Whatever happened to plyometrics?

There was a time when plyometrics seemed to be everywhere – from group fitness classes and YouTube workouts to glossy fitness magazines promising explosive results. Trainers swore by it, athletes embraced it, and even casual gym-goers gave it a go. Today, the noise has faded. You don’t hear much about it anymore, and for many, the word itself may no longer ring a bell.

But plyometrics hasn’t vanished. It simply left the spotlight.

What plyometrics actually is
Plyometrics is a training method that involves rapid, explosive movements designed to increase muscular power. The principle is simple: stretch the muscle quickly, then contract it immediately with force. That’s the stretch-shortening cycle in action, something the body does naturally but can be trained to do better.

Classic examples include jump squats, box jumps, and broad jumps. These exercises require you to load the muscle eccentrically (on the way down), then fire back up with maximal speed and power. But plyometrics isn’t limited to the legs. Upper body variations like plyometric push-ups (with a clap or hand release), medicine ball chest passes, and overhead slams train the arms and core in the same explosive way.

Some variations take it even further: depth jumps, in which you drop from a box and immediately leap again, challenge the body to absorb and redirect force quickly. Skater bounds, single-leg hops, jumping lunges, and rotational medicine ball throws are all part of the same family—quick force, quick reaction.

Why it faded
Plyometrics rose in popularity during a time when athletic-style training was trendy. Programs like P90X and CrossFit featured jump training, and personal trainers used it to add intensity to sessions. But as with many fitness trends, overuse led to misuse.

People began doing plyometric workouts without the strength base or joint control needed for safe execution. Group classes packed with endless jumping led to fatigue-induced injuries. What was once a precision-based tool for developing speed and power got watered down into chaotic, high-impact cardio. Trainers backed off, and the market moved on.

Instead of disappearing, plyometrics settled back into the place it always belonged: targeted use in athletic and performance training.

Who should use it and why
Plyometric training isn’t for everyone but for the right individual, it’s highly effective. Athletes in sports like basketball, volleyball, soccer, and track benefit from increased vertical leap, faster directional changes, and quicker reactions. Sprinters, jumpers, and martial artists often rely on it to sharpen fast-twitch muscle function.

It’s also used in tactical and military training to prepare individuals for sudden bursts of effort—like scaling a wall or evading danger. Even some physical therapy protocols (in later stages) use light plyometric drills to reintroduce dynamic loading after injury.

For the average fitness enthusiast, plyometrics can still offer value, particularly for those with a solid foundation of strength and joint control. In small doses, it improves coordination, reaction time, joint resilience, and neuromuscular efficiency.

Where it still belongs
Today, plyometric training remains embedded in the routines of sports teams, performance coaches, and military prep programs. You won’t find it marketed to the masses the way it once was, and that’s likely for the better. Its absence from the spotlight isn’t a sign of irrelevance, it’s a return to appropriate use.

Not all fitness methods are meant to go mainstream. Plyometrics was never supposed to be about burning calories or making you sweat, it’s about moving better, faster, and with more force. And for those who need that kind of performance, it’s still one of the most effective tools available.

Scotty