Balancing Strength Training with Plyometrics and Sprinting: Seeking Advice

Hello all,

First I want to say a large thank you to the BBM crew for all of the great information and content over the years. It is so helpful to have these resources through my own fitness journey and others who I have shared the information with. My question today is related to my own training and goals.

I’ve been predominantly focused on traditional strength training with a background in squat, bench, deadlift, and cleans. Now, I’m eager to diversify my training by incorporating plyometric and sprint workouts into my routine to develop a more well-rounded “athletic base” (for lack of better terms). My primary goal is still to increase strength in the ‘big three’ and Olympic lifts, but I’d like to include a smaller dose of plyometrics and sprinting for secondary goals (ideally reaching some kind of minimal effective dose if this can even be defined).

What recommendations do you have for structuring programming to balance both objectives effectively? I understand that the pursuit of the development of multiple physical qualities does not allow for the “optimal” development of any single quality, but wonder how you conceptualize training in this fashion to “raise the base” so to speak (such as with field sport athletes).

Any and all insights are welcome and appreciated! Thanks so much!​

If you’re doing the Olympic lifts already, I don’t think you’re likely to benefit from additional plyometric training inside the gym. Practicing/playing a sport that involves jumping, cutting, etc. would be more likely to help in a more practical way. Dosing can be difficult when it comes to sport, but I’d use duration to modulate stress.

As far as sprints go, you can do them right now as a form of vigorous intensity conditioning. There is no minimal effective dose for sprinting or sprint intensity interval training, as you do not need to formally train these at all to be healthy, strong, or athletic. I think a good rule of thumb is that your conditioning volume should be distributed ~ 80% to moderate intensity and 20% vigorous intensity. Of the vigorous intensity training, half of that might be sprints to start.

Regarding the programming question, you’re describing concurrent periodization, which is the model we use in the majority of our training programs. Rather than focusing just on maximal strength or hypertrophy or cardiorespiratory fitness, we do a little bit of everything most of the time. Yes, priorities shift and proportions of total work done reflect that.

I do not think most people would benefit from doing plyometrics from a health perspective. I do think some high velocity training, though usually not plyometrics, is part of a complete program. I do not think plyometrics are uniquely beneficial for tendinopathy.