15/06/2026
Plyometrics are characterised by ground contact times (GCTs) of less than 250 milliseconds (James et al., 2023).
This is where objective performance testing can provide valuable insights to guide training, rehabilitation and performance enhancement.
In the example below, the hop test demonstrates a ground contact time of 259ms. Technically, this is too slow to be classified as a true plyometric action.
However, when we look at the Countermovement Jump (CMJ), we can see that the athlete has good lower-body power.
So, what's the missing piece?
The ability to rapidly express that force. This may indicate a need to improve tendon stiffness, reactive strength and stretch-shortening cycle efficiency through targeted plyometric and strength training.
Without testing, it's easy to assume an athlete simply needs to "get stronger". The data tells a different story and helps direct training towards what will have the greatest impact.
Whether you're returning from injury, looking to improve performance, or wanting to better understand your strengths and weaknesses, objective testing can help take the guesswork out of training.
As the saying goes:
"What gets measured gets managed."
And if you aren't measuring, you're guessing.
Interested in understanding your strengths, asymmetries and performance profile? Get in touch to learn more about our Athlete Performance & Injury Risk Assessments.
