JFIFC    $ &%# #"(-90(*6+"#2D26;=@@@&0FKE>J9?@=C  =)#)==================================================C" }!1AQa"q2#BR$3br %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz w!1AQaq"2B #3Rbr $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ?еSvHY!jE Uּ4`{IҸ.A4.F>ƚj{ &-E x*og?,!W!=y"8rNqXw5^ %my]s y6v'kK =h(Y`k|"ͨ;s޸(_#6-b-ZҥbO"Fw $G8s'16$y(eRZ1X}UTs ]gF <湯'Tk#p4.:^~^o5_[96R6]nicPf&E)̿k?qx  EpQ|YL29b 22+˼ K;\[YQRBdwkP|Gp@m4F\o(|sOь28_ W7v$g?Q^=L έ.FpjŚLl:]KO¦kgw>+;[rI%"~,SRIB#['ͼG@Air7fį>$_V  ӪJөRr{ՔpH &!QEx'i0²tnOWOe`i9 A`CgC[%nqx*L6w=p}4+4mٛM:'PgPFҶ*3W~?5~2¿mOH4FZUpK#'c j?:9~֚ ̳,mY#8ڵ|;joa\ekY*?d/m^lg$8zf.x/2nSqL%&vH:/nt6ZHt6#Cg:|AWm-4Y?\WE]Oź4z~qd' Hr>XqMf>~#Muw5RT+hRMGFԚYnWuhIs~^!in;sy8mZ-6}BT#e>ǫ ^nc\~ :#jGOu^b&a0f~KxQG`#ɵP0>LG]+@mcm?Ju{lGB@hIE!8xjxuu pPV٨I*òGA߽jxo\kJ)#t>U_xX#&;C$cKpYmX+) V+ϯ3z뇂|yy=Z]Bx0tq  x]|t'V d0ϥs>)qAxZ`-|]}@Zcޥ46 VtRHk&i7K+J(`|2 K0 @u([%V!"hS㊹-!fAǎҲGLѴwv18@ =k3^[tlxБ$/_[Ow\n\(5uQu+岽vؾpKv'Vki9mR*a qGqeP ŹVU?Uz.%MOV?IKf5ٞQj ZQHK#cpʰ7ڢY4@ǡ$5 ?p$kYƔZ$=:6V3ї9+{ŭyU($*8#Na?џB? k4/c6nmy\{s֩SiZ텬U%rD?L?ˡ7HU#`Q=Y֥i" 2_m +/<$;JkQHDx+ryj;ڲE1(AUouV"]26rLw>RFp}"Zl@UOWi g2rڴHzf }aWCQvmQx'{wF>BjԘrd%uK7Y+PIXn6KnX"i#H0b}K[Ԏew&v5ܬC{[*r{1-Q^F׬ 33cA>1}?ÞJȖt'a#5? m!}j3+j1 d_dr=fD;hE7 I+!|ËH5 nO F-W݈S+TH]nq)\˛q&3.iϳx[:zNgDI ùbgY֝ڝVq$C`SokV]J 9_zNpj*[լqky%;,?t,!cO+5⟇0TRn|@Izּ(5O.q{6@+Ft_|S5|C O 2yh?t+k\+;O|X*=uѯɵXuO8j-+M6c;PZCI=+Iצ[+z X er8vu#}~q{;  ~ ҤyMew6zUFhe\~?*^*.dGtK.v@?2J|WV~Fxڎ*jΧ-KU:2mX4*.sA<]}5ٹ) ݹ+I' ۆ\qȭ'csFJR$|n縦Tp=Vh*ڍ( .xi@n;lt}(EPEPEPEPEPEPEPEPEPle tension.<br><br>How effective are plyometrics? In a paper published in the Journal of Applied Sports Science Research in 1992, researchers conducted a six-week study on the effects of squatting and plyometrics on the vertical jump. The group that performed just the squat increased their vertical jump 3.3 centimeters, a significant improvement for six weeks. However, when plyometrics was combined with squatting, the increase was 10.7 centimeters! Can you see why plyometrics is an integral part of the BFS program?<br><br>The Father of Plyometrics<br><br>The exercise scientist regarded as the father of modern-day plyometrics is Professor Yuri Verkhoshansky, a brilliant Russian scientist who pioneered this type of training as a means of sports training to improve athletic performance. Verkhoshansky s first research study on plyometrics was published in 1964, but he had been researching the subject for several years before then as part of his post-doctoral work.<br><br>In recent years, Verkhoshansky has shared a considerable amount of his findings in plyometrics with Dr. Mel Siff, a sports scientist from South Africa and popular expert in the field of strength training who consults for the Chicago Bulls. According to Siff, the most effective type of plyometrics is what Verkhoshansky calls the shock training method. Siff, who is currently writing a how-to book on this subject for coaches and athletes, says that shock training  is a method of mechanical shock stimulation that forces the muscles to produce as much tension as rapidly as possible. It is characterized by an intense muscular contraction that is preceded by a relaxed state. <br><br>Stepping off a box (not jumping, as the thigh muscles must be relaxed during the fall) and immediately rebounding upward upon landing is considered an example of a shock training exercise for the lower body. Performing Marine Corps push-ups where you clap your hands, land, and then immediately perform another repetition is an example of shock training for the upper body. One of the characteristics of shock training is a brief transition phase, which is the pause that occurs immediately after the eccentric phase ends and before the concentric phase begins. Such dynamic activity is required to take advantage of two processes: