Lower body power is an essential attribute in various sports, and it can be expressed in numerous ways depending on the specific demands of the sport. This power plays a crucial role in sports such as volleyball, basketball, high jump, as well as running sports, ice hockey, cycling, skiing, and board sports, which require rapid acceleration and speed. Lower body power also proves vital in sports like rugby and football, where tackling and forceful locomotion against resistance are required.

To effectively develop lower body power, athletes and coaches must consider the unique demands of their respective sports. Notably, it’s not just about generating force but also absorbing it skillfully. Proper training should encompass both the production and absorption of force, along with the development of landing techniques to gradually reduce force. Correct body alignment is essential to prevent injury and optimize performance during exercises.

Developing effective lower body power involves several categories of exercises, including force-absorption exercises, plyometric exercises, and ballistic exercises. Force-absorption exercises, in particular, focus on learning to absorb force through landing and stabilization. This is especially important in sports that involve jumping and rapid changes of direction. It is advisable to prioritize landing technique before other aspects of jump training in such sports.

The benefits of force-absorption exercises are closely tied to an athlete’s ability to control their body position and absorb force effectively. These exercises should be practiced with regularity, with a focus on movement quality over volume. This often entails performing a few quality sets of low repetitions, typically 1-2 exercises, 2-3 sets, and 2-3 repetitions.

Several key force-absorption exercises are outlined in this section, each with a specific purpose:

1. Altitude Landing:
   • Purpose: Develop bilateral landing ability.
   • Action: Athletes drop from a box, absorbing the landing force primarily through the active ankle, knee, and hip action. The torso should be centered within the base of support.
2. Single-Leg Altitude Landing:
   • Purpose: Develop the ability to land on one leg.
   • Action: Similar to altitude landing but performed on one leg. Athletes should begin with conservative drop heights and gradually progress.
3. Forward Hop and Stick:
   • Purpose: Develop the ability to absorb force in a landing from a horizontal plane.
   • Action: Athletes perform a double-leg forward hop and absorb the force with a double-leg stick. Variations include a double-leg forward hop with a single-leg landing.
4. Triple and Penta Hop and Stick:
   • Purpose: Increase the demand for force absorption from a horizontal plane with higher velocity.
   • Action: Athletes perform two or four ballistic hops and stick the final landing, with variations including different landing styles and single-leg hops.
5. Lateral Hop and Stick:
   • Purpose: Develop the ability to absorb force in a landing from lateral movement.
   • Action: Athletes perform a double-leg lateral hop and absorb the force with a double-leg stick. Variations include different landing styles.
6. Zig-Zag with Stick:
   • Purpose: Develop control and coordination through lateral bounds in a zigzag pattern.
   • Action: Athletes hold each landing briefly before bounding into the next movement, emphasizing control.
7. Triple and Penta Lateral Hop and Stick:
   • Purpose: Increase the demand for force absorption in the lateral direction with higher velocity.
   • Action: Athletes perform two or four lateral ballistic hops and stick the final landing, with variations including different landing styles.
8. Lateral Altitude Landing:
   • Purpose: Develop lateral landing ability with a sideways drop and stick on a single leg.
   • Action: Athletes drop from a low box, absorbing the landing force primarily through the active ankle, knee, and hip action.

These exercises are essential components of a comprehensive training program designed to enhance an athlete’s lower body power and force absorption capabilities. It is important to prioritize technique and gradually increase the intensity and complexity of these exercises while ensuring the athlete’s safety and movement competency.

Plyometric Exercises for Developing Lower Body Power

Plyometric training is a crucial component of athletic conditioning, emphasizing the rapid transition from eccentric (muscle lengthening) to concentric (muscle shortening) movements, referred to as the Stretch-Shortening Cycle (SSC). These exercises are particularly valuable for sports that demand quick transitions, such as jumping, cutting, and running.

In SSC-based movements, eccentric forces, reflex stimuli, and elastic contributions are more pronounced due to the stretch load. Accentuated eccentric SSC activities, like depth jumps, can further magnify these effects. For instance, high-velocity tuck jumps overload the eccentric phase by rapidly extending the legs from a tucked position before a powerful jump.

