Jump

The jump is the most natural explosive movement in the world. Every sport, every athletic action, starts with a jump.

Vertical jump. Broad jump. Box jump. Depth jump. All are variations on the same pattern:

• Dip
• Extend
• Launch
• Land

Why it matters:

• Trains explosive power — how fast you can produce force
• Improves sprint acceleration (jumps and sprints share the same hip extension pattern)
• Builds bone density and tendon stiffness
• Requires no equipment
• Directly carries over to dozens of sports

The jump is the test. The vertical jump is one of the most reliable measures of athletic power. If your vertical jump goes up, you’re getting more powerful.

Not all jumps are created equal. A soft, sloppy jump trains nothing. A powerful, technical jump trains everything.

Setup:

• Stand tall, feet shoulder-width apart
• Arms relaxed at sides

Execution (countermovement jump):

1. Dip by bending at the hips and knees (arms swing back)
2. Immediately reverse and extend explosively (arms swing up)
3. Full extension at hips, knees, ankles (triple extension)
4. Reach as high as possible
5. Land soft — balls of feet first, then heels
6. Absorb the landing by bending at hips and knees
7. Reset before the next rep

Primary Points of Performance:

• Full triple extension at the top
• Explosive intent — jump as high as possible
• Soft, controlled landing
• Knees track over feet (no valgus collapse)
• Reset between reps

Common Faults & Fixes:

Variations:

• Vertical jump: max height, one rep at a time
• Broad jump: max distance, standing long jump
• Box jump: jump onto a box, step down (never jump down)
• Depth jump: step off a box, land, immediately jump
• Single-leg hop: unilateral power
• Tuck jump: knees to chest at the top
• Lateral bound: jump side to side

Volume: 3-5 sets of 3-5 reps for power work. Always full recovery.

Training role:

• Power development: high-velocity, low-load
• Neural activation: primes the CNS before heavy lifts
• Tendon stiffness: plyometric work stiffens tendons over time
• Bone density: ground reaction forces stimulate bone growth

Programming:

• Power work: 3-5 sets x 3-5 reps, full recovery (2-3 min)
• Plyometrics: 60-100 ground contacts per session
• Warm-up: 2x5 easy jumps to activate the CNS
• Testing: max vertical jump once every 4-6 weeks

What it trains:

• Quadriceps (knee extension)
• Glutes (hip extension)
• Calves (ankle extension)
• Hamstrings (assist hip extension)
• Core (stability during launch and landing)

The stretch-shortening cycle (SSC):

When you dip before jumping, the muscles and tendons stretch. That stored elastic energy is released during the jump, making it more powerful than a pure concentric effort.

Three phases:

• Eccentric — muscle lengthens (the dip)
• Amortization — brief transition (bottom of the dip)
• Concentric — muscle shortens (the jump)

Faster amortization = more power. Elite jumpers spend fewer than 250ms in transition.

Benchmarks:

• Vertical jump: 20-24” (beginner), 24-30” (intermediate), 30-36” (advanced), 36”+ (elite)
• Broad jump: 6’ (beginner), 7’ (intermediate), 8’ (advanced), 9’+ (elite)
• Jump quality: soft landing, full extension, no valgus

Load management: Jumps are high-impact. 60-100 ground contacts per session is the sweet spot. More than 150 in a session risks tendon overload.

Neuromuscular demands:

• High-threshold motor unit recruitment
• Rate coding: how fast motor units fire
• Intermuscular coordination: timing between quads, glutes, hamstrings, calves

Rate of force development (RFD):

• RFD is how fast you can generate force
• Jumps train RFD directly
• RFD improvements transfer to sprinting and change of direction
• Measured in milliseconds (0-200ms)

Ground reaction forces:

• Vertical jump peak GRF: 2-4x bodyweight
• Landing GRF: 3-6x bodyweight
• These forces build bone density (Wolff’s Law)
• But they also stress tendons, especially the patellar tendon

Landing mechanics and injury prevention:

• Poor landing = ACL injury risk (especially in female athletes)
• Valgus collapse (knees caving in) is the primary mechanism
• Training landing mechanics reduces injury risk 50-70% in female athletes
• Key cues: knees over toes, hip hinge on landing, soft contact

Advanced variations for specific adaptations:

• Depth jumps: step off a box (30-45cm), land, immediately rebound. Trains reactive strength. High intensity — only for advanced athletes.
• Single-leg depth jumps: highest unilateral power demand.
• Weighted jumps: jump squats with 20-40% BW for loaded power.
• Continuous jumps: 6-10 consecutive jumps for reactive strength and conditioning.
• Lateral bounds: side-to-side power for change of direction.

Programming science:

• Jumps are high-CNS, high-impact. Never train them when fatigued.
• Full recovery (2-3 min) between sets of max-effort jumps.
• Plyometric progression: low-intensity (pogo hops, box jumps) -> moderate (broad jumps, bounds) -> high (depth jumps, single-leg).
• Weekly volume: 60-150 ground contacts depending on phase and level.
• Deload jumps every 4-6 weeks. Tendons recover slower than muscle.

Testing:

• Vertical jump: force plate or Vertec
• Broad jump: tape measure
• Reactive strength index (RSI): jump height / ground contact time
• Test every 4-6 weeks under identical conditions