Skills and quick reactions are especially important in trail running. To run well and fast on the trail, the runner must react immediately to the terrain and obstacles. Unlike on the road, trail runners cannot afford the luxury of repeating one well-practiced and polished movement cycle over and over all the way to the finish. On the trail, every step is different and unique. Rocks, puddles of water, holes in the ground, tree roots, and snakes all have one thing in common – they need to be jumped over. Good reaction (reflexes) and efficient movement are especially important on technical downhill parts. Fortunately, there is a training system specifically created to develop quick reactions and explosive power: the “plyometric training”.
Why this fancy word?
This training system was created by a Soviet sports scientist Oleg Verkhoshanskiy in the late 1960s and was known then as “Jump training”. It is believed that jump training contributed significantly to the Olympic success of Soviet athletes. After the fall of the iron curtain, American sports performance trainer and biomechanist Michael Yessis was able to travel to Russia and work there to translate, study and implement Verkhoshanskiy’s method and introduce it to the United States and the rest of the world. The system later became known as “plyometrics” and is now becoming extremely popular with professional and amateur athletes throughout the world. The term “plyometric” was coined by Fred Wilt, an American athlete, and author who worked together with Michael Yessis. In Greek “plio” means more and “metric” means to measure.
The science behind plyometric
The idea behind plyometric training is simple – to use the stretch-shortening cycle of the muscle to produce maximum force. This is achieved by enhancing the excitability, sensitivity, and reactivity of the neuromuscular system.
Each plyometric exercise or movement can be divided into three phases: eccentric, amortization and concentric.
- Eccentric phase or loading phase. Eccentric means “away from the centre”. During this stage the muscle gets stretched like a rubber band and is loaded with potential energy, getting ready to fire.
- The amortization phase is the time between the eccentric and the concentric phases. It includes dynamic stabilization of the eccentric muscle action and the initiation of the concentric contraction. As the athlete gets better, the amortization phase gets shorter.
- Concentric phase or unloading phase. Concentric means “towards the centre”. During this phase the muscle contracts explosively producing energy to propel the body or part of the body. This is similar to releasing a stretched rubber band. As the athlete improves, more power is produced in the concentric phase.
Plyometric workout for a trail runner
An athlete must achieve a certain level of fitness and whole-body conditioning before she or he can safely incorporate plyometric exercises into the training plan. Adequate core strength, joint stability, range of motion, and balancing skills are all absolutely necessary for effective plyometric training with minimal risk of injury. Start working on these skills first! Once you notice improvement and feel ready, start with the most simple jumps or hops, and stay in your comfort zone until you develop the required skills and confidence to challenge yourself further. Because plyometric training can be very taxing on the body, extra caution is recommended with a 10-20 min warm-up.
 |
 |
Star Jump Squat down and bring your thighs parallel to the ground, elbows bent. Immediately check the downward movement and jump up explosively extending legs and arms. As you are descending, bring the limbs back towards your body and assume the takeoff position again upon landing. |
 |
 |
Butt Kick Jump With your feet shoulder-width apart, squat down halfway and immediately jump as high as possible. During the jump, bring the heels up all the way to the buttocks. Land back in the takeoff position. Use the arms to propel the body upward. |
 |
 |
Knee-Tuck Jump With your feet shoulder-width apart, squat down halfway. With hands in front of the chest, elbows bent and pointing out, jump up as high as possible driving the knees up towards the chest and touching them to the palms of the hands. As the body descends, assume the takeoff position. Land softly on the balls of your feet in a half-squat position. |
 |
 |
Side Hop Place two or more cones approximately 2 ft (60 cm) apart. Stand to the side of one cone with your feet together and look forward. Keep your feet and knees together, jump to the side and over the cone. Use your arms to help drive your body up and land softly. |
 |
 |
Running with Lateral Bound For this exercise, you will need a wall or a curb with a 30-45° angle, a wedge, or an incline. Start running along the wall or a curb. As you accelerate, push off with the outside foot and step with the inside foot on the inclined surface. Plant the whole foot on the curb and immediately push away in the opposite direction returning to your running position. |
 |
 |
Bench Squat Jump Stand facing the bench, feet shoulder-width apart. Squat down and bring the thighs parallel to the ground with arms fully extended behind the back. Jump up explosively and land on the bench in a squat position, the whole foot flat on the bench. From here, jump back to the starting position. |
Author: Olya Korzh. Photos: Claus Rolff