By Dana Sullivan
Photos by Ron Angle

Plyometric training has helped make Elena Dementieva one of the fittest players on the WTA tour.

What is plyometrics, exactly?
At its simplest, it’s a fancy word for “jump training,” but it’s really all about power. “Plyometrics improves explosive power,” says Vern Gambetta, M.A., director of athletic development for the New York Mets and whose newest training video is “Proprioceptive Plyometrics” (Gambetta Sports Training Systems). “This kind of training helps you get to more shots,” he says. Just ask Elena Dementieva, whose improved fitness and speed, due in part to the jump training she has incorporated into her workout, helped her reach two Grand Slam finals in 2004. And if you’re looking for a way to decrease your risk of ankle sprains, you’d be wise to add a few of these moves to your training regimen. Gambetta recommends two sessions of plyometrics a week. Warm up for five to ten minutes before each workout and do the moves demonstrated by Dementieva, starting with two sets of each and working up to three.

1. EXPLODING STEP-UP
Stand next to a bench or platform that’s about 15 to 18 inches high. Place your right foot on the bench and push up as powerfully as you can, lifting your left leg up until your thigh is parallel with the ground. Use your arms to help propel you up. Step back down. Move as quickly as you can but maintain control. Do 10 times, switch legs and repeat. 

 2.  LATERAL STEP ON BOSU BALL
Stand with your left foot on the ball (available at www.power-systems.com) and your right foot on the floor. Bend your knees slightly and jump up, shuffling your feet so your right foot lands on the ball and your left foot on the floor. Shuffle from side to side (one foot should always be on the ball), moving as quickly as you can. “The ball is an unstable surface, which improves body awareness,” Gambetta says. Do 10 steps in each direction.  

3.  LATERAL TWO-LEGGED JUMP
Stand next to a 4-inch step (an aerobics step is the perfect height). Jump up and to the side with both feet so you land on the step and then immediately take off again, traveling in the same direction so you land on the floor with both feet. That’s one repetition. Repeat 10 times.