How to Box Jump: Gym Shorts

How to Box Jump

Gym Shorts videos provide short video demonstrations of correct form for various exercises.

How to Box Jump: Follow These Steps

• Stand tall at the top (fully extend hips & knees)
• Step down
• Bend knees & hips right before you jump
• Stand close without your feet hitting the box
• Land full-footed onto the box
• Jump in deadlift stance (hip width)
• Land in squat stance (shoulder width)

What is the Box Jump

This movement is a jump onto a box. Next question (jk).

The box jump is an explosive movement that too often finds itself performed only for high repetitions as part of an endurance or circuit workout.

Because of the explosiveness needed to jump, it is a plyometric movement. To jump onto a high box is a display of power. Power is strength displayed quickly.

The muscles trained in this exercise are similar to the power clean. The lifter crouches down. This primes the muscles for contraction, like a spring. The lifter then jumps up onto the box.

One important note is that, just as in the power clean, the feet start in more of a narrow deadlift stance and end at the top of the box in a wider, squat stance.

Programming the Box Jump

The question here is really why perform this exercise at all?

This may be programmed for CrossFitters, with the box jump as a movement that is included in workouts.

Or, this exercise could be assigned to athletes, working to apply strength developed with barbell movements.

For circuit or endurance purposes, this can be assigned for higher repetition sets or as part of a circuit. Something like 2-5 sets of 5-20+ reps. Note, that if you’re doing higher rep sets, the box needs to be lower (just as if you were performing a barbell exercise as part of a circuit, you cannot perform this close to your 1RM).

To develop jumping ability and develop power, this can be programmed more like an Olympic lift, with lower repetition sets of 3-1.

One important note, is that this movement can be a dangerous movement. People can jump onto too high a box, scrape their shins, or fall over. Take your ego out of this movement, and don’t jump onto a box unless you are confident you can land safely onto the box.

Click HERE to watch an in-depth video on the power clean and HERE to read an article on training athletes.