Jeet Kune Do Footwork | Plyometric Training, Part 1

Recently in training the topic of using plyometric training drills to enhance Jeet Kune Do footwork came up. Since plyometrics are a critical part of your training, this will be the first part of a series of articles covering the topic. I will include some sample training routines at the end of the series.

The objective of this first article is to define plyometric training, cover some of the science behind it and where it fits into your overall program design. I say overall plan because it is only one method of training, and without being designed properly into a plan you will not gain maximal benefits and/or cause injury.

Program Design Overview

Any training program must have a solid foundation of strength to progress to the next level. The outline below is the basic progression I use.

1. Foundation Fitness
2. Basic Strength & Hypertrophy
3. Skill-Related Fitness
4. Peak Performance

Plyometric training falls under the Skill-Related Fitness (SRF) phase. I typically use plyometric training during this phase of training. Within the SRF there are 6 basic areas of concern. I will only outline the 6 basic areas here.

1. Agility
2. Balance
3. Coordination
4. Speed
5. Power
6. Reaction Time

Polyometric training should only be performed after establishing an adequate base of strength not only in musculature but more specifically in the connective tissues (i.e. ligaments, tendons and bones) and motor learning. Put simply, the body must have the proper foundation before attempting this component of training. This should be accomplished during the Foundation Fitness and Basic Strength & Hypertrophy stages.

The Science of Plyometrics

(This is a bit technical)

Plyometrics is a method of developing explosive power. They bring together the strength and speed components for increasing power and speed.

A muscle’s elasticity is a component of strength, specifically its ability to lengthen and increase tension. The range of muscular elasticity is directly proportionate to the ability of the tissue to resist force and return to its original shape upon releasing a load. Elasticity lends the ability to use tension to return to or react in the original direction with greater force, more efficiency, or both. It is this elastic property that plyometric training develops on.

Why is it so important in Jeet Kune Do footwork training?

When developing footwork, especially in the advanced stages, you are required to make explosive counter movements and changes in direction. These movements require the muscles involved to first stretch rapidly and then shorten thus accelerating the body in a given direction. By increasing the reflexive stimulation to the muscles brought about by the sudden stretch the stored elastic energy is increased in the muscle and tendons thus making more power. Plyometric training enhances the ability to utilize the stretch reflex. They also increase the overall neural stimulation of the muscle.

Plyometric Exercise Methods for Jeet Kune Do

• Rhythm Plyometrics: exercises that develop explosive power through coordinated movement
• Speed Plyometrics: exercises to increase basic speed capacity through overloading muscles over short time durations i.e. your ability to explode in a given direction.
• Power Plyometrics: exercises to develop explosive strength.
• Power-Endurance Plyometrics: exercises to build the ability to produce explosive power over and over.

All of these types of exercises are useful for Jeet Kune Do footwork. Rhythm plyometrics exercises improve coordinated movement, such as compound footwork maneuvers. Speed plyometrics exercises produce faster footwork movements. Power plyometrics exercises produce more forceful movements which translates to more power in techniques. Power-Endurance plyometrics exercises help to develop explosive power over a long period, as in a cage or ring fighting.

In the next article of the series we will cover some more of the science and also define a few basic exercises.