PR Pursuit: Bounce to a New Personal Best

Let’s face it, the longer you have been running and the faster you get, the more difficult it becomes to set a new personal record. Simply running more miles and adding speed work will allow you to maintain more aggressive paces. Many runners also add strength training to their workouts and certainly getting stronger can make you faster.

But force production and strength alone aren’t all that matters. It’s the ability to generate force quickly that really counts when running fast. You want to become more POWERFUL, which includes the element of time. You might be able to generate a tremendous amount of force, but if it takes 2 seconds to do so, that isn’t going to help your running very much, as your foot is on the ground for only 0.2 seconds per step!

So how do you develop power? And how do you possibly have time to add yet another workout session to your already crammed life? Good news: a small amount of plyometrics can have a big pay-off from just a few minutes per week!

What are Plyometrics?

Plyometrics, also known as “bouncy stuff”, are exercises that use jumping, hopping and bounding to combine speed and force to build power. While burpees and box jumps are common plyometric exercises, there are easier and less intimidating movements that also count as plyos. Some examples are single and double leg hopping, jumping rope, and skipping.

How Plyometrics Make You Faster

Plyometrcs develop the ability to generate force quickly by targeting the following:.

• Stretch Shortening Cycle (SSC) - this sequence of active lengthening (eccentric) muscle action followed by active shortening (concentric) is used in all human locomotion, but especially in activities like sprinting and jumping. The pre-stretch allows the muscle to contract with more force and greater speed. This can increase overall muscle performance for any activity, but training the SSC improves endurance running capacity by increasing efficiency of every contraction.

  
  

• Musculotendinous Unit - this is what transfers the force from the muscle to the bone to elicit movement. For activities like running and jumping, the Achilles tendon is especially important. Plyometric training can help the Achilles react with the appropriate level of stiffness so that less work is required by the calf muscles to propel you forward.

  
  

• Neuromotor Coordination - this refers to your brain’s ability to efficiently recruit the correct number, sequence and timing of motor units in your muscles. A more efficient muscle does less work and requires less energy.

  
  

It all sounds a bit technical, but the end result of this training is simple: a more efficient running stride. In fact, a 2023 study of 34 amateur runners found that just five minutes of plyometric training per day resulted in a significant increase in running economy in just six weeks. This improvement meant it was substantially easier for these runners to hold a faster pace—exactly what you want when you are gunning for a PR.

Plyometrics also have the bonus benefit of potentially decreasing injury risk. This is through increased bone density and improved postural control and pelvic stability.

How to Do Plyometrics

There is no one “right” way to incorporate plyometrics into your training. The study cited above used one simple exercise—a double leg hop. Standing with feet hip distance apart, the runners jumped as high and fast as possible, keeping the knees extended and minimizing their time on the ground. They started with 10 seconds of hopping and 50 seconds of rest, repeated 5 times for a total of 5 minutes. The rest cycle was shortened by 10 seconds each week so the second week required 20 seconds of hopping / 40 seconds of rest for 5 minutes. By the sixth week, they hopped for 10 seconds with 10 seconds rest for the same total of 5 minutes.

This was enough to improve their running economy by an average of more than 2%. All of the runners tolerated the progressive hopping well, suggesting this form of plyometric training has low risk of injury. Subjects hopped daily in this study, but other work suggests that even 1-2x / week is effective at improving running economy.

Double leg hopping is not the only beginner plyometric option. Well-known running coach Dan Pfaff developed his “Rudiment” series as an introduction to plyometrics. The “Rudiments” are a series of low amplitude hops that can be used as part of a warm-up, within a training session, or even post-run combined with strength training. The series involves six different double and single leg hop combinations and also takes only a few minutes to perform: For more information on Dan Pfaff’s Rudiments, check out this great video.

Hop To It

Plyometrics can be a quick and feasible way to boost your running speed and efficiency and help you reach a new personal best! If you have questions about implementing plyometrics into your training, seek out a physical therapist or other exercise professional familiar with their usage.

PR Pursuit: Tips to Go Farther and Faster

Throughout July, the TCM Motion Experts are sharing advice from their areas of expertise focused especially for more experienced runners aiming to go farther or faster with their running.

If you're a new runner looking for information tailored to your situation, check out our Running 101 content from earlier in the year, here.

The information provided in this article and linked videos is intended for general education and demonstration purposes only. It does not substitute for professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional or healthcare provider if you seek medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment specific to your individual situation.

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Kristen Gerlach, PT, PhD, is a physical therapist who specializes in working with runners. She is one of the team of Motion Experts TCM has gathered to help its subscribers and participants get the most out of their running. Have a question for Kristen: [email protected] or website: instridemnpt.com.