Calories Burned in Plyometrics

If you're looking for a workout routine to maximize weight loss results in the shortest time possible, consider abandoning steady-state cardio training in favor of explosive anaerobic workouts. Anaerobic workouts such as plyometric drills challenge your body more than aerobic workouts, causing you to burn a high number of calories and improve overall strength and explosive power.

  1. Plyometrics Overview

    • Although plyometric drills come in a variety of forms, including upper and lower-body exercises, they share a common goal: To develop explosive power through short, intense movements. High jumps, jump rope and medicine ball throws are all plyometric movements. You can also make bodyweight exercises such as pushups and squats plyometric by doing them as quickly as possible.

    Calories Burned

    • How many calories you burn during a plyometric routine depends on your work rate. A popular plyometric workout program was evaluated by the American Council on Exercise in a 2011 study. In a workout that ran for just 43 minutes, participants burned between 492 and 770 calories. Results varied depending on the size and gender of the participants.

    Intensity

    • The more intense your workout and the more explosive your movements, the more calories you'll burn. Plyometric jumps push your body to create energy anaerobically, jacking up your heart rate and burning off more carbohydrates than fat. Although you won't be able to sustain a plyometric workout as long as an aerobic workout such as jogging, you'll benefit from a lengthy post-exercise calorie burn period as your body works to pay back an oxygen deficit incurred during exercise.

    Considerations

    • Since plyometric drills consist of explosive movements, the potential for injury may be greater than in steady-state cardio exercises. The quality of your movements is more important than the quantity of jumps, throws or squats you perform. Injuries are more likely to occur in plyometric drills than other forms of training because of improper landing techniques. Make sure you land as softly as possible, recoiling with the landing force and spreading the impact out by bending your knees and cushioning your fall.