If you are looking to gain upper-body explosive power, you should be performing upper-body plyometrics. Plyos will help you improve nearly any sports skill—like throwing, swinging or shooting a slap shot. They are also highly advantageous for upper-body pressing skills—like blocking, tackling, checking or fighting off defenders. Do you want to be the most powerful athlete on the field? If so, read on.
Plyometric exercises are designed to challenge your muscles with fast and explosive movements, improving the ability of your fast-twitch muscle fibers to quickly contract and produce force. Plyos are more typically performed for improving lower-body skills, like jumping, sprinting and cutting. However, their upper-body benefits should not be ignored.
Perform the following three exercises once or twice a week to add a powerful boost to your upper-body workouts.
Guidelines

• Perform immediately following your warm-up so fatigue does not limit power
• Always maintain proper form. If fatigue causes form to suffer, stop exercise
• Focus on a soft landing
• Produce maximal force with each rep
• Allow 90 seconds of rest between sets so your muscles are fully recovered
• Perform three to four sets of eight to 10 reps of each exercise

Med Ball Plyo Push-Ups

• Assume push-up position with hands on med ball directly under chest
• Release hands from med ball so hands are directly under shoulders, and simultaneously lower into Push-Up; keep body in straight line
• Explode up out of Push-Up and place hands on med ball
• Repeat for specified reps

Lateral Med Ball Plyo Push-Ups

• Assume push-up position with left hand on med ball
• Lower into Push-Up
• Explode up and to left and land with right hand on med ball
• Perform in opposite direction
• Repeat for specified reps

Alternating Med Ball Plyo Push-Ups

• Assume push-up position with left hand on med ball
• Lower into Push-Up
• Explode up out of Push-Up and roll med ball to right hand
• Land with right hand on med ball
• Perform in opposite direction
• Repeat for specified reps

Dean Hollingworth, CSCS, has extensive experience working with athletes of all ages, helping them develop speed, agility and strength. He has consulted with various amateur and professional organizations as a fitness specialist for tennis, hockey, gymnastics and football; and his involvement has directly contributed to athletes’ performance both on and off the field.