Altitude Landing

Purpose. Trains pure force absorption. By removing the rebound entirely, the athlete can focus all attention on landing position and on decelerating body mass, which is the foundation that reactive plyometrics are built on.

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How it fits the system. The first step in most plyometric progressions. Before an athlete rebounds from a drop, they should be able to accept the landing forces of that drop and hold a stable position.

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Primary muscles

Quadriceps, Gluteus Maximus

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Secondary muscles

Hamstrings, Gastrocnemius, Soleus, Core, Tibialis Anterior

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Movement pattern

Eccentric Landing

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Equipment

Plyo Box

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Difficulty

Beginner

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Technical detail

The athlete steps off rather than jumping off. Jumping adds upward velocity first and makes the drop height, and therefore the landing force, unpredictable.

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A good landing distributes work across the ankle, knee and hip rather than concentrating it at one joint. A landing that is almost entirely knee-driven, or one where the hips stay high and the knees barely bend, both indicate a poor strategy.

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Box height should be increased only when the athlete can land quietly and hold the position without a secondary hop or a loss of balance. Noise on landing is a useful and simple indicator of how well force is being absorbed.

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1. Set a low box and stand on it with the toes near the edge.
2. Stand tall with the trunk braced and the arms ready in front.
3. Step off the box, dropping straight down without jumping out or up.
4. Land on both feet at the same time on the mid-foot, allowing the ankles, knees and hips to bend and absorb the force.
5. Hold the landing position still for two to three seconds, then step back onto the box and repeat.

• “Step off, do not jump”
• “Land quiet”
• “Ankles, knees, hips all bend”
• “Freeze on landing”
• “Chest over the middle of the foot”

• Jumping off the box, which changes the drop height and landing load.
• Landing with almost straight legs, which sends force through the joints rather than the muscles.
• Letting the knees fall inward on contact.
• Raising box height before the current height can be landed quietly and held.