By Marnie Kunz, NASM-certified trainer, USATF- RRCA-certified run coach

These plyometric exercises for speed will help you become a faster runner. As a running coach and trainer, I often prescribe these exercises to my clients who want to lower their race times. Whether you’re training for a mile or a marathon, plyometrics are a great tool to help you get faster. Plyometric training can help many athletes generate more power and speed - whether your sport is soccer, tennis, basketball, or pickleball. Doing these exercises plus speed workouts is a surefire way to become a faster, stronger runner.

What Are Plyometrics?

Plyometric training is often used by athletes to build speed and power. However, you don’t have to be a pro runner to benefit from plyometric exercises. These exercises can help all levels of runners.

Plyometric exercises involve quick, powerful movements. “Plyo” means short, and plyometrics use short bursts of power. Plyometric exercises for speed use movements that improve your explosiveness, often involving running or jumping.

According to the National Academy of Sports Medicine, plyometric training is a quick, powerful movement involving a system of reactive exercises and an eccentric contraction, followed immediately by an explosive concentric contraction. You accomplish this through any movement utilizing the Stretch-Shortening Cycle.

The Stretch-Shortening Cycle is when an exercise involves a countermovement during which the muscles are first stretched and then shortened to accelerate the body or limb. This generates power.

If you want to do plyometric exercises for speed, first make sure you have a base fitness level, which you can build up by running consistently for at least 6 weeks. (See our article on how to do a base run to build your base fitness level).

Benefits of Plyometric Exercises

There are many benefits of plyometrics, from helping you run faster to improving your strength and power for sports. Some of the payoffs of plyometrics include:

Improved running speed. Plyometric training programs will help you run faster and lower your race times.
Better running form and efficiency. Plyometrics will make you a better runner and reduce your risk of injuries.
More power and strength in your running. Doing plyometrics will help you run with more power and explosive strength. This is especially useful for passing people in races and sprinting at the end of a race.
Higher fitness level. Plyometrics will help you reach higher levels of fitness and improve your balance, muscle stability, and coordination. Plyometrics training also offers high-intensity movements that can help you burn calories and lose body fat, improving your body composition.
Train your brain to perform better. According to researchers, plyometric exercises increase neuromuscular coordination by training your nervous system and making movements more automatic during activity. This means you’ll have better balance and coordination when you run.

10 Plyometric Exercises for Speed

Before you do plyometrics, warm up by running slowly for at least 10 minutes. When you’re starting, do 1 to 2 sets of 10 reps for each exercise. You can build up to doing 3 sets of 10 of each of these plyometric exercises for speed to help you get faster:

Squat Jumps

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your chest up, with knees slightly bent.
Lower your body, bending at the knees and keeping your chest up. Bend your knees until your thighs are parallel to the floor in a full squat position.
Jump up into the air, straightening your legs and using your glutes and leg muscles to push your body straight up, with your feet coming off the ground.
Land with your knees slightly bent. Repeat.

Skater Hops

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your chest up and shoulders back.
Take a big step to the side with your right foot, keeping your toes of both feet facing forward.
Bend your right knee and shift your weight onto your right foot.
Push off your right foot and jump to your left, landing softly on your left foot with your right foot behind your left ankle.
Immediately jump back to the right, landing softly on your right foot with your left foot behind your right ankle.
Continue hopping back and forth, keeping your hips, knees, chest, and feet facing forward. Engage your core muscles throughout the exercise. Use your arms to help you keep your balance.

Toe Taps

Find a sturdy raised platform, such as a step or bench, that is at least 6 inches high.
Stand in front of the platform with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms by your sides. Maintain good posture and engage your core muscles.
Quickly step onto the platform with your right foot and tap your left foot on the platform.
Step back down to the ground with your right foot, followed by your left foot.
Quickly step onto the platform with your left foot and tap your right foot on the platform.
Step back down to the ground with your left foot, followed by your right foot.
Repeat this exercise, alternating feet as quickly as possible for 30 to 60 seconds.
Take a 30-second rest and then repeat the exercise. As you become more comfortable with toe taps, you can increase the height of the platform to make it more challenging.

Frog Jumps

Start in a low squat position with your feet shoulder-width apart, and your thighs parallel to the ground. Your knees should angle outwards in a sumo squat position.
Quickly jump forward as far as you can. Bend your knees and keep your legs spread apart as you jump.
Landing in the same squat position, with your knees bent.
As soon as you land, explode back up into another jump.
Work on frog jumps in place until you’re comfortable, and then you can advance to jumping forward and back.
Start by jumping a small distance and work your way up to larger jumps as you get stronger.

