Plyometrics for Runners Over 40: What the Research Says

Plyometrics for runners over 40 are worth doing: short, bouncy drills like hops, skips and small jumps can make your running more efficient, and new research in masters runners backs this up. The safe way in is to start with very low, gentle drills, keep sessions short and twice a week, and build up over several weeks rather than jumping straight into box jumps.

Below: what the latest study found (and did not), which exercises to start with, and a simple 6-week plan. For the full background on how plyometrics work, read our guide to plyometric training for runners alongside this one.

What did the new study on older runners find?

The study comes from a research team at Ritsumeikan University in Japan and was published online ahead of print in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise in September 2026. Thirty-five male masters endurance runners did plyometric training twice a week for 10 weeks on top of their usual running. Coverage of the study describes the runners as aged between 30 and 50.

Running economy, which is how much energy it takes you to run at a given pace, improved by 3.9% on average. According to the published abstract, 77.1% of the runners improved by more than the typical test-to-test error of 1.45%, which the team measured by testing 21 of the runners twice before the programme began. In plain words, most of the group got measurably more efficient, not just a lucky few.

The researchers also looked at why. The runners who gained the most were the ones whose drop jump and rebound jump height improved, and who ended up taking slightly fewer steps per minute at the same pace. Their reading is that better reactive spring let runners cover a little more ground with each step. Coverage of the study also reports that their running form did not visibly change, which suggests the benefit came from more propulsion rather than a new running style.

The programme itself was modest. According to that coverage, week one used skipping with a rope, scissor jumps and two-footed hopping in sets of 15 to 30 seconds, building gradually and moving to single-leg versions after week six.

What are the limits of this research?

It is a promising result, but read it carefully.

• Age range. The runners were reported as 30 to 50, so it tells us more about runners in their 40s than those in their 50s, 60s or beyond.
• One group of runners. All the runners were men, so the results may not apply equally to everyone. The abstract also describes a single training group rather than a comparison group who skipped plyometrics.
• Efficiency, not race times. The study measured running economy, not 5K or 10K results.
• Earlier work was more modest. A 2024 study from the same group with 20 middle-aged recreational runners found that plyometrics and weight training both improved running economy by about 2%, but neither changed 5K time over 10 weeks.

Reviews of the wider research generally suggest plyometrics can improve running economy, though the effect varies a lot between studies, and combining them with strength training seems to work better than plyometrics alone. The takeaway is not that plyometrics are magic, but that a small amount, done well, is a reasonable addition to a balanced week.

Why might plyometrics matter more after 40?

Many runners notice they feel less bouncy as they get older, even when their endurance is still good. Research on ageing runners suggests that slowing down with age is linked more to falling strength, power and aerobic fitness than to a loss of running economy. That makes power one of the more trainable pieces of the puzzle.

Plyometrics train the quick stretch-and-recoil action of your calves, Achilles, hips and knees, the same action you use every time your foot lands on a run. Most runners over 40 only train at one speed, so a few minutes of fast, light contacts gives your legs a stimulus they rarely get. If you are newer to running in your 40s, our complete beginner guide to running after 40 covers the basics to put in place first.

Is plyometric training safe for runners over 40?

For most healthy runners, low-level plyometrics are a reasonable thing to add, but the dose matters more than the exercise. Jumping puts more load through your calves, Achilles, knees and feet than easy running does, and those tissues usually need time to adapt. These habits help keep it sensible:

• Build a strength base first. If you cannot do 15 slow single-leg calf raises on each side, spend a few weeks on calf raises for runners before adding hops.
• Warm up properly. Five to ten minutes of easy jogging or brisk walking, plus leg swings and a few gentle calf raises.
• Pick a forgiving surface. Grass, a running track or a gym floor are kinder than concrete. Wear supportive trainers.
• Count contacts, not effort. Every foot landing counts as one contact. Keep early sessions to roughly 40 to 60 contacts and build slowly.
• Quality over quantity. Quiet, light landings. Stop the set as soon as you start landing heavily.
• Leave recovery time. Two sessions a week, at least 48 hours apart, and never the day before a long run or hard session.
• Respect pain. Mild muscle soreness the next day is common at first. Sharp pain, or pain in a joint or tendon that lingers, is a sign to stop and get it checked.

Speak to your GP first if you have joint problems, a history of tendon pain, or any health condition that affects your bones or balance.

Which plyometric exercises should runners over 40 start with?

Think of these as a ladder, from easiest to hardest. Only move up a rung when the one below feels easy and your landings are quiet and controlled.

• 1. Low step-downs. Stand on the bottom stair, step off and land on both feet with soft knees, then hold still for two seconds. There is no jump at all. This teaches you to absorb landings before you add speed.
• 2. Skipping. Simple skipping on the spot, with or without a rope, staying light on the balls of your feet. It is rhythmic, low and a great first taste of quick contacts.
• 3. Pogo hops. Small two-footed bounces using mostly your ankles, with knees soft but fairly straight. Aim for quick, springy contacts only a few centimetres off the ground, like a bouncing ball.
• 4. Small bounds. Exaggerated, springy running strides over 10 to 20 metres. Think rhythm and a slight float, not maximum distance.
• 5. Single-leg pogo hops. The same small bounces on one leg, holding a wall or post for balance at first. This is the most running-specific step and the one to save until last.

Box jumps and big bounding sessions can come later for some runners, but you do not need them to get started.

What does a safe 6-week plyometric plan look like?

This is our suggested starting plan, not the exact programme from the study. Do it twice a week, after an easy run or a proper warm-up, with 60 to 90 seconds of rest between sets.

If any week feels like too much, repeat the previous week. Six slow, consistent weeks will do far more than three ambitious ones followed by a sore Achilles. After week six, keep two short sessions a week, or drop to one to maintain what you have built.

How do plyometrics fit into a running week?

Plyometrics work best as a small add-on, not a separate hard workout. A simple hybrid week for a runner over 40 might look like this:

• Monday: easy run, then plyometrics session one
• Tuesday: strength session (squats, lunges, calf raises)
• Wednesday: intervals or a tempo run
• Thursday: easy run, then plyometrics session two
• Friday: rest or mobility
• Saturday: long run
• Sunday: rest or a relaxed walk

Pairing plyometrics with easy days keeps your hard days hard and your easy days easy, and keeping one strength session in the week complements the jumping. This is exactly the kind of balance an Edge Pro plan is built around, with running, strength, HIIT and mobility in one plan rather than four separate apps.

Should you change your cadence after plyometrics?

Probably not on purpose. The study linked better economy with a slightly lower step rate, but that change appeared to come naturally from extra spring, not from runners deliberately taking fewer steps. If your cadence shifts a little as you get bouncier, that is fine. Forcing a big change to your stride is a different thing, and is best done gradually, if at all.

The bigger picture is reassuring: a few minutes of light hops and skips, twice a week, seems to be enough for many runners in their 30s and 40s to run more efficiently. Start low, stay patient and let your legs adapt.

This article is general guidance, not medical advice. If you are new to exercise, returning from injury, or managing a health condition, speak to your GP before starting, and see a physio for any niggle that does not settle.