Plyometrics, also known as plyos, are highly effective jump training exercises which work to increase power by building on strength and speed.
Most literature on plyometric training has focused on how plyometric principles can be effective in enhancing training in activities and sports requiring maximum muscular force in minimal time. These types of exercises, which work on perfecting explosive movements, are beneficial for perfecting the skills necessary for accelerating and changing direction quickly during hockey. Follow these three plyometric exercises to help give you the edge on the pitch.
Tuck jump
Stand with feet shoulder width apart, jump up and bring the knees up as high as possible. This is a straightforward exercise but takes balance and control. Try to engage your core muscles to keep you steady, make the action explosive but remember to land nice and softly.
Lateral side jump
Stand on your right foot with your right knee bent. Launch yourself sideways to your left with your left leg and land on your left foot with your left knee bent. This is harder than it looks and takes a great deal of control. Once you have perfected the controlled jump with an explosive movement, you can try to build up speed.
This side jump is a useful exercise to include in training for sports which involves lateral movements. In hockey you need to quickly move from side to side as well as back and forth, so this plyo technique will really help give you an advantage on the pitch. The benefit of these simple plyo exercises is that that they can be carried out anywhere and require no equipment, so are perfect to be combined with field hockey drill training found at https://www.sportplan.net/drills/Hockey/, for example.
Jump lunge
Starting in a split stance position with your right leg in front of you and left leg behind, go into a lunge, dropping your left knee to the floor and bringing your right knee over your ankle so your shin is vertical. Then jump up, swapping the positions of the legs, taking your right leg behind you and bringing the left leg in front. Engage your core muscles, ensure you push up from your heels. The aim is to make the movement powerful and explosive but remember to land nice and softly.