# Best plyometric exercises for runners' speed and power > Updated: 2026-05-29 · Source: https://dorsi.ai/topics/best-plyometrics-for-runners Plyometrics get a bad rap among distance runners. Too much risk, too little return, they say. But the data says something else: a 2018 meta-analysis… Plyometrics for runners are too often a choice between useless and dangerous. The best ones sit in the middle: pogo jumps, box drops with immediate rebound, and single-leg bounds focused on ground contact time under 0.2 seconds. Those build the reactive stiffness that turns into faster stride frequency without crushing your joints. Skip depth jumps from high boxes: the risk outweighs the reward. In this guide, I rank the five plyometric drills I prescribe most often to runners using Dorsi, based on what actually moves the needle. Plyometrics get a bad rap among distance runners. Too much risk, too little return, they say. But the data says something else: a 2018 meta-analysis found that plyometric training improved running economy by 2-3% on average. That's not trivial, it's the difference between a 20-minute 5K and a 19:30. The trick is picking the right drills. Not depth jumps or tuck jumps meant for power athletes. Instead, low-amplitude, rapid-response exercises like ankle hops and A-skips. Dorsi tracks your recovery readiness and can nudge you toward plyo on days your nervous system is primed for explosive work. If you've been staring at decision fatigue every morning, should I do plyos or intervals?, that decision gets easier. The rest of this page lays out which plyometric moves actually transfer to pavement, how to sequence them, and what volume actually works for a runner's legs. ## Start with pogo hops for elastic rebound. Pogo hops build Achilles tendon stiffness without pounding the joints. Do them barefoot on grass. Three sets of ten seconds. Land softly, rebounding immediately. Most runners overtrain the quad and neglect the calf-ankle system. These fix that. ## How much plyo volume should beginners do? Start with two sessions per week, not more. Your nervous system adapts faster than your tendons. Eight to ten total hard contacts per leg per session is plenty. More than that and you're just adding injury risk. I've seen runners do a hundred box jumps and wonder why they get shin splints. ## Add bounding for horizontal power. Bounding forces you to spend time in the air, which improves stride length. Do three sets of eight bounds per leg. Focus on driving the knee up and opposite arm forward. If your bounding looks like a skip, you're not trying hard enough. Actually project yourself forward. ## Progress to depth drops before depth jumps. Depth drops teach you to land with stiffness and alignment before you add a jump. Start from a 12-inch box. Step off, land in an athletic stance, hold for two seconds. Once you can do that without wobbling, you're ready to jump up the same box. That sequence builds confidence. ## Test your progress with a standing long jump. Once a month, measure your standing long jump. Any improvement means your plyos are working. If the number plateaus, you're either doing too much or too little. Adjust volume down first. One guy I coach gained eight inches in three months by simply adding pogo hops twice a week.