Knee Tuck Jump
The tuck jump is a bodyweight plyometric in which you jump straight up and pull both knees towards your chest at the top of the jump. It trains explosive, springy jumping with the calves, quads and glutes, plus fast hip flexion from the hip flexors and abdominals.
Also called: Tuck Jump, Plyometric Tuck Jump, Knees-to-Chest Jump, Repeated Tuck Jump · Equipment: bodyweight · Pattern: squat
Step by step
- Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, weight over the middle of your feet, arms by your sides.
- Dip into a quarter squat and swing your arms back.
- Jump straight up as hard as you can, driving through your hips, knees and ankles and swinging your arms forward and up.
- At the top of the jump, pull both knees up towards your chest while keeping your chest tall. Your hands can reach forward to meet your knees at about hip height.
- Straighten your legs quickly so your feet are back under you before you land.
- Land on the same spot you took off from, on the balls of your feet with heels settling, knees bending and pointing over your toes.
- Go straight into the next jump with a short, springy contact. After the last rep, land, absorb through your hips and knees, and stand tall.
- Jump first, then tuck
- Knees to chest, chest tall
- Land quietly on the same spot
- Knees point over your toes on landing
- Quick, springy contacts with the floor
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 |
| Quadriceps: rectus femoris | Prime mover | C |
| Hip flexors | Prime mover | C |
| Gluteus maximus | Prime mover | C |
| Gastrocnemius | Secondary | C |
| Soleus | Secondary | D |
| Hamstrings | Secondary | D |
| Erector spinae | Stabiliser | D |
| Adductors | Stabiliser | D |
| Rectus abdominis | Dynamic stabiliser | C |
Evidence grades: A = strong research base · B = good · C = limited · D = coaching consensus.
What goes wrong, and the fix
Knees caving inwards on landing
Fix: Land with your knees pointing over your toes, and shorten the set if they drift in.
Folding the torso down to the knees
Fix: Keep your chest tall and bring your knees up to meet your hands.
Drifting forward or to one side
Fix: Jump straight up and land on the same spot you took off from.
Stiff, loud landings
Fix: Land on the balls of your feet and bend your hips and knees to absorb quietly.
Tucking before leaving the floor
Fix: Drive straight up through your legs first, then pull your knees up at the top.
Chasing reps as fatigue builds
Fix: Keep sets short enough that every landing stays quiet and on the same spot.
What the research says
Fat loss & conditioning · first choicePowerGeneral fitnessSport performanceEndurance
- Jump performance — A meta-analysis of 26 controlled trials found plyometric training improved countermovement jump height by about 9% on average.
- Dose — A meta-analysis of 56 studies found the largest jump-height gains with programmes longer than 10 weeks and 20 sessions, with more than 50 jumps per session, and with a mix of jump types rather than one. Adding weight gave no extra benefit.
- Muscle size — A meta-analysis found plyometric jump training produces small-to-moderate muscle growth, relatively minor next to traditional resistance training.
- Direction — A meta-analysis found horizontal jump training transferred better to horizontal performance than vertical jump training did, so many programmes pair vertical jumps like this with broad jumps or bounds.
- Placement — A common approach is to do jumps early in a session, after a warm-up and before heavy lifting, with short sets and full rest when the aim is quality.
Swap it mid-workout
With VALDA Pro, FLEX offers alternatives like these when you swap an exercise mid-workout.
Log the knee tuck jump 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.