Explosive power! It sounds cool, but what is it, and how do you develop it? Explosive power is the ability to achieve maximum effort in minimal time. Exercises to improve explosiveness include a combination of two things: strength and speed.
When a sprinter lunges off the block in acceleration, they’ve activated muscles in their legs, core, and arms in order to speed up towards the finish line. Athletes in every sport, like basketball, soccer, golf and gymnastics, rely on explosive power to swing, jump, or stop on a dime. It’s an essential attribute for anyone who wants to take their game to the next level.
How Do You Develop Explosive Power With Speed and Strength?
VertiMax is one of the best speed training equipment athletes can use to enable sudden movements that catch the opposition off guard. Anyone who wants to make those same movements must work on building both strength and speed. Usually, beginners need to focus on strength before worrying about speed.
7 VertiMax Exercises to Improve Explosiveness and Power
1. Lateral High-Step
While they created this drill with the movements of a running back in mind, it’s a great way to build strength in any sport that relies on quick lateral movement, including tennis and volleyball. To prepare, attach resistance bands at the waist and place three barriers on the ground about 12” away from each other. The barriers should be roughly 12” high and 18” wide–a football agility dummy will do, but so will a cardboard box. The athlete faces their side to the barriers and steps over each of them as quickly as possible while lifting their knees to hip level. After passing over the barriers, they sprint 10 meters.
2. Repetitive Long Jumps
This hip-flexor exercise builds hip flexion while improving triple extension power. The athlete bends down with their knees aligned with their ankles. They then explode forward and jump as far as they can–then immediately jump again, and again, until they’ve covered 10-15 yards. They should vary this drill from 6 to 12 repetitions.
3. Paused Squat Jump
The Paused Squat Jump builds an athlete’s ability to start with power from a motionless position. It can be done in 10-12 reps. They loaded the drill at the waist and sees the athlete standing on the platform. They begin in a parallel squat position with their hands on the back of their head and their elbows out. Then, in one sudden exertion, they jump up. On landing, the athlete should try to pause and remain completely still for one second, then jump again.
4. Three-Point Start
The 3-Point Start is a great way to build speed. For this exercise, they loaded the athlete at the thighs and the hands. They start with three points–one hand and both feet–on the ground in a sprint start position. The athlete drives forward into an all-out sprint, followed by a quick deceleration after 10 meters. This drill builds coordination and speed to support explosive starts. Look at how NFL Linebacker Bobby Carpenter trains.
5. Palm-Loaded Standing Vertical
This drill highlights the VertiMax's ability to add resistance to a full-body explosive jump. The palm-loaded standing vertical drill has the athlete take on resistance at the waist and a palm. The athlete must practice proper jump mechanics, including knee alignment and toe placement. During the drill, they jump as high as possible, pause for a moment to recover proper form, and jump again. It’s a great way to improve vertical jump performance and synergistic movement between the upper and lower body.
6. Single Response Max Vertical Jump
This jump drill integrates both of the vertical cords and has resistance loaded at the waist. The athlete stands on the platform and, in one sudden and explosive motion, crouches down before shooting up as high as possible. His hands should stretch over his head as high as possible to increase arm velocity in sprinting movements.
7. Two Leg Single-Response Long Jump
The 2-Leg Single-Response Long Jump is a long jump exercise focusing especially on form. The drill requires the athlete to start out in front of the platform with resistance loaded at the waist. It begins with a crouch, followed by a maximum-effort jump forward.
VertiMax Platforms and Raptors help athletes become more explosive. Youth, high school, collegiate, and professional athletes around the world use our equipment. Learn more about WHY VertiMax is the best training tool an athlete can have for explosive training and exercises.
