Phase 2: Build•Week 4 • Friday

Day 26: First plyometric day

Plyometric and Bone Health

30 minutes

Today's workout

Jumps and hops for bone density. Quality over volume.

Warm up (5-7 min)

•5 minutes easy walk or bike
•Pogo hops x 20
•Squat to calf raise x 10
•Skipping x 30 seconds

Showing gym version. Switch to home above if needed.

1. Box Jumps (or step-ups to bench)

4 x 5

Rest: 90 sec • Equipment: none

Form cues:

→Step off the box, do not jump down
→Land soft with bent knees
→Reset fully between reps

Common mistakes to avoid

✗Jumping down off the box - step down to protect knees
✗Landing stiff-legged - absorb with bent knees
✗Using arms poorly - swing them forward and up at takeoff

Easier

Step-ups to bench
Low box jumps

Harder

Higher box
Seated box jump

Home alternative: Low box jumps onto a sturdy step

Box jump demo

2. Broad Jumps

3 x 5

Rest: 90 sec • Equipment: bodyweight

Form cues:

→Arms swing forward hard
→Land soft, stick the landing
→Walk back, do not rush

Common mistakes to avoid

✗Not using arms for momentum - swing them hard
✗Landing with locked knees - bend knees to absorb
✗Rushing reps - reset your stance fully between jumps

Easier

Jump squat in place

Harder

Consecutive broad jumps
Weighted vest broad jump

Broad jump demo

3. Lateral Bounds

3 x 8 per side

Rest: 60 sec • Equipment: bodyweight

Form cues:

→Push off outside leg
→Stick landing on inside leg
→Control, not speed

Common mistakes to avoid

✗Landing with knee collapsing inward - land with knee tracking over toe
✗Not sticking the landing - pause briefly before next rep
✗Jumping for distance when you should focus on control

Easier

Skater steps without the jump

Harder

Lateral bound to stick with weight in hands

Lateral bound demo

4. Kettlebell or Dumbbell Swing

3 x 15

Rest: 90 sec • Equipment: dumbbells

Form cues:

→Hinge at hips, not squat
→Snap hips to drive swing
→Arms are ropes, hips are engine

Common mistakes to avoid

✗Squatting instead of hinging - hips back, not down
✗Lifting with the arms - hips drive the swing, arms are just ropes
✗Overextending at the top - stop at eye level, ribs stacked

Easier

Kettlebell deadlift
Hip hinge practice with dowel

Harder

Heavier kettlebell
Single-arm swing

Kettlebell swing demo

5. Hip Thrust Hold

3 x 30 sec

Rest: 45 sec • Equipment: bodyweight

Form cues:

→Glutes fully squeezed
→Ribs down, no low back arch
→Breathe through the hold

Common mistakes to avoid

✗Overextending - ribs stay down, no lower back arch at the top
✗Using the quads instead of glutes - push through your heels
✗Bench too high or low - aim for under the shoulder blades

Easier

Glute bridge on the floor

Harder

Barbell hip thrust
Single-leg hip thrust

Hip thrust demo

Cool down (5 min)

•5 minutes easy walk
•Calf stretch x 30 sec per side
•Quad stretch x 30 sec per side
•Deep breathing x 2 minutes

Today's nutrition focus

Calcium and vitamin D

Plyometrics stimulate bone remodeling. Bones need calcium (1,200mg/day postmenopausal) and vitamin D (1,000-2,000 IU/day for most). Dairy, sardines, greens, and a D supplement if your blood level is low. This is the inside work that matches your jumps.

Mindset brief

Jumps are non-negotiable for bones

Estrogen loss accelerates bone density decline. Walking doesn't build bone. Lifting helps. Jumping builds. This is the single best thing you can do right now to lower your risk of an osteoporotic fracture later in life. Don't skip jump day, ever.

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