Plyometric drills are very good for power transfer and teach the body to use the stretch-shortening cycle. Plyometric drills good because they allow the body to mimic what occurs during a vertical jump in sport.
In the video clip below Preston Greene, Strength and Conditioning coach for the Florida Gator Mens Basketball Team, demonstrates 4 plyometric drills that utilize a med ball. These drill are from a complete dvd dedicated to improving an athletes vertical jump. For more information about that dvd click the link AAU Basketball Skills Series: Increasing Your Vertical Jump. The dvd includes both plyometric drills and weight training exercises designed to improve the vertical leap of Florida Gator basketball players.
The first drill is the Anterior Leap and Throw. The athlete begins in a squat position and will load the med ball to the hip closest to the wall. He will leap forward explosively covering as much ground as possible. He will land with the knees bent and the med ball loaded to the opposite hip. Immediately he will rotate and throw the med ball at the wall with maximum power. The athlete should complete 3 sets of 5 reps and then repeat going the opposite direction.
The second drill is the Lateral Leap and throw. In this exercise, the athlete begins with his shoulders perpendicular to the wall, but instead of leaping forward, he will leap laterally as far as possible. Once landing he will rotate and throw the ball with maximum power to the wall. Complete 3 sets of 5 reps and then repeat going the other direction.
The third exercise, the Anterior Lateral Leap Throw, is a combination of the first two plyometric drills. the athlete will leap forward as far as possible and then leap laterally away from the wall. The drill ends with the athlete throwing the ball with as much power as possible to the wall. Complete 3 sets of 5 reps and repeat in the opposite direction.
The final exercise is the Full Squat Jump and Throw. Here the athlete will begin in a squat position with a med mall at his chest. The athlete will explode up and jump as high as possible while pushing the med ball into the air as high as possible. Complete 3 sets of 5 reps.
The Youtube video below has sound so please make sure your sound is turned on and that you have access to the site. Some schools block access to YouTube