Plyo boxes are used in athletic training, and therefore made to withstand a vigorous exercise routine. Plyo boxes can be purchased individually or in sets that include several different sizes, and are constructed from either wood or steel. Some plyo boxes can be adjusted for different heights and are sold individually. Wood plyo boxes are made in a genuine box design, with an open bottom so that they can be nestled together for storage. Steel plyo boxes are constructed in more of a table design with cross-pieces for added strength, and stack together for easy, compact storage.
Plyo boxes are used in vigorous training routines, and must be constructed accordingly. The surface of plyo boxes, whether wooden or steel, has a slip-resistant covering or coating to ensure that athletes don’t slip on a landing and injure themselves. Steel plyo boxes also have rubberized caps for their feet, so that the boxes themselves don’t slip on slick indoor floors. Plyo boxes are constructed to be very strong, since they must withstand the weight and downward force of a jumping athlete.
Plyometric steps are also available from many retailers of plyo boxes. Plyometric steps, like plyo boxes, may be sold individually or in sets. Plyometric steps may be adjustable or stackable so that the user may achieve different heights.
Shorter plyo boxes or plyometric steps may be used to strengthen leg muscles using step exercises. In these exercises, the athlete puts one foot on the box and uses only the muscles of that leg to pull the entire body up onto the box. Similarly, push-off exercises concentrate on using the muscles of the leg that is still on the ground, by pushing off the ground to get up onto the step. Larger plyo boxes are used for depth jumps, in which the athlete drops to the ground from a plyo boxes, and then springs from a crouched position onto the next box. Exercises can be made more challenging by spacing the boxes farther apart, or by doing the jumps on one leg.