Plyometrics were originally designed for power athletes like sprinters, football players and gymnasts. According to Brian Mac, professional sports coach, your muscles achieve maximum power during eccentric contractions, or muscle lengthening. When you immediately follow an eccentric contraction with a concentric — or muscle-shortening — contraction, your muscle produces a greater force. This is called the stretch-shortening cycle. Plyometric training decreases the time between your eccentric and concentric contractions and improves your muscular speed and power.

Plyometric exercises require a lot of energy, because they are highly intense. They utilize the whole body and activate most muscle groups, therefore burning many calories in a single session and aiding in weight loss. The repetitive landing causes your entire leg muscles to contract, helping to improve overall tone and definition. Plyometrics combine strength training and cardiovascular exercise, allowing you to “kill two birds with one stone.