Athletes are in the unending pursuit to enhance explosiveness. Who doesn’t want to jump higher, sprint faster, hit harder and cut faster? The ability to execute these explosive actions comes down to power output.

The equation for power output is this:

• Power = Force x Velocity

If you want to enhance your ability to produce power, you should ensure you are working on every part of this equation (force, velocity and power in and of itself).

Force: As Dr. Mike Stone has said, strength can be defined as the ability to produce force. If you are strength training and developing strength, you are training your force capability. Most athletes have this part of the equation covered.

Power: This can be trained a number of ways. The most specific way is to train in the explosive actions of your sport. To get better at sprints, jumps throws and cuts, perform sprints, jumps, throws and cuts. For variation, you can pull a sled, jump with weight, throw a med ball, or perform a variety of different cutting drills. Olympic lifts are another tool athletes can use to develop power. Again, most athletes have this part of the equation covered.

Velocity: This is the part of the power equation that few athletes train. The reason for this is because there aren’t many options. To truly train velocity, you need to train at very high speed. Downhill running is an option, but is not recommended because it can be dangerous. You can use Accelerated Sled Sprints, but the equipment needed to accomplish this is expensive not widely available. The solution to training velocity? Band-Assisted Jumps.

Why Band-Assisted Jumps Are Your Key To Increased Explosiveness

Band-Assisted Jumps are exactly what they sound like.

With these jumps, you simply loop a band or two on a sturdy attachment overhead (most commonly a pull-up bar) before looping it under your armpits or pulling it down with your hands. Because the band is pulling you upward, you now weigh slightly less than you did before. When you jump, your legs don’t have as much body weight to move. That means they can contract faster, which is exactly what we want. This enhanced speed trains the velocity component of the power equation in a safe, convenient manner.

You can implement Band-Assisted Jumps into your routine in several ways. You can implement them after a dynamic warm-up and before a training session, as I do here:

Band-Assisted Jumps Warm-Up Example (rest 20-30 seconds between each exercise):

• Band Pogo Hops x 20
• Band Angled Pogo Hops x 20 touches each way
• Band Jump x 5
• Band Single-leg Jump x 5 each leg
• Band Jump x 5
• Band Single-leg Jump x 5 each leg

For more advanced athletes, you can also pair Band-Assisted Jumps with heavy strength training and other plyometrics in a French Contrast-style, as shown here:

French Contrast with Band-Assisted Jumps Example:

• Hand-Assisted Safety Bar Split Squat x 1 rep each leg with a 5-second eccentric
• Approach Box Jump
• Trap Bar Jump w/ ISO Hold
• Band Assisted Jump w/ ISO Hold
• Single-Leg Toes-Up Squat

Rest 2-3 minutes after completing this sequence and repeat the sequence for a total of 3-5 sets.

Band-Assisted jumps are a simple, effective solution for a forgotten component of power development – velocity training. If you’re looking to add a couple extra inches to your vertical or shave a few seconds off your sprint time, Band-Assisted Jumps could be the stimulus you need to increase power.

READ MORE:

• 4 Ways to Use Box Jumps to Increase Your Explosiveness
• 8 Drills For Building NFL-Style Speed and Explosiveness
• This Training Mistake Ruins Your Explosiveness