How to do Box Jumps

Box jumps are a great exercise for your legs, and can be performed on just about any variable flat surface. They hit your posterior chain – calves, quads, glutes, and hamstrings – pretty hard.

Box jumps can be used for cardio workouts, neural activation training (NAT), high-intensity resistance training (HIRT), and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) circuits. They are often used in CrossFit WODs (Workout of the Day) and are a staple exercise in plyometric training. Plyometrics have a wide range of athletic and real sporting applications; they are used, for example, to increase jumping ability, leg strength, hip drive, and explosiveness.

Box jumps are a simple movement. They require you only to jump from one flat surface up onto another flat surface, then either step or jump back down, depending on the purpose of the exercise. These are our tips for performing them safely and effectively.

How to Get Started on Your Box Jumping Journey

To excel at box jumps, you have to develop strength, flexibility, speed, power, coordination, and balance. Without a basic foundation in these core exercise stills, you should not attempt a box jump.

Be sure you are comfortable with bodyweight squats. If you can’t do bodyweight squats then you’ve got a real problem and should not be attempting box jumps.

To practice for the box jump you can use:

• bodyweight squats
• bodyweight squat jumps (or jump squats)
• tuck jumps (or high knee squat jumps)

Once you master at least the bodyweight squat and squat jump, then you can attempt a box jump. Tuck jumps are more advanced, and while they will help you develop a max-height box jump, you don’t necessarily need to master them before attempting a low to medium-height box jump.

Proper Box Jump Technique

Standard box jumps are performed on a 24-inch (2-foot) high box. When found at a gym, these are typically boxes made for exercising; they are flat, hard but sometimes padded, and pretty darn sturdy.

Unless you are performing a funky box jump, you want to start with both feet in a comfortable stance, roughly shoulder width, and flat on the floor. I will discuss other box jump variations towards the bottom of this post.

In case you didn’t know, for a standard box jump the box should be in front of you.

The Triple Extension – It is vitally important to coordinate the use of your hips, knees, and ankles during take-off. When jumping you will extend all three joints simultaneously in what is called a ‘triple extension’. Mastering the triple extension has a direct impact on sports performance and dynamic weight training exercises such as the weighted jump squat.

Mid-air – In the air, you should focus on tucking your knees into your chest if you are attempting a high box jump. This might not be necessary if you are using low box jumps for cardiovascular purposes in HIRT or WOD circuits.

Arm swing – When using box jumps for NAT training or when training a max effort box jump, or any other high jump, you might want to swing your arms for added momentum. You should start with your arms straight down at your sides, fingers pointed at the floor. Your arms should swing in a semi-circular arc straight out in front of you so that they are extended straight up, with fingers pointed towards the sky at the top of your jump.

Landing – Land with both feet at the same time. Be sure to stand up completely on top of the box, to fully open your hips. This same movement is used at the top of a squat, deadlift, clean, hang clean, or snatch. You should perform a full landing even if you are using speed box jumps for conditioning purposes.

The descent can vary based on the purpose of the exercise:

• NAT – requires a full reset, step down or climb down carefully, we don’t generally recommend jumping back down as a part of the exercise
• HIRT circuits – these are often speed jumps, so you’ll want to jump up and jump down rapidly – we don’t love this take on box jumps and generally recommend them for max effort jumps
• HIIT circuits – HIIT training should be maximal power over a shorter amount of time, so you might do 2-5 box jumps with a full reset as a component of a HIIT circuit
• cardio training – similar to HIRT circuits, not usually max effort, usually based on a target heart rate
• WODs – ask your CrossFit instructor if you jump or step down, it depends on the Workout of the Day
• Plyometrics – usually training a max effort jump, you’ll probably only perform one rep at a time so you can step down

If jump back down you should land in an identical position to that which you used to start the initial jump. Often you can use this position to start the next jump, instead of resetting before each attempt.

Benefits of Box Jumps

Box jumps will help to increase all of the skills I mentioned before:

• strength
• flexibility
• speed
• power
• coordination
• balance

You will improve all of those skills for the following muscles and joints:

• quads
• hamstrings
• calves
• glutes
• ankles
• knees
• hips

Common Box Jump Mistakes

Beginners and even experienced weightlifters might not be good box jumpers at first. You need to practice to learn how to use your body to master those athletic skills I keep mentioning.

Here are some common box jump mistakes that you should always be conscious of:

• Jumping or leading off with only 1 leg.
• Landing with only 1 leg.
• Not bending properly at the knees and hips so that you only use your ankles to propel you off the floor.
• Landing, losing your balance, and falling off.
• Using a box too high for your skill level.
• Using a box too low for developing your desired skill.
• Not using your arms. The difference between arm swing and no arm swing is like night and day.
• Being too nervous. You need to believe in yourself and have confidence in your jump.
• Never land on straight knees. Any jump, up or down, requires a soft landing with bent knees to cushion.

Box Jump Variations

As I mentioned before, box jumps can be performed on a wide range of equipment, including:

• boxes of varying height
• weight bench
• aerobics steps
• stack of rubber weight plates (metal plates usually slide, it’s dangerous)
• any kind of ledge
• sidewalk curb
• park or sidewalk bench
• stadium bleachers
• stone wall
• sturdy chairs
• stairs
• any other sturdy platform from 6 inches to 3, 4, or even 5 feet

Because the height of your box, bench, or step can vary, box jumps can be used with a high box to train a max effort, with a medium height box to train max power without risk of injury, or at a lower high for cardio or speed training.

You can also vary your stance by using close stance box jumps and wide stance box jumps. This can sometimes put the integrity of your form and your balance at risk, so I recommend only using a regular/medium stance for all your standard box jumps unless you are an experienced box jumper.

Here are some box jump variations that you can use, as long as you are using them on purpose:

• double or single-leg standard box jumps
• double or single-leg box jumps to either side of the box
• double or single-leg box jumps with the box behind you

Final Thoughts

Box jumps are a powerful exercise that can enhance your strength, explosiveness, and agility. When done correctly, they provide a full-body workout that challenges your muscles, improves cardiovascular fitness (should you choose to go this route), and boosts your athletic performance. Proper technique is crucial to avoid injury and get the most out of each jump, so always focus on form before increasing intensity. With endless variations – from different heights, to equipment, to weighted jumps – you can continuously challenge yourself and keep your workouts fun and engaging. Incorporating box jumps into your routine can offer a dynamic and effective way to bolster your lower body routines.

Read more: How to Squat | Back Squats, Jump Squats, Front Squats

Tags: ankles, box jumps, calves, glutes, hamstrings, hips, jumping, knees, legs, plyometrics, posterior chain, quadriceps, quads

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