Jeet Kune Do Footwork | Plyometric Training, Part 3

In this series on plyometric training for footwork I will outline the principle of specificity, cover some general factors that should be considered, optional assessments options, equipment ideas, and a sample program.  Keep in mind that this series has been a brief introduction on the topic.

Specificity

I wanted to touch on the concept of specificity which is an important principle in combat athletic training. In combat athletic training, specificity refers to neuromuscular and metabolic adaptations to particular types of overloads. Training stresses induce specific strength adaptations in a given muscular system. For example, you can achieve increases in explosiveness only by training for explosiveness.  To achieve the desired training effect requires using particular levels of resistance, speed, and distance covered. Overloads in the areas of resistance, timing, speed, and distance are important factors to consider.  Your plyometric program should incorporate the ideas of frequency, intensity, duration, and specificity. To achieve maximal results design your plyometric program to include not only the resistive and temporal overloads but also the spatial overload.

Assessments

Before designing and beginning your progressive plyometric program the first thing you must do is an assessment. Plyometric training is intense. By making an honest assessment, putting the ego aside, you will look at various factors that may help to prevent injury and gain maximal results.  I will outline some areas to consider and some assessment tests that should be performed throughout your training; however getting into a lot of detail here is out of scope of this article.

General factors

Age

General Health & Fitness

Genetics

Experience

Strength (Absolute, Relative, Dynamic, Elastic, Core)

On the topic of strength, you want to design a general strength training program to complement and not hinder the development of explosive power. I also believe that a good foundation in strength is required. I do not believe that the old rules of having a 1RM squat of 1.5 to 2 times your body weight is required before attempting depth jumps and similar shock training.

Assessment Exercises

Below are some ways to assess your current level and improvements made over time. By performing assessments at regular intervals you can make adjustments to your program.

Vertical jump test

Standing-landing jump test

Depth jump

Dot  Drill (Personal Favorite)

Medicine ball chest pass

Medicine ball single hand throws

Medicine ball overhead throw forward

Medicine ball overhead throw backwards

Although this article series is related to plyometric training for Jeet Kune Do footwork, I added in some assessments for upper body. The reason for this is as martial artist and fighters we must assess all areas of our performance and not just one. You can also use other protocols such as the Max Jones Quadrathlon (MJQ) or Reactive Strength Index (RSI) assessments as a measure of your performance.

Equipment

When looking at plyometric training equipment a little creativity goes along ways. Although you can purchase the below items, many can be built at home for a fraction of the cost. Some of the training tools I use in my programs are:

Boxes ranging in size from 12 inches high to 42 inches high.

Cones that are 6-8 , 10-12, 16-18, and 22-24 inches.

Dumbbells ranging in weight from 10-40 pounds.

Sand Bags stuffed with foam rubber, sand or pellets.

Hurdles ranging in size from 12-36 inches.

Medicine Balls in various weights.

Stair Steps that is safe to use.

Resistance bands or tubes.

Agility latters and dots

There are many types of weighted training tools that can be used in your plyometric program. I do not recommend a prolonged use of any type. Also they should not be used during the beginner and intermediate level of training. Once in the advanced stages of training the weight you select should be that which provides the best results. This may seem obvious but often people select weight that is too heavy. A good general rule is to select a weight in the 10%-20% of total body weight range.

Sample Routine

Generally speaking when designing a plyometric or even a speed, agility and quickness program, I plan for a 12 week program cycle. These usually incorporate multiple mesocycles. The sample program below outlines Week 1 of a lower body program. As the program progresses various exercises would be phased in and out as an overall plan specific to the athlete and their needs.

Pogo: 3 sets x 10 reps

Squat jumps: 2 sets x 4-6 reps

Split jumps: 2 sets x 4-6 reps

Triple frog hops: 2 sets x 4-6 reps

Stride Jump Crossovers: 2 sets x 4-6 reps

Fast skipping: 3 sets x 10 reps

Lateral hop: 2 sets x 6-8 reps

Once completing a general plyometric training cycle you can incorporate program designs that target specific areas on different days. What I mean by this is on one day you can work horizontal, another vertical, and another lateral.

When we first begin training in a martial art such as Jeet Kune Do our greatest increases will come from the training itself. The longer we train the harder it is to gain increases in performance. This is the stage at which supplemental training becomes critical. As a combat athlete, every advantage you can bring to the ring or cage only serves to increase your odds of success.

While plyometric training is important as an overall game plan nothing replaces the need to perform skill based training. Make sure when designing your training regime you target all areas of the success equation and not just one or two.