Jumping into Plyometrics

Rating:
Summary: We use Donald Chu's techniques every day.
Review: As a high school volleyball coach, I've found Donald Chu's book a terrific help in increasing our team's "credit card" jump reaches! Using Chu's techniques, we've noticed a great improvement in team performance and quickness, and I've been extremely pleased with the results.

If you're looking for a comprehensive book on plyometrics, check this one out. We use his system, and I can personally testify ... it works!

Rating:
Summary: A Primer For Explosive Power For Every Athlete
Review: Dr. Chu has put together an outstanding work showing very simple easy to follow exercises to increase athletic potential. As an Olympic level coach in the high jump, coaching the great Dwight Stones in 1984 and beyond, we used many of these principles in Dr. Chu's book and others that we developed. Let me emphasize the importance of having total physical strength as well as excellent conditioning before one is to follow these drills. There are many injuries that novice coaches and trainees can incur doing plyometric work. You will find some of the ways to do similiar drills in a less traumatic fashion in my book the "Olympic Trainer -- Fitness Excellence through Resistive Rebounding".

Rating:
Summary: The Trurth About Jumping Higher
Review: I found a great article in the book with reference to www.howtojumphigher.net and it talks about the program and how it works with the jumping capsules which you take with the jump science program. Very good indeed!

JA

Rating:
Summary: This book is essential
Review: Jumping into plyometrics is the key book to get for any serious athlete. In todays competion an athlete must preform at maximal potintial to make it any where. This book gives hundreds of examples that you can use to become faster and quicker. This book is one of the only good books writen on plyometris today.

Rating:
Summary: A Good Intro to the World of Plyometrics
Review: This book does an excellent job introducing the topic of plyometrics to the reader. It discusses the different types and categories of jumps as well as the varying intensities. It even gives sport specific plyos as well as sample programs. However, this is not the definitive book on plyometrics. I think of it as more as a good reference tool. I would really recommend "High-Powered Plyometrics" for even more in depth info on this wonderful method of training.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Resource for your Personal Library
Review: This is an excellent resource for the Strength & Conditioning professional. To begin with you get a little history and physiology of plyometrics. Then the author dicusses some of the basic nomenclature of plyometric training, along with the equipment that is needed.

The important part, of course, is the exercises themselves and the program design. There are nearly 100 exercises, each of them identified by symbols that show what sport can benefit most by a particular exercises. The exercises are divided into different sections: Jumps-in Place, Standing Jumps, Multiple Jumps, Box Drills, Bounding, and Medicine Ball. There is also a Sport-Specific chapter and sample programs for some top athletes. Programs include those designed for Lindsay Davenport (Women's pro tennis player, Rex Walters (NBA Basketball player), and Anthony Munoz (All-Pro offensive tackle).

This book includes information and exercises that can be implemented immediately into most strength and conditioning programs. I can highly recommend this book.

Eric Swannie, MA, ATC, CSCS

Rating:
Summary: You don't have to be an athlete to benefit.
Review: While this book is geared towards helping athletes from any sport streamline their conditioning to gain more power through explosive movement training, it's also filled with great exercises that can be done by any advanced exerciser. A knowledgeable workout veteran can even tailor these moves to be for less advanced exercisers, and what better way to reach your next level of conditioning than with plyometrics? It's a form of training that has taken a lot of heat for being too risky or damaging to the body, but he presents such an incredible variety of moves you don't have to put stress on your body to get results. If you have problems with your knees, back, etc there are still plenty of great, challenging moves for you to use. The book also does a great job of teaching you about how muscles work and how plyometrics effect them so you understand why you're doing what you're doing. Since exercise is as much mental as physical, this will help you progress further and reach higher levels of fitness. A really great book for athletes, weekend warriors and exercisers who need a jump start in their routines.

Rating:
Summary: You don't have to be an athlete to benefit.
Review: While this book is geared towards helping athletes from any sport streamline their conditioning to gain more power through explosive movement training, it's also filled with great exercises that can be done by any advanced exerciser. A knowledgeable workout veteran can even tailor these moves to be for less advanced exercisers, and what better way to reach your next level of conditioning than with plyometrics? It's a form of training that has taken a lot of heat for being too risky or damaging to the body, but he presents such an incredible variety of moves you don't have to put stress on your body to get results. If you have problems with your knees, back, etc there are still plenty of great, challenging moves for you to use. The book also does a great job of teaching you about how muscles work and how plyometrics effect them so you understand why you're doing what you're doing. Since exercise is as much mental as physical, this will help you progress further and reach higher levels of fitness. A really great book for athletes, weekend warriors and exercisers who need a jump start in their routines.