What Are Plyometrics And Why Do Runners Need Them?
Short Answer
Plyometrics are exercises that train the body to absorb and produce force quickly. Examples include hopping, skipping, jumping, bounding, and other explosive movements.
For runners, plyometrics can help improve the body's ability to store and release energy efficiently during each stride. Dr. Ethan Marler, Chiropractor, often explains that running is essentially a series of controlled single-leg hops. Every time your foot contacts the ground, your muscles, tendons, and joints must absorb force and then generate force again to propel you forward.
Plyometric training can help prepare the body for these demands and may improve running efficiency, performance, and resilience when incorporated appropriately.
Why This Question Matters
Running involves much more than cardiovascular fitness.
With every step, the body experiences forces that travel through the foot, ankle, calf, knee, hip, and trunk.
To manage these forces efficiently, runners rely on:
Tendon stiffness
Muscle strength
Coordination
Balance
Force absorption
Force production
Plyometric exercises challenge many of these qualities.
Unlike traditional strength training, which often emphasizes slower movements, plyometrics teach the body to react quickly and efficiently.
Examples include:
Hopping
Jumping
Bounding
Skipping
Box jumps
Jump rope
These movements help train the body's "spring-like" properties that are heavily involved in running.
For many runners, improving the ability to absorb and release force can be just as important as improving aerobic fitness.
What May Help
Not every runner needs an advanced plyometric program.
For many recreational runners, simple exercises may be appropriate when introduced gradually.
Examples include:
Skipping
Jump rope
Single-leg hopping
Small jump progressions
Bounding drills
The key is ensuring that the body is prepared for the demands of these exercises.
Plyometrics are not simply about jumping higher. They are about teaching the body to tolerate and manage impact forces efficiently.
As with running itself, progression matters.
Increasing intensity too quickly can sometimes create the very problems the exercises are intended to help prevent.
Dr. Marler’s Approach
When working with runners, Dr. Marler often views plyometrics as one tool within a larger running capacity framework.
Rather than asking:
"Should every runner do plyometrics?"
he is more likely to ask:
What are the runner's goals?
What injuries have occurred previously?
What is their current training volume?
What is their strength level?
What demands are they preparing for?
Assessment may include:
Running history
Previous injuries
Strength capacity
Balance and control
Activity tolerance
Training workload
Treatment may include chiropractic adjustments when appropriate, soft tissue therapy, movement recommendations, rehabilitation strategies, and education.
For some runners, plyometric training may be an important component of injury rehabilitation or performance development. For others, simpler interventions may be more appropriate.
The goal is not to perform advanced drills for the sake of performing them. The goal is to build the physical qualities required to run comfortably and consistently.
When to get Assessed
It may be worth booking an assessment if:
Running injuries keep returning
You are unsure how to return to running after injury
You experience pain during impact activities
Running volume is increasing and symptoms are developing
You are unsure whether plyometrics are appropriate for your situation
You want guidance on improving running resilience
An assessment can help identify whether limitations in strength, capacity, workload management, or movement tolerance may be contributing to symptoms.
Frequently asked questions
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No.
Many runners hear about plyometrics from elite athletes and assume they are only useful for high-level competitors. In reality, plyometric training exists on a spectrum.
For some runners, plyometrics may involve advanced bounding drills and jump training. For others, it may be as simple as skipping, hopping, or learning to tolerate impact forces more effectively.
The underlying goal is the same: helping the body manage the demands of running.
Dr. Marler often focuses less on whether someone is an elite athlete and more on whether they are prepared for the demands of the exercises being prescribed. A recreational runner training for a 5K may benefit from plyometric training just as a competitive runner might.
The key is selecting exercises that match the runner's goals, capacity, and training history.
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No exercise can guarantee injury prevention.
However, plyometric training may help improve physical qualities that contribute to running tolerance and resilience.
Potential benefits may include improvements in:
Force absorption
Tendon capacity
Coordination
Balance
Single-leg control
Running efficiency
Dr. Marler typically avoids thinking about injury prevention as an all-or-nothing concept. Instead, he focuses on building capacity.
A runner with greater strength, impact tolerance, and workload capacity may be better prepared for the demands of running than someone who has never trained those qualities.
Plyometrics are rarely the entire solution, but they can be one valuable part of a well-rounded running program.
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Strength training and plyometrics often complement each other, but they develop different qualities.
Strength training generally focuses on producing force through exercises such as:
Squats
Deadlifts
Lunges
Step-ups
Calf raises
Plyometrics focus more on how quickly force is absorbed and produced through activities such as:
Hops
Jumps
Bounds
Skipping drills
A useful way to think about it is that strength training helps build the engine, while plyometrics help improve how efficiently that engine is used.
Many runners benefit from both. Depending on the runner's goals and injury history, Dr. Marler may recommend a combination of strength work and plyometric training to help build overall running capacity.
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The answer depends on the individual runner.
Factors that may influence readiness include:
Current injury status
Strength levels
Running experience
Training volume
Previous injury history
Tolerance to impact activities
Generally, runners should have a reasonable ability to tolerate walking, running, and basic strengthening exercises before progressing to more demanding plyometric drills.
Dr. Marler often uses a progression-based approach. Rather than jumping immediately into advanced exercises, he encourages runners to build capacity gradually through simpler activities first.
The goal is not to perform the hardest plyometric exercise possible. The goal is to introduce the appropriate amount of impact at the appropriate time.
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Yes, if they are introduced too aggressively.
Like any training tool, plyometrics place stress on the body. When that stress exceeds current capacity, symptoms may increase.
Common mistakes include:
Progressing too quickly
Performing too much volume
Returning too soon after injury
Ignoring recovery needs
This principle is not unique to plyometrics. The same applies to running, strength training, sports participation, and many recreational activities.
Dr. Marler often emphasizes that the goal is not simply to add more exercises. The goal is to introduce the right exercise at the right time.
When appropriately selected and progressed, plyometrics can be a valuable part of rehabilitation and performance development.