10 Minute Time Saver Plyometric Workout for Distance Runners

By Rick Morris

One of the first phases of training that tends to be tossed to the back burner during a time crunch is strength training. I can't say that doesn't make a lot of sense. After all, the most important part of your training is your running workouts - right? Yep, they are, but you don't want to ignore that strength training. Strong, resiliant muscles are more powerful and injury resistant. When you are really in a time crunch you can still get in an effective strength workout by focusing on plyometrics.

Plyometrics are high intensity, jumping type exercises in which your muscle lengthens and contracts at the same time. Plyometrics are great exercises for distance runners because they are very running specific in their motions and the do an excellent job of building a stronger, stiffer running spring that returns more of the kinetic energy you build up when running.

Plyometrics are high intensity exercises, so be sure you already have a good base of general and running specific strength built up before try these.

Here is a short, but effective 10 minute plyometric workout for those time challenged times. I would suggest doing these immediately after your running workout to eliminate the need for a warm up. If you do these before your run or as a stand alone workout be sure to perform an adequate warm up with some easy running and warm up drills. Move quickly between each exercise with about 30 seconds of recovery.

30 Seconds of Bounding

• Do this drill on a grass, artificial turf or other soft surface.

• Push off explosively with your left leg and drive your right knee up and forward.

• Land on your right foot and immediately push off explosively with your right foot, driving your left knee up and forward.

• Emphasize an exaggerated high knee drive as well as maximum distance with each stride.

30 Seconds of Double Leg Vertical Jump

• Stand in an upright position with your knees soft and very slightly flexed. Your feet should be about shoulder width apart.

• Quickly drop your hips towards the ground and then rapidly explode upward. Swing your arms forcefully upward and reach as high as possible

• Keep your toes dorsi-flexed (toes up position) throughout this exercise.

• Land on the balls of your dorsi-flexed feet and immediately bounce back upward as far and quickly as possible.

• Focus on springing off your dorsi-flexed feet rather than gathering yourself and jumping.

30 Seconds of Double Leg Forward Hops

• Stand in an upright position with your knees soft and very slightly bent in an athletic stance. Your feet should be about shoulder width apart.

• Quickly drop your hips and rapidly explode forward. Swing your arms forcefully up and forward.

• Focus on jumping forward as far as possible.

• Keep your feet dorsi-flexed (toes up) throughout this drill.

• Land on the balls of your dorsi-flexed feet under your center of gravity and very quickly bounce forward again.

• Focus on bouncing off your dorsi-flexed feet rather than gathering yourself and jumping.

30 Seconds of Double Leg Lateral Hops

• Stand in an upright position with your knees soft and very slightly bent in an athletic stance. Your feet should be about shoulder width apart.

• Quickly drop your hips and rapidly explode upward and to the right. 

• Keep your feet dorsi-flexed (toes up) throughout this drill.

• Land on the balls of your dorsi-flexed feet under your center of gravity and very quickly bounce as far as possible to the left.

• Focus on bouncing off your dorsi-flexed feet rather than gathering yourself and jumping.

30 Seconds of One Leg Hops in Place

• Stand facing away from a bench, step or box that is about 12 to 16 inches high.

• Place your left foot behind you on the bench. Your right foot should be flat on the ground under your center of gravity with your right knee slightly flexed.

• Now begin to hop up and down on your right foot as quickly as possible. Keep your right foot dorsi-flexed (toes up) and focus on bouncing off the ball of your right foot. Keep going for 15 seconds.

• Concentrate on very quick and light hops. Don’t try to hop for height. Instead, focus on hopping as quickly as possible.

• Switch legs and repeat.

30 Seconds of Single Leg Vertical Jump

• Stand in an upright position on your right foot with your right knee soft and very slightly flexed. Hold your other foot up behind your body.

• Quickly drop your right hip towards the ground and then rapidly explode upward. Swing your arms forcefully upward and reach as high as possible

• Keep your toes dorsi-flexed (toes up position) throughout this exercise.

• Land on the balls of your dorsi-flexed right foot and immediately bounce back upward as far and quickly as possible.

• Focus on springing off your dorsi-flexed foot rather than gathering yourself and jumping.

• Perform for 15 seconds using each leg.

30 Seconds of Single Leg Forward Hops

• Stand in an upright position on your right foot with your right knee soft and very slightly bent. Hold your left leg up behind you.

• Quickly drop your right hip and rapidly explode forward. Swing your arms forcefully up and forward.

• Focus on jumping forward as far as possible.

• Keep your feet dorsi-flexed (toes up) throughout this drill.

• Land on the balls of your dorsi-flexed right foot under your center of gravity and very quickly bounce forward again.

• Focus on bouncing off your dorsi-flexed feet rather than gathering yourself and jumping.

• Do 15 seconds on each leg.

30 Seconds of Double Leg Kangaroo Hops

• Stand in an upright position with your knees soft and very slightly bent in an athletic stance. Your feet should be about shoulder width apart.

• Quickly drop your hips and rapidly explode forward. Swing your arms forcefully up and forward.

• At your apex or the highest point of your jump, cycle both feet under your hips as in a cycling or running motion but keep both feet together.

• Focus on jumping forward as far as possible.

• Keep your feet dorsi-flexed (toes up) throughout this drill.

• Land on the balls of your dorsi-flexed feet under your center of gravity and very quickly spring forward again using the same cycling or rotary motion with your feet and legs.

• Focus on springing off your dorsi-flexed feet rather than gathering yourself and jumping.

1 Minute of Double Leg Drop and Runs

• Stand on a box or bench of between 16 to 24 inches in height.

• Drop off the front edge of the bench with both feet. Don’t jump off, just drop off the front edge.

• Keep your feet dorsi-flexed (toes up position) throughout this drill.

• Land on the balls of your dorsi-flexed feet and very quickly bounce forward as far as possible.

• Focus on bouncing forward as far and quickly as possible rather than gathering yourself and jumping forward.

• Immediately after your forward bounce, sprint explosively forward for 30 meters.

30 Seconds of Double Leg Lateral Hop and Runs

• Stand in an upright position with your knees soft and very slightly bent in an athletic stance. Your feet should be about shoulder width apart.

• Quickly drop your hips and rapidly explode upward and to the right. 

• Keep your feet dorsi-flexed (toes up) throughout this drill.

• Land on the balls of your dorsi-flexed feet under your center of gravity and very quickly bounce as far as possible to the left.

• After 30 seconds, explode forcefully forward and sprint for about 30 meters.

• Focus on springing off your dorsi-flexed feet rather than gathering yourself and jumping.

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