It’s easy, it requires no equipment, and if you start doing it right now, over the next few weeks you may notice your stride is more efficient and you are running stronger (perhaps even faster). What is this secret? Hopping.
According to recent research Advertisement - Continue Reading Below plyometric exercise, The Best Leg Day Workout for Runners running economy—how fast you can run using a given amount of oxygen.
Why hopping? While running is a forward motion, it is also one in which you have to lift yourself off the ground with force. Improving that lift can make you a better runner.
In the study, 34 amateur runners were put in either a control group or a hopping group. The hopping set of runners started with five sets of 10-second two-foot hopping on a daily basis. They separated each interval with a 50-second break. To progress over six weeks, they decreased the break time while increasing the hopping time. By the end, they did 15 10-second hopping sets, each separated by only 10-second breaks.
Six-Week Daily Hopping Program:
Week 1: 5 sets of 10-sec. hopping/50-sec. rest (total hopping: 50 seconds)
Week 2: 6 The Good Brigade (total hopping: 60 seconds)
Week 3: 8 Summer Running Gear (total hopping: 80 seconds)
Week 4: 10 We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back (total hopping: 100 seconds)
Week 5: 15 at the start and end of six weeks to measure your improvement (total hopping: 150 seconds)
Week 6: 15 at the start and end of six weeks to measure your improvement (total hopping: 150 seconds)
The study concluded that over a six-week period, progressive, daily hopping improved running economy at higher speeds (7.4 mph and 8.6 mph). Along with supporting previous research that showed plyometric exercises can boost one’s running economy, hopping, the researchers believe, decreased tendon stiffness, which allows for more explosiveness when pushing the pace at higher speeds.
“Adding plyometrics to your routine increases the force you can produce with each movement,” Meghan Kennihan, a LaGrange, Illinois-based NASM-certified personal trainer, USA Track & Field coach, and RRCA-certified distance coach, told Runner’s World. “While running, after each foot lands on the ground, there’s a push-off. Plyometric training will help you have a more powerful spring [at that push-off]. This will lead to a faster run.”
The beauty of a hopping protocol, like many other plyo moves, is adding them to your routine via warmups or strength training could make you feel more comfortable running faster at a slightly higher speed. A way to measure your own improvement may be something like a mile test on amateur runners, simply bouncing on both feet, an uncomplicated.
Level Up With Other Plyometrics Exercises
Hopping is not the only plyo move that helps runners build speed. Other exercises, such as single-leg glute bridges and sets of 10-sec. hopping/10-sec. rest, build muscular power so you can move fast with force.
In fact, many lower-body plyo exercises specifically build leg power, which means that after each foot lands, your legs will be able to quickly push off against the ground. The less time you spend on the ground, the faster you run.
When incorporating plyometric moves into your training plan, make sure you progress gradually to avoid getting injured. Remember, it took the study participants six weeks to hop for five minutes, and even their final workouts included some rest intervals.
Matt Rudisill is an Associate Service Editor with the Hearst Enthusiast Group. A Nittany Lion through-and-through, Matt graduated from PSU in 2022 with a degree in journalism and worked in communications for the university's athletic department for the past three years as the main contact and photographer for its nationally-ranked cross country and track & field teams. Matt was also heavily involved in communications efforts for the Penn State football team’s 2024 College Football Playoff run as well as the Nittany Lion men’s basketball team’s 2023 NCAA Tournament appearance. In his role with Hearst’s Enthusiast Group, Matt contributes to both Runner’s World and Bicycling magazines, creating service content to benefit runners and cyclists of all ages. When he’s not out jogging, Matt can be found tweeting bad takes about the Phillies or watching movies.
