Jump squats
An explosive lower-body exercise that builds power and increases the cardiovascular demand of a training session. Jump squats train fast-twitch muscle fibers that regular squats don't fully recruit.
QuadricepsGlutesHamstringsCalves
How to Perform
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
- Descend into a squat until thighs are parallel.
- Explosively drive through your feet to jump as high as possible.
- Land softly with bent knees, immediately absorbing the impact through your hips and legs.
- Use the stretch reflex at the bottom to immediately jump again, or pause and reset.
Common Mistakes
- Landing stiff-legged, which places excessive impact on the knees and joints.
- Not reaching squat depth before jumping.
- Landing with knees caving inward.
Variants
Jump squat to squat pulse
After the jump landing, add 2–3 small squat pulses at the bottom before the next jump.