Jump Squat
The jump squat is an explosive bodyweight exercise: you dip quickly into a partial squat and immediately jump as high as you can, then land softly and reset. It trains leg and hip power through the quadriceps, glutes and calves, and is used to build jumping and sprinting ability.
Also called: Squat Jump, Plyometric Squat, Bodyweight Jump Squat, Vertical Squat Jump · Equipment: bodyweight · Pattern: squat
Step by step
- Stand with your feet about hip- to shoulder-width apart, toes turned slightly out, arms by your sides.
- Brace your trunk and dip quickly into a quarter to half squat by bending your hips and knees, swinging your arms back. Keep your chest up and your knees tracking over your toes.
- Without pausing at the bottom, drive hard through your whole foot and jump as high as you can, swinging your arms up.
- In the air, extend fully through your hips, knees and ankles so your body is straight.
- Land softly on the balls of your feet and roll through to the whole foot, bending your hips and knees to absorb the landing with your knees over your toes.
- Hold the landing in a balanced quarter squat, then stand tall and reset before the next jump.
- Dip fast and jump straight away
- Jump as high as you can on every rep
- Full extension through hips, knees and ankles
- Land soft and quiet, knees over toes
- Stick every landing before the next jump
In VALDA, these cues are one tap away on the exercise while you train.
What it trains
| Muscle | Role | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Quadriceps: vastus lateralis | Prime mover | C |
| Quadriceps: vastus medialis | Prime mover | C |
| Gluteus maximus | Prime mover | C |
| Gastrocnemius | Secondary | C |
| Hamstrings | Secondary | D |
| Erector spinae | Stabiliser | D |
Evidence grades: A = strong research base · B = good · C = limited · D = coaching consensus.
What goes wrong, and the fix
Pausing at the bottom of the dip
Fix: Dip quickly and reverse straight into the jump with no pause.
Knees caving in on take-off or landing
Fix: Keep your knees pushed out over your toes on the dip and the landing.
Stiff, loud landings
Fix: Land on the balls of your feet and bend hips and knees to absorb it quietly.
Jumping below full effort
Fix: Aim to jump as high as possible on every rep of the set.
Rushing reps as landings get sloppy
Fix: Stick each landing and reset; end the set when jump height clearly drops.
What the research says
Power · first choiceSport performance · first choiceFat loss & conditioning · first choiceGeneral fitnessEndurance
- Load — A study of optimal power loads found peak power in the jump squat was highest with body weight alone; power output fell as bar load was added.
- Training effect — Jump-squat training with a light load (30% of 1RM) improved movement speed and 20 m sprint times, while heavy-load (80% of 1RM) jump squats shifted adaptations towards force.
- Intent — A training study found high-velocity adaptations tracked the intent to move fast rather than the speed actually reached, which is why jumps are normally performed with maximal effort on every rep.
- Strength base — Reviews of power training describe maximal strength as the foundation for power, and many programmes combine heavy squats with jump training, especially for less-trained lifters.
- Muscle size — Research finds jump training produces small-to-moderate gains in muscle size, well short of traditional resistance training.
- Sets and rest — A common approach is low-rep sets with full rest so every jump stays near maximal. Research on squat training found sets ended at a smaller drop in bar speed gave similar strength gains and better jump performance than sets taken further.
Swap it mid-workout
With VALDA Pro, FLEX offers alternatives like these when you swap an exercise mid-workout.
Log the jump squat in VALDA, with these cues one tap away while you train and your history for it in one place.
General information about exercise technique, not medical advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, your healthcare provider is the right person to ask.