Aquatic Plyometric Training: Safety and Effectiveness (Part 2 of 2)

Once you know water can make jump training safer, the next question is how to set it up. The choice of jump, the landing and even where the arms are all change the load.

Part 2 covers how to design the protocol.

Want to go deeper? Explore the 12 Ways to Progress Any Aquatic Exercise course →

Protocol Enhancements for Maximum Benefits

Ultimately, for the best experience of aquatic plyometric training one must choose the optimal protocol. The selection of jumping exercises (squat jump, countermovement jump, drop jump, etc.) will dictate impact forces and intensity levels. Selection of the appropriate number of repetitions for each jump and the total number of sessions are key to noticing muscle strength improvement. The general physiological state of the participant will serve as a guiding factor is protocol optimization.

The single-leg jump is highly intense and is best suited for individuals with strengthened lower limbs. A study by Sinsurin et al¹⁷ analyzed single-leg jumping technique and highlights the importance of increasing knee and hip flexion angles and practicing soft landing technique to prevent injury. Aquatic plymotrics offer the advantage of reduced impact forces, and therefore if the single-leg jump is attempted by recovering athletes, it may be first practiced in water.

The tuck jump is an example of plyometric exercise which when performed in water may lead to enhanced drag forces and buoyancy resistance. The cause for the increase in resistance is the flexing of hips and knees during jump and the subsequent elongation before surface impact.

Plyometric training involves jumping exercises and is associated with impact effects on the lower extremities. Two components of impact forces may be considered—passive and active.¹⁴ During jump landings, impact forces are experienced within 10 milliseconds. Passive impact forces are the instantaneous components, to which the body must adapt to within the first 50-75 milliseconds.

Neuromuscular control is not involved at this time. Therefore, high impact forces are associated with injury. The long-term component of impact forces is the active force, which is associated with muscle strength development. Therefore, the timing for the occurrence of peak landing GRFs is of some importance—a later time point indicates a lower impact. Donoghue et al¹⁴ observed peak GRFs in water to occur after 50 milliseconds for most of the jumps. Tuck jumps and countermovement jumps led to peak GRFs at a significantly later time point as compared with those during respective land jumps. Article on Plyometrics 4

The impact forces experienced during aquatic plyometric training are comparable to those while running on land.¹⁴ Therefore, for recovering athletes, aquatic plyometrics may be introduced before starting high intensity land training.

Just as water depth is an important selection criterion for optimizing aquatic plyometrics, the training must be designed to optimally suit each participant. As demonstrated by Donoghue et al,¹⁴ peak GRF, impulse and the rate of force development varies with subject’s height, body composition and landing technique.

Previous experience with plyometric training may also guide the selection of appropriate training regimen. Experienced plyometric trainees may have mastered better jump landing techniques as compared with novices. Cortes et al¹⁸ demonstrated in a study that hip flexion, knee flexion, knee valgus and ankle dorsiflexion are influenced by foot landing techniques (self-preferred, forefoot or rear foot). In addition, medial knee collapse, a common injury, has been studied by researchers using double- and single-leg jumps.¹⁹ According to the findings, asymmetric unilateral hip rotation, sex and hip strength may be determining factors for susceptibility to medial knee collapse. Hence, in order to reduce the chance of injury, plyometric training should focus on the development of neuromuscular control and proper sagittal and frontal plane alignment.

Arm placement is another key consideration for aquatic training protocols. It is known that placing the arm above water surface leads to an increase in vertical component of GRF during walking,²⁰ therefore increased jump impact.

Sex-related differences associated with muscle strength enhancement through aquatic plyometrics have also been discussed in medical literature. Robinson et al²¹ studied the effect of aquatic plyometrics in college-age women. Their findings suggest that similar improvements in peak torque production are obtained in women using either aquatic- or land-based training. This study, taken together with Arazi et al’s study,¹³ suggest that aquatic plyometrics is effective for peak torque improvements in both sexes.

Aquatic plyometrics improves muscle performance through the recruitment of motor units of agonist muscles.¹³ Previously trained individuals may achieve maximal muscle improvement through aquatic plyometrics. In addition, recovering athletes and individuals with injury and/or age-related conditions may explore aquatic plyometrics as an effective and safe experience for muscle performance improvement.

For education only; not a substitute for individual clinical judgment.