Plyometrics is a form of exercise that can help you to develop the right muscle power for high jumps, sprints, and other exercises where you need to put forth as much muscle energy in a short period of time. However, while plyometrics exercises can be great to do, there are dangers in plyometrics exercises for the untrained. Before you even get starts with plyometrics, you should know the dangers plyometrics holds for some people, and evaluate if it’s right for you.

Problems With Adolescents

For kids in particular, there are dangers from early plyometrics training. Because their skeletons and muscles are still developing, children are more prone to injury from plyometrics exercises. Because youths are often not as aware of their bodies as adults, hence the clumsiness often exhibited in pubescent children, those that do practice plyometrics often do so in poor form. To avoid most of these dangers of heavy plyometrics on youths, it should not be practiced until after about 16 years of age.

Strain On The Muscles

Another danger of plyometrics training is the mistake of attempting these exercises without any strength training. The highest impact plyometrics exercises use gravity to effectively put a greater load on your muscles than your body would alone. Therefore, if you start on a plyometrics regimen with no strength training, you’re inviting injury. Many experts suggest doing several weeks of strength training before attempting plyometrics.

Bad Form

Many of the dangers of plyometrics can be minimized by doing the exercises with proper form. Landing the wrong way on a foot, again and again, can aggravate the body until injury is almost inevitable. Many of the dangers of plyometrics can be minimized by doing the exercises with proper form. Landing the wrong way on a foot, again and again, can aggravate the body until injury is almost inevitable. You will see better results and less dangers from plyometrics by starting small and concentrating on form before you move on to bigger boxes and higher impact exercises.

Lessen Injury With Slow Progress

If you’re just starting out with plyometrics the dangers are greater if you go right for the plyometrics boxes than if you start with lower impact exercises; this ties in to the problems with form and strength and form already mentioned. Just as with lifting weights, you don’t immediately use the heaviest weights, you need to start small with plyometrics. The safest way to approach plyometrics is to start with lower impact exercises, such as hopping in place like you’re jumping rope. By starting with the easiest exercises and working up when you can do a lot of reps will avoid many of the dangers of plyometrics. Done properly, you’ll be able to avoid these problems and enjoy an increase in power from your plyometrics training.