Plyometric exercises generally involve which kind of muscle contraction?

Plyometric exercises are specifically designed to enhance explosive power and speed. The key feature of these exercises is the sequence in which muscle contractions occur to optimize performance. Typically, plyometric movements begin with an eccentric contraction, where the muscle lengthens under tension as it prepares to explode. This is immediately followed by a concentric contraction, where the muscle shortens and generates force to propel the body.

This rapid transition between eccentric and concentric phases is what allows plyometric exercises to effectively stimulate the stretch-shortening cycle of the muscles, thereby improving athletic performance. Options that suggest only concentric contractions, static contractions, or continuous contractions without rest do not capture the dynamic nature of plyometric training and its reliance on the explosive interplay between muscle lengthening and shortening.