athletes, stand out to me, as a coach, I was very fortunate to be around some incredible athlete leaders in my time in the MBA and three quality stand out to me. The first one is routine and ritual early in their careers. They figured out what works for them. What gets them in a good Rhythm either on a training day or a game day, and they stick with that, it's unwavering, it's unflinching. Rival times, supplementation, timing pregame meal times. How many three-pointers did they get up in the morning of a game and what do they do afterward to recover? You respect it because they don't they don't waver from doing that exact thing each and every day. The second one is sort of this kind of Walk The Talk they find ways genuine to their personality and who they are to become athletes at others. Want to emulate, not everybody's a vocal leader, right? People do it by habit. And by example, just in how they carry themselves each day and then others actually, will put their arms around a rookie or another athlete and say, hey, you need to change this but they become someone that others point to, as a way to do things, right? And then, the third one, is this notion of respectful, communication, respectful confrontation, when something needs to be said to a coach or practitioner strength, coach trainer, physical therapist. Something they don't agree with whether it's a Tactical technical decision watching film with a coach, or they don't understand a strength exercise or a treatment protocol that they respectfully question it. And you understand that they are asking in their delivery because they want what's best for themselves as pro athletes that they deserve the best from those around them. So, those are my three standout qualities. Great question. John thanks for asking and I hope you found my answer helpful.

Three standout qualities of professional athlete leaders that stand out to me as a coach are: routine and ritual, walking the talk, and respectful communication/confrontation.

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As a coach, I have had the privilege of being around exceptional athlete leaders in the NBA, and three key leadership qualities stand out to me. 

Firstly, routine and ritual. These athletes have figured out what works for them to get into a good rhythm, whether it's on a training day or a game day. They stick to their routines unwaveringly, from timing their supplementation and pregame meals to the number of three-pointers they practice in the morning. Their commitment to their routines is admirable and earns respect.

Secondly, the ability to walk the talk. Not all leaders are vocal; some lead by example and through their genuine personality. Others naturally gravitate towards emulating these athletes because of how they carry themselves each day. They become role models for others to follow, even without explicitly trying to be.

Lastly, respectful communication and confrontation. These athletes know how to respectfully express their opinions or question decisions made by coaches, strength coaches, trainers, or physical therapists. They seek clarification or express disagreement in a way that shows they want what's best for themselves and their teammates. They understand that they deserve the best from those around them and communicate accordingly.

These three qualities - routine and ritual, leading by example, and respectful communication - truly stand out to me as a coach. They contribute to the success and positive influence of professional athletes.

What are a couple things you do daily that makes you successful?

Daily habits for success: Morning focus, email limits, and activity

Dr. Cunningham, great question, a few habits, I try to weave into each of my days so that at the end, I can look back and say it was successful. Or you know what, right? You know, we got to, I got to win today. The first one is I know, I am my most efficient and creative and focused first thing in the morning. So any type of Project based work that needs real deep thought I will knock out very first thing after my first sip of Coffee for sure but before the rest of the world starts emailing and texting and phone calling and everything. So I tried to dedicate at least one hour to that first thing in the morning. And I do that in two different. 25 minute blocks. I'll spend 25 minutes of uninterrupted time, followed by five minutes of a break where I can check for a text or or check the internet real quick. I borrowed that from the author world that's called the Pomodoro Technique. The second thing is I try to limit email to to Two different. 30 minute blocks email, has a way of hanging over you all day, something that you feel like you have to get to all the time. So I try to restrict that time to just two separate blocks over the course of the day and then the final one is just activity. Certainly my own exercise routine routine. Try to knock out at least four good personal workouts over the course of the week, but other days sometimes that activity is defined by, you know, playing in the backyard with my son or just brief Mobility or a walk outside, it could could take any form. But I tried to try to weave some type of activity into each and every day. Those are three habits that I would deem my successful. My successful ones that I try to build in. I hope you find them helpful.

I dedicate at least one hour of uninterrupted time to focus on projects first thing in the morning. I also limit my email to two 30-minute blocks per day. Lastly, I try to incorporate some type of activity into each day, such as exercise, playing with my son, or going for a walk.

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To ensure success, there are a few daily habits I incorporate into my routine. First, I prioritize deep, project-based work early in the morning when I am most efficient, creative, and focused. I dedicate at least one hour to this type of work before the distractions of the day begin. I break this time into two 25-minute blocks, followed by a short five-minute break, using the Pomodoro Technique.

Next, I limit my email time to two separate 30-minute blocks throughout the day. Email can easily consume our attention and create a sense of urgency, so I find it helpful to restrict it to specific time slots.

Lastly, I prioritize daily activity. This can range from my own exercise routine, with at least four workouts per week, to engaging in physical activities with my son or simply taking a walk outside. Incorporating some form of activity into each day helps me stay energized and focused.

These three habits have been instrumental in my success, and I hope you find them helpful as well.

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Jesse K Wright answers your Strength questions. See all the advice Jesse K Wright has and get answers to your own Strength questions.

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Jesse Wright has over 20 years experience in high-performance sports, including 14 years with the Philadelphia 76ers. He was named NBA Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Year in 2013, served as President of the National Basketball Strength & Conditioning Association from 2013-2015, and chaired the NBA Pre-Draft Combine committee for 6 years. He has held Strength & Conditioning Coach positions with Temple University, Philadelphia Eagles, Barcelona Dragons, Hofstra University Football and Saint Joseph’s University. He was also Director of Summit Sports Training Center. He has an Exercise Science degree from Temple University and a Master’s of High Performance Sport degree from Australian Catholic University. He is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and a Registered Strength & Conditioning Coach Emeritus from the NSCA.