Jump

The jump (vertical jump) is a fundamental bodyweight plyometric exercise that trains explosive lower-body power. From a short countermovement dip, the lifter drives through the hips, knees, and ankles to leave the ground and reach maximum height, then absorbs the landing with controlled knee and hip flexion. Because it relies on the stretch-shortening cycle rather than external load, it builds rate of force development and athletic power in a way that slow, heavy compound lifts cannot replicate on their own.

Muscles Targeted

• Primary: Quadriceps, glutes
• Secondary: Hamstrings, calves (gastrocnemius, soleus)
• Tertiary: Core stabilizers, hip flexors (during the swing-and-land phase)

Starting Position

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing slightly outward, and arms relaxed at your sides. Distribute your weight evenly across the middle of your feet. Keep your chest up and your gaze forward, ready to initiate a quick countermovement rather than starting from a static, deep squat.

Execution Steps

1. Load the jump by quickly bending your knees and hips into a quarter- to half-squat, swinging your arms back
2. Reverse direction explosively, driving your feet into the floor and swinging your arms forward and upward
3. Extend your hips, knees, and ankles fully as you leave the ground, reaching maximum vertical extension in the air
4. Keep your body upright in the air rather than piking forward at the hips
5. Land softly on the balls of your feet first, rolling down through the heel, with knees bent to absorb the impact
6. Reset your stance and pause briefly before initiating the next rep, especially when training for maximum height

Form Cues

• Use your arms: A forceful arm swing adds meaningful height by contributing upward momentum
• Land quietly: A soft, controlled landing indicates good force absorption and reduces joint stress
• Keep the knees tracking over the toes: Avoid letting the knees cave inward on takeoff or landing
• Reset between reps for maximum-height training so each jump starts fresh rather than compounding fatigue
• Keep the torso tall through the jump instead of collapsing forward at the hips or lower back

Common Mistakes

• Squatting too deep before jumping: An overly deep countermovement slows the stretch-shortening cycle and reduces explosive output.
• Landing stiff-legged: Landing with locked or barely bent knees transmits excessive force into the joints and increases injury risk.
• Letting the knees cave inward: Poor knee tracking on takeoff or landing stresses the knee ligaments and reduces power transfer.
• Rushing consecutive jumps without resetting: Chaining jumps too quickly for a "max height" set accumulates fatigue and degrades technique.
• Neglecting the arm swing: Failing to use the arms wastes free contribution to jump height and total-body coordination.

Variations

• Squat jump: Starts from a paused squat with no countermovement, isolating concentric explosive strength
• Box jump: Adds a target platform, emphasizing height and landing accuracy under more structured conditions
• Broad jump: Redirects the explosive effort horizontally instead of vertically, building forward power
• Tuck jump: Adds knee-to-chest flexion in the air, increasing core and hip flexor demand
• Depth jump: Begins with a drop from a low box before jumping, increasing the eccentric loading and reactive strength demand

Tips for Progression

• Master the landing first: Do not chase height until landings are consistently soft and controlled on every rep
• Add reactive elements gradually: Progress from static-start squat jumps to countermovement jumps before introducing depth jumps
• Track jump height: Use a wall marker, jump mat, or simple video review to confirm you are progressing over weeks, not just accumulating fatigue
• Increase intent, not volume: Once landing mechanics are solid, prioritize maximal effort on fewer jumps over adding more reps
• Progress to loaded or single-leg jumps: Once bodyweight jumps are crisp and well-controlled, add light external load or single-leg variations for further power development

Training Notes

Train jumps 1-3 times per week, ideally early in a session while the nervous system is fresh, since plyometric quality drops quickly with fatigue. Use low volumes of 3-6 sets of 3-6 reps with full recovery (60-120 seconds) between sets when training for maximum power output, rather than high-rep conditioning sets. Because landing mechanics carry real injury risk under fatigue, prioritize clean technique over total rep count.