Why runners shouldn't skip plyometrics
Jumping isn't just for kids or gymnasts
If you're a runner plyometrics may be one of the most useful — and most overlooked — additions to your training.
And no, I'm not suggesting you need to start doing endless box jumps or trying to recreate your school sports day.
Plyometric training is about teaching your body to produce and absorb force quickly. That's highly relevant to running, where you're repeatedly landing, loading and pushing off the ground in a fraction of a second.
Why does this matter for runners?
Running isn't simply about having strong muscles.
Every stride involves your muscles and tendons storing and releasing elastic energy. Plyometric exercises train this stretch-shortening cycle — the rapid transition from landing or loading into a powerful push-off.
Done consistently, plyometric training can improve neuromuscular function and may improve running economy — essentially helping you use less energy at a given running speed. Research supports plyometric training as one of several strength-training approaches that can improve running economy in middle- and long-distance runners.
For a masters runner, there's another important reason to keep some explosive work in your programme.
Power matters as we get older
Strength and power aren't the same thing.
You might still be able to squat or deadlift a decent weight, but producing force quickly is a different quality — and one that tends to decline with age if we don't train it.
That matters for running, particularly when you need to respond quickly: changing pace, running uphill, stepping over an obstacle on a trail or simply dealing with an unexpected change in terrain.
Getting older doesn't mean you should stop training power. It means you need to train it intelligently.
So what should you actually do?
You don't need a complicated plyometric programme.
I like to build exercises progressively, starting with lower-impact movements before introducing more demanding jumps and hops.
Lower-level:
Pogo jumps
Ankling
Skipping
Low-level hops
Line hops
Moderate:
Broad jumps
Tuck jumps
Split squat jumps
Skater jumps
Lateral bounds
Higher-level:
Box jumps
Hurdle jumps
Bounding
Repeated single-leg hops
Depth jumps
The right starting point depends on your training history, strength, tendon capacity and current niggles. You don't need to progress through every exercise — and more impact isn't necessarily better.
How often?
For most runners, one or two plyometric sessions a week is plenty. The Marathon Handbook guidance similarly recommends two sessions, with adequate recovery between them.
Personally, I use two different exposures.
Session 1 — the bigger session
Around 15–20 minutes, usually as part of a strength session or after a thorough warm-up.
This is where I might include exercises such as box jumps, hurdles, broad jumps or more demanding combinations.
The emphasis is on quality rather than exhaustion. Full recovery between sets means every jump is powerful and controlled.
Session 2 — the short dose
Around 5 minutes.
This might include pogos, broad jumps, tuck jumps and some short accelerations or sprints.
It doesn't need to leave you shattered. Think of it as a regular reminder to your body: we still produce force quickly.
Where should you put plyometrics in your training week?
This is where programming matters.
Plyometrics are demanding on your muscles, tendons and nervous system, so I wouldn't tack a high-volume jumping session onto the end of an already hard, fatigued workout.
If you're doing a more substantial plyometric session, put it after your warm-up and before your main strength work, or before a quality running session when you're fresh.
A short plyometric dose can also work well before an easy run or incorporated into a running warm-up.
The important thing is to avoid stacking too much high-impact work together.
For example, hard intervals + lots of plyometrics + heavy lower-body strength on consecutive days isn't necessarily smarter training.
Masters runners: start where you are
This is the bit I think gets missed.
If you've spent the last 20 years mostly running and haven't jumped since your children were at school, you don't start with depth jumps.
Start with low-level hops, pogos, skipping and controlled jumps. Build volume gradually and pay attention to how your Achilles, calves, knees and other tendons respond over the following 24–48 hours.
If you've got a current tendon or joint problem, your programme may need to be modified rather than simply adding plyometrics on top.
Plyometrics should complement your running and strength training — not become another source of unnecessary fatigue.
You don't need more. You need better.
For runners over 40, I don't see plyometrics as another workout to squeeze into an already busy training week.
I see them as a small but valuable dose of athletic training.
A little jumping. Some hopping. Maybe a few short sprints.
Done consistently and progressed appropriately, it helps you maintain a quality that runners often lose sight of as they get older:
the ability to produce force quickly.
And that's part of training for performance — not just training to keep running.
For most runners, I think two short exposures a week are enough. One more substantial session and one shorter session gives you the stimulus without adding another big training burden.
The key is to start at the right level, progress gradually and give your body time to adapt — particularly if jumping and landing haven't been part of your training for a while.
Plyometrics aren't about jumping as high or doing as many reps as possible. They're about maintaining your ability to produce and absorb force quickly, which is an important part of being a well-rounded runner.
And for masters athletes, that's a quality worth continuing to train.
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