It’s important to note that plyometric exercises should be geared toward developing attributes like power or strength relevant to the sport. Although these exercises might not mimic sport-specific movements, they should enhance the SSC ability required for these movements. For example, elite volleyball players engage in countermovement-style jumps as part of their practice and matches, so their plyometric training should focus on different aspects to avoid overloading the same pattern.

Incorporating plyometric exercises in a training program is highly effective but requires caution. Less can often be more. Typically, a low frequency (2-3 sessions per week) with low volume (3-6 sets of 2-5 repetitions) is most appropriate. Instead of performing numerous different plyometric exercises, mastery of a few movements is key to obtaining substantial benefits.

Several plyometric exercises are integral to developing lower body power:

1. Jump Squat:
   • Purpose: Develop lower body power using the Stretch-Shortening Cycle.
   • Action: Initiate a countermovement jump from a standing position with or without an arm swing.
2. Squat Jump:
   • Purpose: Develop lower body power.
   • Action: Perform a squat jump by pausing at a set angle to rely on pure concentric power. Variations can include holding the bottom position or jumping from a box.
3. Tuck Jump:
   • Purpose: Develop lower body power.
   • Action: Initiate a vertical jump and tuck the knees upward while descending, then extend the legs downward during ascent, creating a greater than normal impact and fast, explosive ground contact.
4. Single-Leg Tuck Jump:
   • Purpose: Develop lower body power.
   • Action: Perform similarly to a tuck jump but on a single leg.
5. Depth Jump:
   • Purpose: Develop lower body power with accentuated eccentric overload.
   • Action: Start on a box, step off, drop to the ground, and immediately jump as high as possible. The optimal drop height is determined by the athlete’s capabilities.
6. Accentuated Eccentric Loaded Jump:
   • Purpose: Use handheld loads to provide additional eccentric overload.
   • Action: Hold dumbbells, flex the knees, lower the dumbbells toward the ground, drop them during the transition from eccentric to concentric motion, and jump explosively.
7. Assisted Jump:
   • Purpose: Provide an overspeed stimulus for jump velocity.
   • Action: Perform a squat while stretching handheld powerlifting bands or bungee cords to assist during the concentric phase of the jump.
8. Box Jump:
   • Purpose: Reduce peak landing force by jumping onto a box.
   • Action: Jump from the ground onto the box and land on both feet.
9. Depth Jump to Box Jump:
   • Purpose: Gain benefits of a depth jump while reducing landing force.
   • Action: Perform a depth jump and immediately jump to another box.
10. Split Jump:
    • Purpose: Develop lower body power from a lunge position.
    • Action: Jump upward, repeatedly switching the stance during the jump.
11. Ankle Bounce (Pogo):
    • Purpose: Develop lower body power and stiffness.
    • Action: Jump primarily from ankle stiffness with minimal knee and hip bend.
12. Broad Jump:
    • Purpose: Develop horizontal lower body power.
    • Action: Jump forward as far as possible, landing on both feet.
13. Haltere-Loaded Repeated Broad Jump:
    • Purpose: Increase jump distance and provide additional eccentric overload.
    • Action: Perform broad jumps while holding dumbbells in each hand, absorbing more force during landing.
14. Depth Jump to Broad Jump:
    • Purpose: Develop vertical and horizontal lower body power.
    • Action: Begin with a depth jump followed by a double-leg broad jump.
15. Double-Leg Hop:
    • Purpose: Develop horizontal lower body power.
    • Action: Perform a depth jump and repeat the sequence for several repetitions.
16. Incline Hop:
    • Purpose: Increase propulsive drive and horizontal power.
    • Action: Perform double-leg hops on an incline.
17. Bounding:
    • Purpose: Develop horizontal and lateral lower body power.
    • Action: Perform striding exercises with alternating legs, optimizing flight time.
18. Incline Bounding:
    • Purpose: Develop horizontal power with reduced landing impact.
    • Action: Perform bounding on a slight incline.
19. Zig-Zag Bounding:
    • Purpose: Develop horizontal and lateral lower body power with a lateral zig-zag pattern.
    • Action: Bound forward and laterally from foot to foot as quickly as possible.

These plyometric exercises are essential for enhancing an athlete’s lower body power and are an invaluable component of an effective training program. Athletes and coaches should ensure that movements are mastered and that the selected exercises align with the specific demands of the sport.

