The primary goal of a majority of intense workout regimens is to build power and speed. If you are a professional athlete, you will want your workouts to increase your ability to jump higher, run faster, and push off harder. One of the kinds of workout programs you can engage in for gaining these abilities is performing triple extension exercises. These exercises use explosive movements to target hips, knees, and ankles and condition muscles and ligaments.
Fitness trainers around the world use VBT (velocity-based training) with triple extension exercises to get the maximum output. VBT is a strength training modality that is based on the measurement of the speed of movement of a load being lifted. This technique mainly involves using a piece of equipment that measures the speed output and provides instantaneous feedback to the trainer. This feedback helps determine whether the amount of load fulfills the goal requirements of the training session.
In the remaining part of this article, we will discuss what to expect when you add VBT with different forms of triple extension exercises. So let’s dig into it.
VBT and Olympic Lifts
Athletes performing Olympic lifts can improve their sports performance by measuring peak velocity. This important check helps them get the information they need to progress their loads. As a result, they improve their abilities more than average velocity without getting injured. Remember, the Olympic lifts performed this way are not a part of weightlifting competitions. These lifts only improve sporting form. The main goal of these workouts is to enhance explosive power and speed-strength ability.
Some more reasons you may want to use peak velocity for Olympic lifts include:
- The exercise’s ballistic nature
- A better understanding of the moment of the peak velocity
- An opportunity to apply necessary alterations mainly resulting from the mean velocity’s feedback
A vital point to consider here is that you must have a good technique to perform a lift when you follow VBT protocols. You cannot afford to slow down at any portion of the workout, or the average velocity will suffer. For better force production, you have to pay attention to the point where your barbell achieves the peak velocity. It is usually the moment when the barbell reaches the top of the second pull.
Coaching plays a crucial role in Olympic lifts due to their higher dependency on technical correction, especially when you bring velocity into the equation. The catch is particularly a complicated workout due to the high-level technique involved. The pulls, on the other hand, are simple. Aside from coaching, the factor that can help improve the technique quite a bit is the right velocity measuring tool.
VBT and Vertical Jump
The vertical jump is another exercise variation that, if done right, can engage your hips, knees, and ankles, all at once. This workout is an integral part of plyometrics, the drills that require explosive hopping, bonding, and jumping. Vertical jumping is one of the most well-known techniques to build both strength and power.
And like other triple extension exercises, vertical jumping, too, can benefit from velocity-based training. VBT can help you increase your jump height. And remember, it is not all about increasing your speed. The main purpose of using VBT in vertical jumping is to improve your explosive jumping ability while reducing fatigue and stress.
The two main elements involved in vertical jumping are strength and power. Here is how VBT can help improve both.
Getting stronger
Since jumping is the power activity, you are going to need to generate the amount of power to induce speed into your high jumps. For this reason, it is crucial to gain strength, which requires extensive training in the weight room. VBT can be quite helpful here as it provides the feedback you need to make faster moves. You won’t always need to add load more weight into the bar for this purpose. Moving faster with the current weight will surely help develop your strength.
Getting powerful
After you have built enough strength, now is the time to directly generate power with the help of dynamic effort training. This training involves several exercises, but the most common technique is to be aggressive and explosive with moderate loads. Generating power is where VBT can do wonders. It allows you to measure your power output and velocity with every single step. Not only will you be able to track your progress over time, but you will also be able to select optimal loads to produce the peak power output.
VBT for Kettlebell Swings
Kettlebell swings are a specific type of workout to enhance power. For this reason, adding this workout to your athletic training program can go a long way toward improving your overall performance in the field. However, you may wonder why we mention kettlebell swings while covering the topic of triple extension workouts when it primarily targets hips and knees but doesn’t involve ankle plantarflexion.
Well, the fact of the matter is these swings do involve ankle movements sometimes, mainly when you try to add velocity to the workout. However, it is more of a kind of movement you perform deliberately, which might mean a higher risk of error if your technique is not proper.
With velocity-based training, you can have a nice insight into the number of swings you make while making sure that your form remains ideal. Again, the purpose is not just to add speed but add it without other crucial variables getting overlooked.
Wrapping Up
Triple extension exercises are a nice way to add some necessary body stretching to your workouts. With fully extended hips, knees, and ankles, you can jump higher, lift heavier loads, and, more importantly, speed up your moves. Hence, using velocity-based training protocols with these workouts can be plenty helpful.
When it comes to tracking your velocity-based moves, nothing can be as helpful as a software-supported tool that provides you with quicker feedback during workouts. One of the best tools in this regard is Vitruve, which allows you to have a look at several helpful metrics to make necessary adjustments to your workouts.
