Plyometrics is all about learning to put forth as much physical effort into a small amount of time as possible. By using explosive motions, such as the hopping that a kangaroo does, a person can train their body to put forth greater power than someone with greater raw strength. However, one concern that people have about plyometrics exercises is that is can be hard on the joints.

It's true that unless you're already physically fit, heavy plyometrics can put strain on the joints. However, low impact plyometrics are fairly safe, and some exercises are very recognizable. If your only exposure to plyometrics is the high-impact versions, where you jump off big boxes onto the ground, then here are a few examples of low impact plyometrics that you can perform with relative safety.

Sprinting

A familiar exercise to anyone who's had gym class, sprints are actually a great low impact plyometrics exercise. Because the whole point of plyometrics is to load the muscle with an elongating action, then shortening it like a spring, sprints are a great low impact plyometrics exercise for the hamstring muscles. Even if you're a long distance runner, training with sprints can help to better put on that last burst of power just before the finish line.

Ankle Hopping

Ankle hops are also great low impact plyometrics exercises, and might also seem familiar to you. By bouncing up and down using only the strength of your ankles and calves, you can strengthen them and teach those muscles to give you more jumping power. By concentrating on trying to jump as high as you can and pushing off the ground as soon as you land again, you can develop jumping power. If these motions sound similar, swing a rope and you'll see that what you're essentially doing is jump roping.

Side To Side Motions

Another low impact plyometrics exercise is a variation of the ankle hop. Rather than move up and down, you move two or three feet, from side to side, with each jump. These jumps will not only help with your jumping power, but with your speed as well. Most low-impact plyometrics, in fact, are variations on the ankle hop, whether it's jumping rope, doing jumping jacks, or similar exercises.

Keeping Plyometrics Safe

Until you're comfortable with low impact plyometrics, don't be tempted to move to higher impact activities, such as ones that involve weights or ones where you jump off boxes. Instead, stick with the low impact exercises and ramp up the intensity when you can do about 50 reps comfortably. As with all exercises, allow yourself time to stretch beforehand and perform proper warming up and cooling down. By exercising smart, you should be able to enjoy low impact plyometrics without an increased risk of injury, instead increasing your overall fitness and ability to convert your energy into power.