Lunge Jump

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Bend both knees and go into a lunge position with your right front knee above your ankle and your back leg bent.
Keep your core muscles engaged throughout the movement.
Jump into the air and switch your legs to bring the back leg forward and the front leg backward.
Land with your knees slightly bent, sinking into a deep lunge position with your left leg forward and right leg back.
Repeat. Use your core muscles and arms to help you balance throughout the exercise.

Tuck Jumps

Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms by your sides.
Bend your knees and jump into the air, bringing your knees up toward your chest.
At the top of your jump, tuck your knees in as close to your chest as possible.
Straighten your legs as you come back toward the ground, but land with your knees slightly bent to absorb the impact of the landing.
Repeat.

Box Jumps

Box jumps are an advanced exercise that you can try once you’re comfortable with tuck jumps and squat jumps. For box jumps, you will need a sturdy box, platform, or step to jump onto.

Start with a smaller box, and once you’re able to do the box jumps easily, you can advance to a higher box.

Here's how to do a box jump:

Start by standing in front of a sturdy box or platform that is at a comfortable height for you. If you're a beginner, you can start with a lower height and gradually work your way up to higher surfaces.
Stand facing the platform with your feet shoulder-width apart and arms at your sides.
Bend your knees slightly and swing your arms back.
Jump explosively upward, extending your knees as you propel yourself off the ground.
As you reach the height of your jump, tuck your knees up towards your chest and land on top of the box or platform with both feet at the same time.
Land softly with your knees slightly bent.
Stand up straight and then step or jump back down to the ground and repeat.

Plank Jacks

Plank jacks strengthen your core, glutes, and legs. I recommend doing these once you’re able to hold a plank for at least 30 seconds.

Begin in a high plank position, with your hands shoulder-width apart and your body in a straight line from your head to your heels.
Engage your core and jump your feet out to the sides as if you were doing a horizontal jumping jack. Keep your arms straight and stable, making sure your hips don't rise or drop.
Jump your feet back to the starting position, keeping your body in a straight line and your core engaged.
Keep your head and neck in a neutral position, with your gaze on the ground in front of you. Avoid letting your lower back sag or your hips rise too high. If jumping is too difficult, you can step your feet out one at a time.

Burpees

Start in a standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Bend your knees and lower into a squat position, keeping your chest up.
Kick your feet back into a plank position while extending your arms to place them on the floor in front of you.
Lower your chest and do a push-up.
Jump your feet back behind your hands and launch your body straight up into the air. Raise your arms above you as you jump.
Land softly on your feet with your knees slightly bent.
Repeat.

Depth Jumps

Depth jumps are an advanced plyometric exercise for speed. You can do box jumps and tuck jumps first to build up your strength and balance for this exercise. A depth jump involves stepping off a box or platform and immediately jumping back up as explosively as possible. Here’s how to do depth jumps:

Find a sturdy box or platform that is around 12 to 36 inches high, depending on your fitness level and experience. Stand on top of the platform with your toes on the edge.
Jump off the box or platform, making sure to land on the balls of your feet and your knees slightly bent. Jump lightly, using your arms to help you balance.
As soon as your feet hit the ground, explode back up as quickly as possible and jump as high as you can.
Land softly on the balls of your feet and immediately repeat the exercise.
Start with a lower platform and gradually increase the height as you become more comfortable with the exercise.

How Often to Do Plyometrics

Plyometrics are an intense workout, so consider them a “hard training” session. Add plyometrics to your workout routine at least once a week to enjoy the benefits.

I recommend doing plyometric exercises for speed on days you have easy runs or no workouts. Do not do a full plyometrics workout right before or after a hard run, such as a speed workout or long run.

For beginners, I recommend starting with relaxed-pace base runs and dynamic stretches to build your fitness level before doing plyometric drills. When you start plyometrics, do them 1 to 2 times a week. For advanced fitness levels, you can do plyometric exercises for speed 2 to 3 times per week.

Have you tried plyometrics? Tag @Runstreet on Instagram in your training posts to get cheered on.

Want to get faster and slay your next race? Become a better runner with training from a certified coach and personal trainer. If you need a training program to help you get faster, head to the Runstreet Training Center. Whether you’re a walker, runner, soccer player, or other athlete, I can help you train smarter and get faster.

Happy running to you! 😊👟

Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified personal trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach based in Brooklyn, NY. Marnie likes helping people get and stay active to enjoy a better quality of life. When she’s not doing fitness things, Marnie enjoys exploring with her dog, a mischievous rescue Akita.

10 Plyometric Exercises for Speed: Tips from a Run Coach