A lot of runners tense up the second they see “jump” in a strength plan. Box jumps. Pogo hops. Anything remotely explosive. Most people assume it’s because their knees are “bad,” their body isn’t built for power, or that jumping is only for people doing burpees for fun.
But here’s the truth. Jumping feels intimidating because it taps straight into a very human fear of losing control. And that fear gets louder in peri/menopause, not because you’re suddenly fragile, but because your body is recalibrating how it handles force, balance, and recovery.
That’s exactly why plyometrics matter even more during this season.
Let’s break this down so it feels doable, not daunting.
Why Jumping Feels Scary (And Why That’s Normal)
Most people picture the highest box in the gym and think “absolutely not.” They don’t see the full spectrum of plyometrics that look nothing like CrossFit highlight reels.
The mental roadblocks usually come from:
The narrative that women’s knees are fragile.
This one runs deep. Many women hit their 40s or 50s carrying decades of “protect your joints” messaging. That story is outdated and unhelpful.
A nervous system that’s already adapting.
Peri/menopausal athletes deal with sleep swings, joint stiffness, shifts in proprioception, and lower estrogen. That can make explosive movement feel unpredictable at first.
Body awareness changing.
As composition shifts or weight distribution changes, athletes often feel less coordinated. That doesn’t mean you’ve lost athleticism. It means your internal GPS needs a software update.
Pelvic floor hesitation.
Leakage, pressure, or fear of symptoms showing up in a public gym can shut things down quickly. Totally valid concern. Also totally trainable.
Nothing in that list means you shouldn’t jump. It just explains why your brain gets chatty about it.
Why Plyometrics Are Non-Negotiable In Peri/Menopause
Here’s the part a lot of people miss: this season of life is exactly when plyos become more important, not less.
Tendon health depends on load.
Estrogen directly influences tendon stiffness and collagen turnover. When levels fluctuate or drop, tendons benefit from intentional, progressive loading. Plyos deliver that stimulus beautifully.
Power declines faster than strength.
You can hang onto muscle with smart strength training. But power fades quickly if you don’t train it. Even small plyos help preserve the ability to react, push off, and stay springy.
Bone density responds to impact.
Not reckless impact. Progressive, controlled impact. Plyometrics give bones the signal they need to stay strong.
Running economy improves.
Elasticity, stiffness, ground contact time. All influenced by plyos. All crucial for smooth, efficient running… especially when hormones make the body feel different week to week.
The goal isn’t to turn you into a 20-year-old sprinter. It’s to help you stay reactive, durable, and powerful so running feels good for decades.
My Own (Very Humble) Jumping Story
When I started working on box jumps, I didn’t do anything heroic. I grabbed a soft 6-inch box. The kind you could trip over and still survive.
I pushed it against a wall so I’d have something to catch myself if I mistimed the jump. That alone flipped my nervous system from “danger” to “this is fine.”
Then I used a trick that helped me relax: I imagined stepping from the street up onto the curb and into the yard. I’d done that a million times without thinking. If I could land a curb, I could land a 6-inch box.
Once my brain bought into that idea, everything changed. I moved to the 12-inch box, then stacked boxes, and now I can clear twenty to twenty-two inches without worry. Not because I magically became fearless, but because I built trust one inch at a time.
That’s exactly the process I use with peri/menopausal athletes. No ego. No pressure. Just progression, proof, and repeat.
Plyometrics Don’t Have To Look Like Box Jumps
You can get every benefit of plyometrics without ever stepping onto a tall box.
These are perfect for athletes navigating peri/menopause:
Low-level, joint-friendly options:
Heel drops
Step-off landings
Ankle pops
Wall-supported pogos
March-to-skip drills
Mini bounds
Low skips
Short acceleration strides
These build the power you need without the mental load you don’t.
Vertical “lite” plyos:
Squat-to-calf pops
Jump rope singles
Landing-only drills
All controlled, scalable, and incredibly effective.
Why Your Brain Might Still Resist (And How To Work With It)
Nervous system resistance gets louder in peri/menopause because:
Sleep impacts stability.
Temperature swings impact coordination.
Hormonal shifts impact joint sensation.
Body changes impact confidence.
So the hesitation isn’t weakness. It’s data. Your brain is asking for proof of safety before letting you go all-in.
Here’s how to give it that proof:
Start with landings.
Quiet feet. Soft knees. Controlled torso.
Teach the body to absorb force first.
Build ankle elasticity.
Strong, reactive ankles make everything else easier.
Use “can’t fail” reps.
Line hops. Step-offs. Micro pogos.
These build trust fast.
Use mental anchors.
Think curb hop, not athletic audition.
Scale when it feels boring, not scary.
Boredom means readiness. Fear means return to the last successful step.
Actionable Takeaways For Peri/Menopausal Athletes
You can start today with this simple progression:
One: Choose the lowest, softest box or surface you can find.
Two: Push it against a wall so it feels secure.
Three: Practice stepping off and sticking the landing quietly.
Four: Add very small vertical hops just to wake up your ankles.
Five: Try a tiny jump onto the box using the “curb hop” mindset.
Six: Repeat until your landings feel automatic, then level up one inch at a time.
No chaos. No panic. No heroics. Just consistent, intelligent progression.
Plyometrics aren’t reserved for the young, fearless, or Instagram-ready. They’re a critical tool for staying strong, springy, and injury-resistant through peri/menopause and beyond.
Your body isn’t fragile. It’s adaptable. And when you train the qualities that are naturally declining in this season—power, elasticity, tendon resilience—you set yourself up for better running, better movement, and better longevity.
If you want a strength plan that actually fits your season of life, your running goals, and your current confidence level with jumps, I can build that for you. My custom strength plan takes your history, your hormone landscape, and your athletic goals and turns it into a clear, progression-based roadmap you can follow without guessing. You can check it out here.