Plyometrics

Incorporating plyometrics into pole vault training is highly effective, as it enhances key physical qualities related to sprinting and jumping. Plyometrics, characterised by explosive, stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) movements, improve ground contact times and maximise elastic energy storage, both of which are crucial for pole vault performance.

The SSC allows muscles and tendons to stretch and then contract rapidly, mimicking the demands of sprinting and jumping with contact times around 100–200 milliseconds (ms), similar to elite sprinting (80-120 ms) and jumping (150-300 ms).

By incorporating plyometric exercises such as skips, jumps, bounds, and box jumps, athletes can increase tissue stiffness, particularly in the posterior chain (hamstrings, glutes), which is crucial for power transfer during takeoff. Increased stiffness in tendons, especially the Achilles tendon, allows for greater storage of elastic energy during the eccentric phase (muscle lengthening). This energy is then released during the concentric phase (muscle shortening), rapidly transducing force into limb velocity, which can improve sprint speed and jump height.

Another mechanism for energy storage is via Titin which plays a crucial role within the sarcomere, acting like a spring that winds up during muscle stretch. This winding stores elastic energy, contributing to muscle stiffness and force production in explosive movements.

Frans Bosch’s developed an interesting concept of muscle slack which highlights the lag in force production when muscles are not pre-tensioned. Plyometrics reduce this slack by enhancing muscle pre-activation, improving the coordination between the neural system and muscles.

Here is a guide to some of the plyometric training we do at X Vault

• Activities are split in to low, moderate and high contact in terms of difficulty.

• Chart below guides total volume of contacts expected per session, twice or thrice weekly.

Contacts	Per session	2 per week	3 per week
Beginner	100	200	300
Inter	120	240	360
Advanced	140	280	420

Double Foot	Box	Hurdles	Single	Alternate
Pogo's	Box Push offs	x5 Low  <20cm	Hop on spot	20m x Skips
Steps Up Short	Box Alt push offs	x5 Medium >20cm	Hop lateral	20m Power Skips
Weighted Vest  Pogos	Box Lateral push offs	Flat foot slower contact	Hop Zig Zags	Steps run up
Steps Down Short	Box side-side push offs	Toes faster contact	Hop Height	Steps run down
Steps up Long	Depth Jump Hold		x5 Hop Distance	Steps Bound up
x5 Distance to LJ Pit	Box to Box (low to high)			x6 Zig zags
x5 Distance	Split Box Jump			x6 Alt Bounds
	1cm Sprints			x6 Assisted alt bounds
	alt bounds upto 5cm

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