Box Jumps Guide: How to Master the Box Jump Exercise

Box jumps are a plyometric exercise that target your lower body muscles, including the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves. Perform the box jump by making a vertical jump up to a box or elevated surface. With proper form, this jumping exercise can add cardio into your strength training workout routine.

Regularly performing box jumps can have three key benefits.

1. 1. Box jumps are a full-body exercise. By activating muscle groups in your upper body and lower body, box jumps can build strength and stability throughout your whole body.
2. 2. Box jumps increase explosive power. As a plyometric exercise, box jumps use an explosive movement, activating your muscles to their full power in a short amount of time. Box jumps build explosive strength, which can improve athletic performance during swimming or sprinting.
3. 3. Box jumps burn calories. The explosiveness of the box jump movement increases your heart rate, burning more calories than many other strength training exercises.

Consider these tips before practicing box jumps.

1. 1. Start with a lower box. Use a low box or short step when first performing the box jump. If the movement is challenging, consider using step-ups or squat jumps as a warm up.
2. 2. Step off the box carefully. Be cautious of your dismount from the top of the box, taking one step at a time rather than jumping off.
3. 3. Keep your knees aligned. As you go through the full range of motion of the jump, be mindful of your legs, keeping your knees aligned without letting them cave inward or open outward.

For the box jump, begin by performing 2–3 sets of 3–6 repetitions. Choose a box height that allows you to maintain good technique throughout all sets and repetitions. An appropriate box height will allow you to land with both feet in the middle of the box.

1. 1. Position yourself roughly 1–1.5 feet away from a box that you can jump on comfortably.
2. 2. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart with a slight bend in your knees. Your shoulders should be directly over your hips with a neutral head and neck position. Your arms should remain long by your sides with a slight bend in the elbows. Your chin should remain tucked throughout the movement, as if you were holding an egg under your chin. The weight on your feet should be evenly distributed along each entire foot. Grip the floor with your feet to create a stable foot position. Engage your core. All repetitions should begin from this position.
3. 3. Maintain a neutral spine and upright chest position as you bend your hips and knees to lower into a quarter squat position. Keep your shins vertical. Allow your hands to travel out behind your body. Your chest should be over your knees.
4. 4. Begin your upward movement by explosively pushing through the ground to jump into the air. As you straighten your legs, swing your arms forward.
5. 5. At the top of your jump, your arms should be above your head with your upper arms in line with your ears. Your legs should be straight.
6. 6. As you approach the box, begin to bend your hips and knees to prepare to land on the box.
7. 7. Land softly from your jump on the balls of your feet, then evenly distribute your weight along each entire foot. Allow your hips and knees to bend to absorb force. Your body weight should be loaded into the midfoot and heel of each foot, but keep your toes engaged. Your chest should be over your knees, and your knees should track over your toes. Keep your core engaged throughout the landing.
8. 8. Your landing posture should be the same as your jumping posture, in a quarter squat with your chest over your knees. Your shin angle and torso angle should be relatively the same.
9. 9. Step off the box one leg at a time, and return to the starting position.

To add variety to your workout, consider these four types of box jumps.

1. 1. Dumbbell box jump: The dumbbell box jump variation requires you to hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides, making the jump more strenuous.
2. 2. Rotational box jump: Perform the rotational box jump by standing with the box at your side and rotating your body mid-air while jumping.
3. 3. Burpee box jump: This variation adds a burpee movement in between your box jumps, working even more muscle groups by adding another movement pattern.
4. 4. Single-leg box jump: The single leg box jump is an advanced variation that requires more stability as you land on one foot at the top of your jump.

If you have a previous or pre-existing health condition, consult your physician before beginning an exercise program. Proper exercise technique is essential to ensure the safety and effectiveness of an exercise program, but you may need to modify each exercise to attain optimal results based on your individual needs. Always select a weight that allows you to have full control of your body throughout the movement. When performing any exercise, pay close attention to your body, and stop immediately if you note pain or discomfort.

In order to see continual progress and build body strength, incorporate proper warm-ups, rest, and nutrition into your exercise program. Your results will ultimately be based on your ability to adequately recover from your workouts. Rest for 24 to 48 hours before training the same muscle groups to allow sufficient recovery.

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