Plyometric Functional Training - Another Longevity Hack

Not just for bone health

Plyometric training is exercise that teaches your muscles to produce force quickly by using a quick “load and explode” action. Some examples include jump rope, box jumps, running, and racquet sports, to name a few.

When we think about plyometric training, we often first think about bone health. It’s well documented that plyometric activities can help stimulate bone in a way that helps mitigate bone loss.

However, plyometric training has other benefits besides promoting bone health. A more understated benefit is in building muscle power. Power is defined as Force x Distance/time, or “fast force production”, which is tightly linked to stair climbing, getting up from the floor, and fall risk. Plyometrics uniquely target the stretch-shortening cycle (rapid “load → explode”), training neuromuscular speed and producing brief, high bone-loading impacts that typical steady cardio often doesn’t deliver.

During midlife, changes in estrogen exposure to our muscles due to declining ovarian estrogen production, shifting estrogen receptors within muscle cells, and the general effects of aging all result in a decline in muscle power, along with muscle strength and overall mass. For a deeper dive, check out Muscle Hypertrophy, Strength, and Power: The Keys for Thriving in Midlife.

Longevity is a complicated equation, but the musculoskeletal system is front and center. Here’s how plyometrics fits in:

• Bone Health: Modest but meaningful improvements (hip/spine and bone quality)

• Muscle Power & Function: “Faster strength” that transfers to real-life stair climbing and getting up from the floor or from a chair.

• Balance / Fall-risk: Plyometric exercises build static/dynamic balance with the potential to redice fall risk in older populations by training rapid force production and reactive control.

• Safety & Feasibility: Programming matters. High-impact jumping isn’t appropriate for everyone—with caution required in those with osteoporosis, recent fractures, significant joint pathology, or medical complexity. Fortunately, plyometric movements are highly scalable from pogo hops and easy jump rope to box jumps and hurdle hops, depending on one’s abilities and limitations.

Warm-Up

AMRAP 7 (As many rounds as possible in 7 minutes). Perform each movement in sequence for as many rounds as you can in 7 minutes.

• 10 Air squats

• 10 alternating lunges (in place) – body weight

• 20 single-under jump rope or simulated jump rope.

Movement Practice

Test out 15-20 sec of each movement sequentially for 2 rounds. Use this time to select your options/rep numbers for the workout. Select a lighter thruster weight where you can do 15-20 reps in 30-45 seconds. Plan to work between 30-45 sec each minute and rest for the remaining 15-30 sec. Your score at the end is the number of reps you accomplish. So pick rep numbers/movement options and do your best to stick to them!

Workout

EMOM 30 (Every minute on the minute for 30 minutes)

HOW TO: Perform 30-50 single-under jump rope (30-45 seconds), rest for the remainder of the minute. Then perform 30-45 seconds of dumbbell thrusters, rest 15-30 seconds, then perform 30-45 seconds of box jumps, rest 15-30 seconds, then start again with the jump rope. Continue moving through all three movements in sequence, every minute on the minute for a total of 30 minutes. Pace yourself! This is a long grind!

Minute 1 – 30-50 single-under jump rope or simulated jump rope reps. (Advanced option: 35 double-under jump rope)

• Option: 30 jumping jacks or high-knee run in place (R+L = 1 rep)

Minute 2 – 15-20 dumbbell thrusters

• Option: Grounded air squat

Minute 3 – 8-12 Box jumps

• Option: weighted box step-ups (Alternative: Body weight box step-up)

See you on the other side!

Cool Down

Show your body some love and jump-start your recovery with this 20-minute gentle yoga stretch sequence from Five Parks.

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Women go on hormone therapy to manage peri/menopause symptoms and feel better. But sometimes to their surprise, they feel worse. Or some symptoms go away while others pop up. That’s because of the hormones! We have hormone receptors all over our body and whenever we switch up the signals they’re receiving, whether through the menopause transition itself or through the hormones we use, they’re going to respond to those changes, and sometimes not in the way we want. Most side effects are manageable with time or by dialing in delivery methods and/or doses. It’s just important to know what to expect. We talk all about it this week with our resident menopause specialist Dr. Carla DiGirolamo.