Tonal Coach Kendall Wood doing high knees as part of a plyometric workout.

Plyometric Workout: Explosive Moves for Power and Speed

Boost speed and power with explosive plyometric cardio workouts. Learn how long to train, how many reps to do, and how to structure a complete plyo session effectively.

Welcome to the world of plyometrics, one way to break through the monotony of basic cardio training.

Plyometric workouts, or "plyos," can be a gateway to faster, more powerful movement capabilities. Designed for moderate to advanced athletes but with some mindful beginner versions, and all-out sweat sessions, plyometrics blend full-body, jump-based power drills into manageable intervals that support training your agility, coordination, and explosiveness.

The reason plyometric workouts can be so effective for many individuals comes down to muscle contraction: Movements often begin in an eccentric contraction where muscles lengthen (think quads lowering at the start of a jump squat), only to quickly and rapidly shorten again into a concentric contraction (quads pushing up forcefully, completing the exercise).

"Plyometrics involve the stretch-shortening cycle, wherein the goal is to transition from the eccentric to the concentric phase of an exercise as quickly as possible." says Tonal's program coach and athletic trainer Kendall Wood. "Think of jumping or bounding, where significant amounts of energy are released for fast, explosive movement."

This plyometric cardio workout clocks in around 30 minutes and offers an effective and mindful routine to help burn calories and boost athletic performance. You'll also learn educational information on how long to train to better maximize certain plyometric benefits based on your goals, how many reps to target, and general structures to promote conditioning for your current fitness level.

35 Minutes Minute Duration

Full Body Conditioning Program

~200-380+ Calories Burned

12 Different Exercises

Recommended 2x/Week

Plyometric Workout: Example Routine

Warm-up & Cool-Down
Estimated Calories Burned
Recommended Number of workouts

Muscle Groups Targeted

Equipment Used for Plyometric Workout

Coaching Tips & Best Practices

Who This Workout is Best For

Answers to FAQs about Plyometric Workout

Concluding words on Plyometric Workout

Plyometric Workout: Example Routine

Duration: 30 minutes
Format: 3 circuits of 4 exercises | 12 exercises total | 60-second rest after each circuit

Perform the following plyometric workout in three total circuits, resting for 60 seconds after each round. Each circuit includes 4 plyo exercises, for a total of 12 intervals.

Circuit 1

Jump squats (12 reps)
Push-up to shoulder tap (10 reps)
Lateral bounds (12 reps each side)
Mountain climbers (30 sec)

Circuit 2

Reverse Lunge to Knee Drive (10 reps each leg)
Burpees (10 reps)
Skater Hops (12 reps each side)
Plank Jack (30 sec)

Circuit 3

Broad Jumps (10 reps both ways)
Alternating Jump Lunges (10 reps each leg)
High Knees (30 seconds)
Tuck Jumps (8 reps)

Warm-up & Cool-Down

A proper warm-up prepares your muscles and joints for many of plyometrics' explosive movement, while a cool-down helps restore circulation and recovery after training.

Warm-Up (3.5 minutes)

Arm circles (30 min)
Hip openers (30 min)
Bodyweight squats (30 min)
Jumping jacks (1 min)
Dynamic lunges (1 min each leg)

Cool Down (5 minutes)

Forward-fold stretch (1 min)
Standing quad stretch (30 sec each leg)
Seated hamstring stretch (1 min)
Shoulder cross-body stretch (1 min)
Slow walking or march-in-place (1 min)

Estimated Calories Burned

The total calories burned during this plyometric cardio workout will depend on many individual factors, including age, weight, sex, and workout intensity. Use the following purely as educational estimates, not promised ranges.

Women 120-150 lbs.: 190-260 calories
Women 150-180 lbs.: 260-330 calories
Men 150-180 lbs.: 240-310 calories
Men 180-220+ lbs.: 310-400+ calories

Adding resistance bands, light dumbbells, or increasing the number of reps or total circuits in the routine may elevate calories burned.

Recommended Number of workouts

Beginners pushing themselves and in good health should perform this plyometric workout 1x/week, allowing at least one full rest day between sessions.

Intermediate or more conditioned athletes (think of people with a consistent workout routine for 1-2 years) may consider progressing to 2x/week.

Ultimately, your plyo sessions depend on your conditioning endurance or performance goals. "Plyometrics help us develop speed, strength and power alone, and when preceded by a resistance training exercise where the nervous system is already on high-alert and responds even more explosively," says Coach Wood. "Power training is essential to a well-rounded fitness regimen."

