What types of plyometrics are best for football players?

All plyometrics are beneficial for football players. The key is to progress through the various types of plyometrics effectively throughout the off-season. As the off-season begins, low impact plyometrics like jumping rope, cone hops, and speed ladder drills are excellent exercises to develop a base for absorbing and delivering force. When the athlete begins to incorporate more strength training, more explosive and demanding plyometrics can be added as a part of the daily activities. depth box jumps, box jumps, and lunge jumps are great exercises to implement.  As the athlete improves overall total body strength and explosiveness, then highly demanding plyometrics are an option. Depth drop to squat jump, broad jumps, and other 1-legged jumps  increase power, explosiveness and reaction times. This progression promotes significant increases in explosive power for football and keeps plyometric training safe.

Football is concerned with explosive pushing power in the lower body and upper body. The ability to explode upwards and outwards will allow you to either tackle a player, or push a player trying to tackle you away from you. Plyometric movements that improve explosive pushing power in the legs, arms, chest and shoulder should be emphasized as well as movements that help your body absorb the forces of being hit. To improve lower body power movements like explosive squat jumps and tuck jumps help improve your ability to explode. Plyometric movements like depth drops or box jumps will help teach your lower body to absorb the forces of impact when you collide with another player. Movements to improve upper body power include movements like plyometric push-ups and seated medicine ball chest pass. These plyometric movements will help you increase pushing power and prepare your body to handle the shock of colliding into another football player. To start add in one day a week of plyometric training and start with one exercise for 3 sets for upper and lower body. Do not increase volume or intensity by more than 5% each week to allow your body to adapt to training.