Ballistic Exercises for Developing Lower Body Power

Ballistic exercises represent a category of movements that involve resistance beyond body weight and are typically reserved for intermediate to advanced athletes. These exercises should be incorporated only after mastering foundational movements like jump squats or countermovement jumps. Ballistic exercises often employ lighter loads, allowing for faster movement compared to near-maximal heavy-resistance training and Olympic weightlifting, although both of these are critical for power development.

Ballistic exercises provide a spectrum of loads to target the force-velocity continuum. While heavy-resistance training emphasizes maximal force, and plyometric training focuses on fast Stretch-Shortening Cycle (SSC) activity against relatively light loads, ballistic exercises concentrate on power development against moderate loads. These exercises are notable for their high rate of force development.

One of the most common forms of lower body ballistic exercise is weighted jump variations. These can involve SSC (such as the Countermovement Jump or CMJ) or be performed without SSC to cater to specific sport requirements. Accentuated eccentric loaded jump squats, involving additional load during the descent phase, are effective for developing lower body power by introducing extra stimuli in the eccentric phase to yield a greater than normal concentric power output.

Squat movements like the back squat and front squat are often regarded as maximal strength exercises. However, reducing the bar load by 20%-50% and applying accommodating resistance through powerlifting bands or heavy chains can increase the acceleration phase of these exercises. This, in turn, enhances lower body power by forcing the athlete to exert force over a more extended period.

Programmers can incorporate ballistic exercises into training routines in various ways. One method involves dedicating a single training session per week to all ballistic exercises, typically comprising 5-6 exercises with 3-5 sets and 3-5 repetitions. Alternatively, they can opt for lower volumes of ballistic exercises performed more frequently throughout the week or during each training session (2-5 sessions per week). The key to success in velocity-based training, including ballistic exercises, is maintaining a focus on movement quality and output, particularly power and velocity under load.

Back Squat:

• Purpose: Develop lower body strength and power.
• Action: Perform squats with a barbell on the upper back and shoulders. Maintain proper technique and use spotters.

Front Squat:

• Purpose: Develop lower body strength and power.
• Action: Perform squats with the barbell placed across the front of the shoulders using a parallel-arm or crossed-arm position.

Loaded Jump Squat:

• Purpose: Develop lower body power using the Stretch-Shortening Cycle (SSC) and the ability to tolerate an external load.
• Action: Perform fluid countermovement jumps with added load from a barbell or a weighted vest (typically 10%-50% of body mass).

Loaded Squat Jump:

• Purpose: Develop lower body power and the ability to tolerate external loads without using SSC.
• Action: Apply additional load through a barbell or weighted vest (usually 10%-50% of body mass), descending and pausing at the bottom position before transitioning to a vertical jump.

Band or Chain Squat:

• Purpose: Develop lower body strength and power.
• Action: Perform front or back squats with a barbell load reduced by 20%-50% while adding accommodating resistance through bands or chains.

Accentuated Eccentric Loaded Box Jump Squat:

• Purpose: Develop lower body power using the SSC and the ability to tolerate an eccentric load.
• Action: Overload the eccentric phase of a jump by using dumbbells (15%-25% of body weight). Drop the dumbbells at the bottom position, then jump onto the top of a box.

Sled Pull:

• Purpose: Develop lower body horizontal power.
• Action: Use a harness and loadable sled, and pull it while accelerating into a sprint. The load and distance should match the athlete’s goals.

Sled Push:

• Purpose: Develop lower body horizontal power.
• Action: Similar to sled pull, but the athlete pushes the sled, which is suitable for sports where horizontal leg power is applied without driving the arms.

Resisted Lateral and Multidirectional Acceleration:

• Purpose: Develop multidirectional lower body power.
• Action: Use a powerlifting band around the waist or a harness with resistance to perform movements like lateral shuffles, lateral lunge steps, backward movements, and combinations of forward, lateral, and backward movements, depending on the specific sport’s requirements.

When incorporating ballistic exercises into training programs, safety and proper technique are paramount, and spotters should be used for exercises with external loads. The choice of exercise and the type of resistance (bands or chains) should align with the athlete’s goals and capabilit