Always consider adjusting frequency if you’re managing other training programs, recovering from fatigue, or accommodating a busy schedule. Listen to your body and joints, as recovery is part of structuring a overall good workout habit that supports noticeable progress.

Muscle Groups Targeted

Plyometric movements often engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously. In fact, these explosive exercises can support training your fast-twitch muscle fibers, and may improve things like reactivity, performance, agility, and conditioning. They are fast-paced and should feel heart-pumping.

Major muscle groups worked in this example plyometric cardio workout:

Quadriceps
Glutes
Hamstrings
Calves
Core
Shoulders

Equipment Used for Plyometric Workout

This plyometric workout comes designed to be completed with no equipment, making it accessible for home training or some workout variety at the gym.

If you prefer to potentially increase workout effectiveness or intensity based on your goals, consider adding 1-10 lb. dumbbells or kettlebells into the routine during the squat and lunge exercises.

Equipment Alternatives:

Use a workout bench or stable chair for step-ups.

Optional Add-Ons for Progression:

Resistance bands
Hand or ankle weights
Light dumbbells (1-5 lbs. to start)
Weighted vest
Plyometric box

Coaching Tips & Best Practices

"Plyometrics are beneficial at all levels of fitness and life stages, and like other forms of training, they can be modified for regression or progression depending on needs. Even in their most regressed version, plyometrics can benefit beginners by increasing bone density, helping to prevent injuries in training and daily life, and supporting overall training efficiency."

Coach Kendall "Woody" Wood

Who This Workout is Most Effective For

This cardio-forward plyometric workout is best for:

Individuals seeking to build explosive movement strength, agility, endurance, and coordination.
Runners, recreational athletes, and fitness enthusiasts ready to add variety to their cardio-minded training.
Anyone short on time but serious about getting their heart rate elevated.

Beginners can modify jump height and range as suited for them. While more advanced athletes can work to progress by adding resistance bands, light ankle or wrists weights, or increasing workout volume.

Answers to FAQs about Plyometric Workout

Technically speaking, yes. But they aren't the same exact thing.

Plyometric training can often overlap with HIIT principles because both use short, high-intensity bursts of activity followed by a timed recovery window. But plyo focuses on jump-based movements, while HIIT can incorporate non-jump exercises.

Some workouts blend the two, but plyometrics can also be used on its own, in personalized ways, for short, focused power work.

A few patterns tend to show up:

Skipping a warm-up (especially if you suffer from joint pain or joint-related lower body injury).
Poor landing mechanics/landing with little body control.
Excessive exercise repetition.
Taking jumps higher or farther than your current ability safely can push.
Rushing through the workout.

With plyo, always try to focus on soft, controlled, stable landings and quality over quantity. Paying attention to form and giving yourself room to progress gradually can make a big difference.

Most people find that plyometrics feel best when woven into the week with enough space to recover between sessions. Because these movements are generally higher impact and require coordination, daily sessions can feel demanding. Rotating them with strength, mobility, or lower-impact cardio can keep your training balanced and sustainable.

Plyometric sessions are typically short because the goal is high-quality, intentional effort. Many people keep these workouts in the 10-20 minute range, or fold a few plyometric sets into a longer training day. The focus is less about a "best" duration and more about choosing a volume that lets you maintain good form throughout.

This all helps ensure you'll keep up a good intensity without overfatiguing muscles or risking form breakdown.

There's no black-or-white rule to how many reps equals a good plyometric workout. That said, generally focus on jump quality/height, stable landings, and mind-muscle connection instead of blitzing out as many jumps as possible. Beginners may even want to purposefully start on the lower rep end, increasing only as your stability and jump form confidence improves.

Concluding words on Plyometric Workout

Part of what makes a plyometric workout feel so powerful is its ability to challenge your body, whether you’re just starting out or already looking to train more like the pros.

Coach Wood only reinforces what intentional plyo training can offer across fitness stages. "Power training is essential to a well-rounded fitness regimen, as it complements your strength training efforts and contributes to better, faster reflexes and coordination in activities of daily life."

By combining explosive strength and agility, this plyometric cardio workout helps you move with more speed and control in everything you do. Its adaptable structure also means you can scale the workout's intensity to match your current fitness level or at-home equipment availability, all while still experiencing progress, inside and out.

Stick with it, stay consistent, and you’ll start feeling stronger, lighter on your feet, and more energized.

Plyometric Workout: Explosive Moves for Power and Speed

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