Forums >Running 101>Plyometrics etc
Slow-smooth-fast
"I've been following Eddy's improvement over the last two years on this site, and it's been pretty dang solid. Sure the weekly mileage has been up and down, but over the long haul he's getting out the door and has turned himself into quite a runner. He's only now just figuring out his potential. Consistency in running is measured in years, not weeks. And over the last couple of years, Eddy's made great strides" Jeff 14 Jan 2009
Son, when you participate in sporting events, it's not whether you win or lose; it's how drunk you get. -- Homer Simpson
Plyometrics are very intense very short duration exercise. They are meant to improve your muscle nerve interaction. More so than endurance or strength. They are meant to take strength you already have and turn it into power. You can have two people with very similar muscle build up. Everything about them looks similar. One though can have a huge advantage if his nerve/muscles are set up to fire very quickly. Steps could be a form, you would want to run up 5-10 and max speed. rest, then repeat. Some people do squats-jumps. Others do box jumps (jump up and down onto a 12" or higher box). For a more running related way you could go to a basketball court and run full sprints between the lines, turn and run back full speed. Plyometrics are beneficial for all around fitness and for sports. Sprinters could defiantly benefit from them but it is debatable how much help a distance runner would get.