Whether you need a higher vertical jump for wailing spikes and snagging rebounds or a powerful sprint for dashing off third base or pedaling up a brutal incline, almost every sport requires fast bursts of speed and power from the leg muscles while being placed under constant stress. "Being able to absorb shock can help eliminate the small, wasteful movements that can slow down your performance," says Heather Dillinger, national certification specialist for the Aerobic and Fitness Association of America.  "Eventually, your body learns to 'bounce' less, so it can respond faster to changing direction without losing acceleration or strength."

This set of drills is reserved for the active athlete, which is anyone who participates in a sport at least three times a week. If you're seriously overweight or have ankle problems, these type of exercises can do more harm than good. This program places a great deal of stress on the legs, so much, in fact, that it should only be performed once a week--not twice.

Power Skip
Start by skipping from one foot to the other in a straight line, but instead of letting your arms hang, bend them as if you were going for a run. As you push off your left foot, concentrate on pushing yourself up as high as you can (your leg should end up straight with your toes pointing down). Simultaneously draw your right knee up as high as you can and swing your left arm forward and up (your left fist should rise above your head). Land on your left foot, then repeat the skip with the right leg, this time drawing your left knee as high as you can while swinging your right arm forward and up. Skip forward 30 feet, rest for 60 seconds; then repeat the drill once more. Tip: Most people neglect to extend their ankles far enough after they push off, which limits their power. Make sure your toes point to the ground with each skip.

Its strongest benefit: Adds extra power to your push-off when running, skating or skiing.

Power Skip and Leap
Start by doing a power skip for three full strides. Immediately after the third stride, plant both feet and jump straight up as high as possible, raising your arms as if you were trying to touch the sky. The moment you land, sprint forward in a regular jog for 4 or 5 strides. Stop, walk back to where you started and repeat for a total of 5 jumps. Rest for 2 minutes; then repeat the drill twice more.

Its strongest benefit: Develops the coordination and power needed for "at the net" volleyball and basketball play.

Jump and Go
This exercise starts with an old high school favorite: the standing broad jump. Stand with your feet together and bend arms at your sides. Bend your knees and jump forward (with both feet) as far as you can, pulling your arms forward to give you more height. Once you're off the ground, begin to extend one leg forward (it doesn't matter which one) so that you end up landing on one foot. As soon as your foot hits the ground, begin to take off into a sprint for 4 to 5 strides. Stop, walk back and repeat for a total of 5 jumps. Rest 60 seconds; then repeat the drill once more.

Its strongest benefit: Helps improve change of direction and lateral speed.

Rhythm Skip
Find a flat, forgiving surface. Begin to skip from one foot to the other in a straight line (your arms should swing loosely down by your sides as you go). As you push off your left foot, draw your right knee up to waist level and swing your left arm forward. Land on your left foot, then immediately step forward with your right foot and skip again, this time drawing your left knee to waist level while swinging your right arm forward. Skip forward 50 feet, rest for 30 seconds; then repeat the drill twice more. Tip: The goal here is to try to skip fast as you can, not as high as you can (you covered that with the power skip).

Its strongest benefit: Resets your running stride. Most people have one leg that's weaker than the other, making them a less efficient runner. To balance this out, draw two parallel lines (or place a few jump ropes from end to end) and try to skip straight between them without stepping over either side. Doing this will force the weaker leg to keep in time with the dominant leg.

Back and Forth Rhythm Skip
(This drill takes more coordination than the rest and may take some extra time and patience to perform.) Rhythm skip straight ahead for three strides, plant your feet and jump up as high as you can, raising your arms as you go. Once you touch back down, rhythm skip backward for three strides. Plant your feet again and jump as high as you can. Repeat for a total of 6 jumps (3 forward and 3 back). Rest for 60 seconds; then repeat the drill twice more. Tip: Backward skipping can be tricky. If you're having a hard time, try walking instead. You'll eventually get the feel for it.

Its strongest benefit: Works on back and forth coordination for tennis, basketball or any sport that forces the body to move back without watching where you're going.

Box Jump
Stand on a sturdy box approximately 18 inches from the ground (a low park bench will also work). Jump on to the ground in front of you. (Safety tip: Only jump about 6 inches higher than the box. Being 18 inches off the ground already makes jumping any higher too risky for the knees.) Once you land, immediately spring up and forward as far as you can, quickly swinging your arms for extra momentum. Repeat for a total of 8 jumps, rest for 2 minutes; then repeat the drill once more.

Its strongest benefit: Builds the legs, butt, lower back and calves and adds inches to an athlete's vertical jump.

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