Explosive strength! It sounds amazing, but what is it? Explosive strength is the capacity to produce maximum effort in the shortest amount of time.
If you have any interest in sports, you will undoubtedly strive to improve your explosive strength and speed. Because you can always run faster, jump higher, and push harder, regardless of your current athletic ability.
Increasing your overall body’s explosive strength can improve performance in a wide range of sports.
It can be particularly worked on using a variety of activities. To gain an edge in your chosen activity or simply improve your overall athleticism, you can employ a variety of movement patterns, tempos, and rep ranges to raise your speed, power, or both.
Best Exercises to Improve Explosive Strength
Everyone can be benefitted from the exercises that improve explosive strength. Such exercises help in increasing the range of motion as well as developing muscles. Some of the exercises are effective for weight loss.
Here’s a list of exercises that must be included in your routine to improve explosive strength:
1) Box jump
This leg workout will improve your lower-body power by making you swifter and developing explosive strength. Prior to the jump, squatting halfway negates force and momentum.
Here’s how to do it:
- Squat down into a standing stance in front of the box to start.
- Position your arms out in front of you.
- Leap up onto the box quickly, landing on both feet at once.
- Jump back to the ground.
- Repeat 10-15 jumps.
2) Pop squat
This exercise is a variation of the traditional squat that works your quads, glutes, and core. The slight pop movement added to the exercise develops explosive strength.
Here’s how to do it:
- Starting with your feet wider than hip-width apart, squat down by putting your palms together in front of your chest, pushing your hips back, and bending both knees.
- Stand, maintain core stability and exert gluteal force.
- Let your arms hang by your sides as you stand and bounce in place, bringing both feet together.
- To return to a squat, immediately spread your feet apart. This is one rep.
- Keep going, bouncing once in place in between each squat as you complete more reps.
3) Wall balls
Wall balls are a great medicine ball exercise to improve your explosive strength and engage your complete body as it combines speed, strength, and power.
Here’s how to do it:
- Standing in front of a wall, a medicine ball should be held in front of your chest.
- Press your hips and butt back as if you were sitting down by pulling your shoulders back, contracting your abs as you do so.
- Throw the ball towards the wall while simultaneously pushing yourself back up to standing height so that it lands at a distance of around 10 feet.
- Return to a squat stance as you descend, catch the ball in front of your chest, and repeat.
4) Hands-release push-up
This exercise develops explosive strength and also focuses on your upper half whereas the majority of plyo motions concentrate on the lower half. Along with your shoulders, triceps, and core, push-ups truly work your chest.
Here’s how to do it:
- Begin in a high plank position, keeping your core and glutes tight and your palms flat with your hands shoulder-width apart.
- Drop your chest to the ground while bending your elbows.
- Straighten your arms and raise both palms several inches off the ground by pushing through the palms of your hands.
- Position your palms back on the floor. This counts as one rep.
- Aim to complete 10-15 reps.
5) Plate jump
This workout aids in making each jump higher and faster by making you jump higher and swing the weights forward more powerfully.
Instructions to follow:
- Swing your hands while holding plates backward, allowing your torso to bend downward to create a countermovement.
- Swing the plates vigorously up and forward as you start the jump.
- Complete 10-15 reps.