How to do a Box Jump
Reviewed by JP Michelsen, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Box Jump
Box
Instructions for Proper Form
Box Jump is a compound, explosive movement that targets most muscles in the body, but primarily muscles in your legs. This is a great exercise for anyone looking to improve their ability to jump, add some cardio to their workout, or develop power and explosiveness. This exercise can be easily scaled to your ability level by using different sized boxes.
- Stand in front of the plyo box with your toes 3-6” from the box and place your feet hip-width apart.
- Begin hinging at your hips while simultaneously extending your arms behind you.
- Maintain a straight and rigid torso while you descend and keep your heels firmly on the ground.
- Once you have reached the bottom of the movement, you will need to immediately explode upward by extending your hips and knees and swinging your arms forward.
- Land on top of the plyo box as softly as possible by absorbing the landing and allowing your knees and hips to flex.
Common Form Mistakes
Soft Landing
Don’t land with your legs locked. This applies to both jumping onto and off of the box, although it’s significantly more important if you’re jumping off. Keep your legs bent, and slowly absorb the impact as you land by bending your knees and hinging your hips back. Focus on making as little noise as possible as you land.
Too Big Too Fast
Make sure you’re ready for the box you’re using. You can always jump higher than you need to, and still get the most out of this exercise. However, if you don’t make it to the top of the box, your risk of injury increases dramatically.
Sets & Reps Calculator
Average Box Jump standards by male, female, gender, weight, age and height
Use this calculator to see Fitbod's possible first recommendations for you. This would be your starting line, based on more than 4.5 billion logged sets from 1.1 million users.
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Alternative Exercises to Box Jump
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97.6 mSCORESWAPPED 859 TIMESThis exercise is a variation on Romanian Deadlifts. Like other Romanian Deadlifts, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets your hamstrings and glutes. The use of dumbbells can help with some limitations in mobility, and is a great starting point for anyone working towards performing Deadlifts or Romanian Deadlifts with a barbell.
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2. Seated Leg Curl
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3. Dumbbell Good Morning
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4. Lying Hamstrings Curl
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5. Kettlebell Swing
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6. Kettlebell Sumo Squat
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7. Deadlift
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8. Single Leg Romanian Deadlift
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